Tim Merlier powered to victory in a bunch sprint finish on stage seven of the Tour de France, while Tadej Pogacar retained the overall lead.

Soren Waerenskjold from Norway crossed the line in second place, with Biniam Girmay from Eritrea finishing third at the end of the 175.1km route from Hagetmau to Bordeaux.

Merlier executed his sprint flawlessly, catching compatriot Jasper Philipsen in the final 100 metres and showcasing impressive speed against his rivals.

"It was a mess to be in position, but I made it thanks to the team," Merlier stated. "We were the only team with Alpecin who were riding to take the breakaway back, so I'm happy it's not another team who wins. It's only my third Tour de France. In every participation, I take a win, it makes me proud."

This victory marks Merlier's fourth stage win in the Tour, having previously triumphed in 2021 and 2025.

Tadej Pogacar remains the man to beat, having delivered a masterclass on the Col du Tourmalet on Thursday. He holds an advantage of two minutes and 38 seconds over Jonas Vingegaard, with Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate Isaac del Toro trailing by an additional 45 seconds in third.

Notably, Torstein Traeen of Norway withdrew from the Tour on Thursday following a severe crash while wearing the yellow jersey.

Looking ahead, the race continues on Saturday with a 180.4km route from Perigueux to Bergerac, anticipated to feature another sprint finish.