Merlier wins stage 8 of Tour as race favorite Pogačar keeps yellow jersey

BERGERAC, France (AP) — Belgian rider Tim Merlier won the eighth stage of the Tour de France in a sprint finish to claim back-to-back-stage victories, while defending champion Tadej Pogačar kept the race leader's yellow jersey on Saturday.

Four-time champion Pogačar finished in the main pack along with two-time champion Jonas Vingegaard and maintained his overall lead of 2 minutes, 42 seconds over his main rival. Pogačar’s teammate Isaac del Toro is third.

Stage 8 took the peloton on a 180-kilometer (112-mile) route from Périgueux to the southeastern city of Bergerac in sweltering conditions, amid another heatwave.

“Just like every day, a lot of water and keep cooling the body down," the Slovenian rider Pogačar said. "The body gets tired in the heat. Definitely we need to be careful and keep cooling down, take care of nutrition, hydration.”

For the second day running, Mathieu van der Poel rode hard to put his teammate Jasper Philipsen at the front, but their attack came too early and Merlier timed his run to the line perfectly for a fifth career stage win in the showcase race.

“I needed to fight for my position all the time ... I almost crashed, thought it was over," Merlier said. "In this heat it was a really difficult effort."

Eritrean Biniam Girmay finished second and Dutchman Olav Kooij was third, all timed at 3 hours, 52 minutes, 50 seconds.

Stage 9 on Sunday is a hilly trek from Malemort to Ussel in central France and has been shortened by 30 kilometers to 155.5 kilometers due to the extreme heat.

Organizers took the decision on Saturday evening because the local department where the stage takes place has been placed on red alert.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, talks with France's Julian Alaphilippe, as they ride in the pack during the eighth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 180.4 kilometers (111.8 miles) with start in Perigueux and finish in Bergerac, France, Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, is shielded from the sun ahead of the start of the eighth stage of the Tour de France cycling race of over 180.4 kilometers (about 1120 miles) with start in Perigueux and finish in Bergerac, France, Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Belgium's Tim Merlier celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the eighth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Perigueux and finish in Bergerac, France, Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Belgium's Tim Merlier, left, crosses the finish line to win the eighth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Perigueux and finish in Bergerac, France, Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Belgium's Tim Merlier celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the eighth stage of the Tour de France cycling race with start in Perigueux and finish in Bergerac, France, Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — England mollified its critics for a week after smothering a dismal Fiji by a record 73-8 in Nations Championship rugby on Saturday.

Relevant questions about England's lineup, tactics and attitude after the hammering from world champion South Africa in Johannesburg last weekend were pacified somewhat by coming home and posting an equally unsurprising 11-try win against outclassed Fiji.

Fiji struggled for possession and could not handle England's scrum, maul and defense. Under pressure, Fiji conceded 12 penalties — nine by halftime — and a red card to scrumhalf Simione Kuruvoli for lashing out with his boot into the stomach of Ellis Genge.

That meant Fiji played the entire second half down a man and England could play wider and be ruthless. Up 35-3 at halftime, England added six more tries, including a hat trick for replacement flanker Henry Pollock. Fin Smith converted nine.

England tallied a record score against Fiji and its biggest win since beating Chile 71-0 in Lille at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

“What really pleased me was the defensive performance,” England coach Steve Borthwick said. "We played a Fiji team that is so dangerous with ball in hand. To restrict them right to the end was an impressive defensive performance. To be alive for each and every minute was pleasing.”

A more thorough vetting of England's latest changes, including Henry Slade recalled to outside center, should come from Argentina next weekend in Santiago del Estero.

After a poor show against the Springboks, England was under pressure to avoid a sixth straight test defeat for the first time in 20 years and beat Fiji, which ran Wales ragged last weekend but was overcome in the set-pieces.

Any tension in the sun-soaked crowd of 50,000 at Hill Dickinson Stadium evaporated quickly after Fiji gifted Marcus Smith the opening try when Salesi Rayasi casually let the ball bounce off the right corner flag, followed by England captain Jamie George scoring from a lineout drive before the first water break.

While Fiji flanker Levani Botia was in the sin-bin, England jumped from 14-3 to 35-3 with tries by Guy Pepper, Benhard Janse van Rensburg with his first touch on debut, and Seb Atkinson.

Fiji deserved a first try right on halftime to Kalaveti Ravouvou after 11 phases but it was chalked off after Kuruvoli was caught kicking Genge on the floor.

Surprisingly, Fiji scored the first try of the second half to captain Tevita Ikanivere but didn't go near the England tryline again.

Without any jeopardy, England debuted South Africa-born center Janse van Rensburg, 19-year-old wing Noah Caluori and prop George Kloska. Both backs scored, with Janse van Rensburg even setting up Caluori for his swan dive.

Fiji is in Scotland next weekend.

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

England's Henry Pollock scores a try during the Nations Championship rugby match between England and Fiji in Liverpool, England, Saturday, July 11, 2026. (Bruce Rollinson/PA via AP)

England's Henry Pollock, left, celebrates after scoring a try during the Nations Championship rugby match between England and Fiji in Liverpool, England, Saturday, July 11, 2026. (Bruce Rollinson/PA via AP)

England's Noah Caluori scores a try during the Nations Championship rugby match between England and Fiji in Liverpool, England, Saturday, July 11, 2026. (Bruce Rollinson/PA via AP)

England's Henry Pollock scores a try during the Nations Championship rugby match between England and Fiji in Liverpool, England, Saturday, July 11, 2026. (Bruce Rollinson/PA via AP)