Streaks continue in south-western France. The finish in Bordeaux saw a sprinter take the win, just as had been the case during the Tour’s last visit to the city in 2023. Will it be the same in Bergerac, where Marcel Kittel claimed victory in 2017? Today’s route suggests a bunch sprint, with ‘just’ 1,150 metres of elevation gain over 180.4 kilometres, and two category 4 climbs: the Côte de Domme followed by the Côte du Buisson-de-Cadouin, situated 40 kilometres from the finish.
Third in Pau, Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) demonstrated his power in Bordeaux, where he won by a bike’s length despite launching his sprint a few metres behind his rivals. The Belgian will be looking to double his tally; his compatriot Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) will be seeking revenge after finishing fifth in both mass sprints so far in this Tour. The winner of the first stage in Pau, Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM), will also be looking to bounce back, having missed out on the final sprint in Bordeaux (23rd).
Soren Wæerenskjold (Uno-X Mobility), Max Kanter (XDS Astana) and Biniam Girmay (NSN) have each secured a stage top three finish since the start, but victory has so far eluded them. That will be their aim in Bergerac. The battle for the green jersey will once again take centre stage in the Dordogne. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) arrives there with a 59-point lead over his nearest rival, on a stage where 95 points are up for grabs.
