Biniam Girmay closes in on Mads Pedersen in Tour de France green jersey battle

Biniam Girmay finished third on Stage 7 of the 2026 Tour de France and significantly reduced his deficit to Mads Pedersen in the points classification. The Eritrean collected 54 points during the stage and now trails the green jersey holder by 59 points. The seventh stage appeared destined to end in a bunch sprint in Bordeaux, and the expected fast finish duly materialised. Tim Merlier powered to the victory, while Girmay crossed the line in third place after being held up during the decisive part of the sprint.

For Girmay, however, the result provided further evidence that he has the speed required to compete with the Tour’s leading sprinters. “It was a nice moment to try to go for a victory,” Girmay said in a statement published by NSN Cycling Team.

The Eritrean believed he had entered the final 250 metres in a promising position, but he was boxed in and lost his momentum. With the other sprinters already accelerating, recovering the lost ground proved almost impossible.

Despite missing out on the stage victory, Girmay was encouraged by both his condition and his speed. “I’m super happy with my feelings,” he said, adding that the leading sprinters appeared to be competing at a similar level. That gave him confidence that, with a cleaner run and the right position, he could challenge for victory in the stages ahead.

Girmay’s third place was also important in the battle for the Tour de France points classification. He earned 14 points at the intermediate sprint before adding another 40 points at the finish. The haul moved the NSN rider back into second place in the standings with 145 points. Pedersen remains in control of the green jersey with 204 points, but his advantage over Girmay has fallen from 77 points after Stage 6 to 59 points after Stage 7.

NSN sports director Sam Bewley praised the team’s execution in the fast finale. He said the riders had identified the crucial moments in advance and followed their planned strategy effectively. “It was a good performance today by Bini and the whole team,” Bewley said. “They executed the plan really well.”

Another potential opportunity awaits on Stage 8 between Périgueux and Bergerac. The stage is expected to suit the sprinters, although several corners in the final kilometre could make positioning especially important. For Girmay, a cleaner approach to the finish could provide another opportunity to fight for a stage victory—and to continue reducing Pedersen’s advantage in the green jersey competition.