Merlier claims third Tour de France stage win in crash-hit sprint finish
Overall leader Tadej Pogacar retains commanding lead as Jonas Vingegaard trails by more than three-and-a-half minutes following the 179km stage from Nevers to Chalon-sur-Saone.
Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier secured his third stage victory of the 2026 Tour de France, winning the 12th stage in a chaotic and crash-marred dash for the line. Riding for Soudal-Quick Step, Merlier edged out Dutchman Olav Kooij and fellow Belgian Jasper Philipsen to claim his sixth overall win in the race. The finish was disorganised and disrupted by a late crash involving Colombian rider Fernando Gaviria, which brought down several other competitors, including stage 11 winner Soren Waerenskjold.
The 179km stage, running from the Magny-Cours motor racing circuit in Nevers to Chalon-sur-Saone, featured multiple breakaway attempts that ultimately failed to stick. Around 25km into the route, Baptiste Veistroffer set off on a solo breakaway for the third time. Three riders joined him after 57km, but all were dropped by the 50km mark. A later group of 14 riders broke away in the final 35km but was reeled in with 24km remaining, setting the stage for a fragmented sprint finish.
Alpecin-Deceuninck attempted to set up Philipsen for the victory, but Merlier found a route through the traffic to power home. Kooij secured second place for the second consecutive day, having also finished second in stage 11. The Norwegian Waerenskjold, who won the previous stage noted as the fastest-ever Tour de France stage, was among those affected by the late crash involving Gaviria.
Overall leader Tadej Pogacar finished safely within the main pack, maintaining his commanding advantage in the general classification. He retained a lead of more than three-and-a-half minutes over second-placed Jonas Vingegaard, a two-time former champion of the Tour de France. The event occurred on Thursday, 16 July 2026, marking the 113th edition of the race which began in Barcelona.
The chaotic nature of the stage underscored the volatility of the current Tour de France, where sprint finishes have frequently been disrupted by crashes and tactical errors. Merlier’s ability to navigate the disorganised finish highlighted his experience, as he had previously won twice in this edition of the race. The result leaves Pogacar in a strong position as the race continues, with Vingegaard unable to close the significant time gap.
