Tim Merlier Wins 3rd Tour Stage in Stage 12 as Final-Sprint Crash Blocks Road
Updated
Updated · Outside Magazine · Jul 16
Tim Merlier Wins 3rd Tour Stage in Stage 12 as Final-Sprint Crash Blocks Road
3 articles · Updated · Outside Magazine · Jul 16
Summary
Stage 12 gave Tim Merlier his third win of the 2026 Tour de France after he found space late and surged clear in a crash-hit bunch sprint at Chalon-sur-Saône.
A final-line pileup erupted when a rider crossed Fernando Gaviria’s front wheel, sending down Gaviria, stage 11 winner Søren Wærenskjold and several others, with bikes and riders blocking the road.
Olav Kooij finished second and Jasper Philipsen took third, while Tadej Pogačar stayed upright behind the chaos to keep the yellow jersey and leave the overall standings unchanged.
The 179km stage had already featured showers, a disputed but unpunished intermediate sprint move by Mads Pedersen, and late attacks before the Tour turns to three climbing stages across the Vosges and into the Alps.