Cycling: Tour: Merlier wins again - Philipsen seeks his form

Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier is currently unstoppable at the Tour de France, claiming his second consecutive stage victory. After winning in Bordeaux, the 33-year-old continued his winning streak with another triumph in the Dordogne region. "If you can win once, you can win a second time," Merlier stated, expressing his confidence and strong current form. He emphasized his consistent fight for positioning throughout the stages.

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If you can win once, you can win a second time.

In stark contrast, fellow Belgian Jasper Philipsen is facing a difficult period, searching for his peak performance in the French cycling race. The 28-year-old star sprinter has yet to secure a stage win in this edition of the Tour, despite multiple opportunities for fast finishers. On the eighth stage, which covered 180.4 kilometers between Périgueux and Bergerac, Philipsen finished fourth, adding to his previous fifth-place finishes on stages five and seven. He expressed frustration after the Bordeaux stage, admitting he could not perform better than his current capabilities allowed and was not at his usual level.

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I fought for my position the whole time.

Other riders also made their mark on the stage. Biniam Girmay of Eritrea took second place, followed by Olav Kooij from the Netherlands in third. Pascal Ackermann emerged as the top German rider, finishing seventh, with Max Kanter in ninth. Ackermann expressed optimism about his legs, despite regretting a lost position in the final corner. Meanwhile, the general classification remains unchanged, with Tadej Pogacar leading Jonas Vingegaard by 2 minutes and 42 seconds.

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I cannot reproach myself. I cannot do more than I can.