Overview
- Tim Merlier won the eighth stage, Perigueux–Bergerac, in a sprint on Saturday, taking his second victory in three sprints this edition and his fifth Tour stage win overall.
- Tadej Pogacar kept the yellow jersey and leads the general classification by 2 minutes 42 seconds over Jonas Vingegaard.
- A three-rider breakaway was caught with about 1,300 metres to go and the finish’s tight layout — four hairpins and a semi-curve in the final 3,500 metres — made positioning decisive for the sprinters.
- Organisers shortened the next stage by 30 km and altered the early course to avoid red heat-alert areas, citing exceptional temperatures and rider safety.
- The route change and the upcoming Malemort–Ussel stage, which still features heavy climbing, will force teams to balance sprint ambitions with rider protection and could open opportunities for breakaways before the rest day.