Tim Merlier of the Soudal Quick-Step team secured his third stage victory in this year’s Tour de France, winning stage 12 in Chalon-sur-Saône. This win follows his previous successes in Bordeaux and Bergerac. The stage, largely flat and covering 179 kilometers from the Magny-Cours track, concluded with a chaotic sprint finish marked by a significant crash involving several riders.
The final hour of racing was intense, characterized by continuous attacks that ultimately proved unsuccessful until the riverside finish. During the sprint, a pile-up occurred, bringing down riders such as stage 11 winner Søren Wærenskjold and Netcompany Ineos sprinter Dorian Godon. Colombian rider Fernando Gaviria also fell after reportedly clipping another cyclist’s wheel, leading to four other riders going over their handlebars. Despite the incident, none of the riders appeared to be seriously injured, with Gaviria crossing the line with assistance after a few minutes of recovery.
Merlier’s Dominance and Rider Challenges
Merlier emerged from the crash to comfortably take the victory ahead of stage five winner Olav Kooij. He was joined on the podium by his young son, a moment Merlier described as special, noting it provided extra motivation. He reflected on past races, stating, “Yesterday, I was really focused on the guys who were on the move, and that was the reason I was boxed in. So today, I tried to stay in front of them.” He added, “I found some space and I needed to calm down and then launch again. I knew it was the kind of finish that suits me.”
Merlier’s performance has established him as a leading sprinter in the race, surpassing Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin-Premier Tech, who has yet to secure a win this year despite having multiple past stage victories. Merlier, like other riders including Tadej Pogacar, faced communication issues during the stage, reporting problems with his radio.
Defending champion Tadej Pogacar successfully avoided the crash and maintained his overall lead. He remains 3 minutes and 36 seconds ahead of Jonas Vingegaard, and 4 minutes and 6 seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel, who is in third place. Pogacar had extended his lead during stage 10 with a notable attack. The stage 12 results saw Merlier finish in 3 hours, 38 minutes, and 53 seconds, with Kooij and Philipsen recording the same time.
Upcoming Stages and General Classification Battle
Stage 12 was considered one of the final clear opportunities for sprinters before the race transitions into more demanding terrain. The upcoming days feature a hilly stage to Belfort, followed by two mountain finishes. Friday’s stage 13 is the longest of the race, spanning 206 kilometers, and includes a Category 1 climb near the end. This climb, the Ballon d’Alsace, is the first mountain pass to be featured in the Tour since 1905 and is located just 30 kilometers from the finish in Belfort.
Pogacar described the stage to Belfort as “weird,” indicating that Saturday and Sunday would be more significant days, and that Friday would be about survival. The steep climb of the Ballon d’Alsace is expected to challenge Vingegaard, whose position is under threat from several rivals. Evenepoel, Juan Ayuso, and Paul Seixas are all within a minute of the two-time Tour winner. Vingegaard’s defense is further complicated by the illness of his teammate, Matteo Jorgenson, who is traveling separately from the team.
Among Vingegaard’s immediate rivals, 19-year-old Seixas has particularly impressed, currently sitting just 29 seconds behind third-placed Evenepoel. His calm racing style and maturity have been noted by those around him. Seixas’s friend, Cyprien Masson, mentioned his natural self-confidence, while teammate Aurélien Paret-Peintre described him as having the perspective and vision of a more experienced rider. The next three days, including stages through the Vosges to Le Markstein and a summit finish to the Plateau de Solaison, will severely test the resolve of both Vingegaard and his competitors. The race is scheduled to conclude with its traditional finish in Paris on July 26.
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Source: theguardian.com
