Latest news with #Chinon
France 24
13-07-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Merlier doubles up as Van der Poel denied epic win at Tour de France
There was no change atop the overall standings with Tadej Pogacar now holding a 54sec advantage over Remco Evenepoel in second with French starlet Kevin Vauquelin third. This was a second Tour win for Soudal Quick-Step sprinter Merlier this year, who was first across the line on stage three at Dunkirk. Merlier was led in by team leader Evenepoel. "It's mad, we are supposed to be helping him (Evenepoel) but he's helping us," Merlier said. "I need to make it through the mountains now, I won't be any use to Remco there, but I want to help him in the other ones," said the 32-year-old. On a sun drenched slog from the Chinon vineyards, Van der Poel and a teammate broke early and built up a lead of 5min 30sec on the flat roads to Chateauroux. 'Nearly made it' Jonas Rickaert won the combativity award for accompanying Van der Poel to within 10km of the line before slumping over his handlebars. "I'm really happy. That was one of his (Rickaert) dreams, to win the combativity award and that's why we went," Van der Poel explained. "In the end we nearly made it but we hadn't expected to get that far," he said of his 173km breakaway at an average speed on 49.9kph. As with many heroic exploits, their epic escape was ultimately doomed to a gut wrenching narrow failure. But with his gung-ho all-in style Van der Poel grew his Tour de France legend here despite being caught with 700m to go, the plaudits will be both his and Merlier's. "It's hard to not be able to finish it off, but we put on a good show," said the Dutch rider. As Van der Poel was reeled in, it looked as though Jonathan Milan would win a second consecutive stage but Merlier got ahead with 30m remaining as Milan finished second with Arnaud De Lie completing the podium. Road signs in honour of British cycling great Mark Cavendish had been placed at entry points to Chateauroux -- reading Cavendish City -- in homage to the now-retired 40-year-old, after he won three stages there in 2008, 2011 and 2021. Pogacar's Tour de France defence took a hit Sunday as his key teammate Joao Almeida threw in the towel two days after his nasty fall at the Mur de Bretagne, where he fractured a rib. "It's a big loss he was in good shape. He's our hero. I was suffering today so I understand how he must have felt. Every respect to him," the Slovenian said. Stage 10 should shake up the race with eight classified climbs in the Massif Central on the July 14 French national holiday. After finishing in the peloton on Sunday, Pogacar was already looking ahead to Monday's mountainous 165.3km slog. "Visma have a strong team for tomorrow and I think Jonas (Vingegaard) will be ready," Pogacar said of his great Danish rival. "There will be attacks from the main contenders, it's up and down all day. © 2025 AFP
Khaleej Times
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
Pogacar retains yellow as Merlier wins stage nine of Tour de France
Tim Merlier powered past Jonathan Milan to win stage nine of the Tour de France on Sunday, denying the green jersey holder back-to-back wins after Mathieu van der Poel's audacious solo attack ended in heartbreak just 700 metres from the finish. Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates retained the yellow jersey and maintains a 54-second lead over Belgian Remco Evenepoel (Soudal–Quick-Step) in the general classification. UAE Team Emirates and Pogacar suffered a major blow, however, when mountain domestique Joao Almeida was forced to abandon the race after fracturing a rib in a crash on stage seven — just before the Tour heads into the mountains. The 26-year-old, who finished fourth in the general classification last year, had come into the race in brilliant form having won the Tour de Suisse, the Tour of the Basque Country and the Tour de Romandie earlier this year. Meanwhile, Merlier's second stage win of this year's Tour mirrored the Soudal Quick-Step sprinter's photo finish victory over the Italian on stage three. The Belgian stayed glued to Milan's wheel before unleashing his kick metres from the finish in Chateauroux after the 174.1-kilometre ride from Chinon. "One moment I thought I was boxed in but I can come out just before 200 metres or maybe just after, I don't know anymore," Merlier said. "I just go all in and I'm happy I can win my second stage here." Van der Poel's day began with promise as he and Jonas Rickaert broke away early, building up a commanding lead of more than five minutes with a tailwind pushing them to speeds of more than 50 kph. The Alpecin-Deceuninck duo persisted after taking points in the intermediate sprint for the green jersey before the peloton began their chase. "Well, five minutes-and-a-half is a lot so we tried to help and also other teams started to help. The pacing was quite high," Merlier added. "So they were at the front but it was just hard for the guys in the front and the guys who were pulling and the bunch was just nervous." However, the peloton soon began to reel in the Alpecin-Deceuninck duo to reduce the lead to less than a minute with 11 km to go while sprint specialist Wout Van Aert was dropped. As the rest of the Alpecin-Deceuninck team attempted to move to the front of the bunch and disrupt the chase, a tiring Rickaert finally gave in and slowed down, leaving Van der Poel to ride solo to the finish with more than five kilometres left. The Dutchman was visibly grimacing as the chasing pack came into view behind him and his heroic effort ended in the final kilometre when he was swallowed up by the bunch.
BBC News
13-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Merlier wins sprint finish as Van der Poel denied epic breakaway triumph
Tim Merlier won stage nine of the Tour de France in a sprint finish after Mathieu van der Poel's hopes of an audacious breakaway victory were dashed inside the final der Poel and team-mate Jonas Rickaert attacked at the start of the 174.1km run from Chinon to Chateauroux and the Dutch former world champion produced a gutsy effort that just fell short of delivering his second win in this year's race. Instead, Belgium's Merlier was able to celebrate again, having also won stage three, as he came past Jonathan Milan and held off fast-finishing compatriot Arnaud de Lie."Five minutes [to Van der Poel in the break] is a lot but we tried to chase and also the other teams started to help. The pacing was quite high at the front, but it was hard for all the guys - the bunch was nervous," said Merlier."In the end we just went all in and I'm happy I can win my second stage here."There has been debate in recent days about the long-term value of flat sprint stages in the Tour, which can unfold in predictable fashion, with the interest confined to the final which was dubbed 'Cavendish City' in honour of Sir Mark, who took the first of his Tour-record 35 career stage victories here in 2008, has long been the preserve of Van der Poel's valiant attempt to end that streak and the race for position in the wind broke the race the Dutchman revealed afterwards that he had embarked on the two-man expedition because team-mate Rickaert had a dream that he has now achieved after winning the day's combativity award."We wanted to go for it today because it's his dream to be on the podium of a Tour de France," Van der Poel said. "It's hard not to be able to finish it off but we put up a good show today."There was no change at the top of the general classification, with defending champion Tadej Pogacar remaining 54 seconds clear of Remco Evenepoel. Two-time winner Jonas Vingegaard is fourth, one minute 17 seconds off there was a blow for Pogacar as key lieutenant Joao Almeida abandoned the race as a result of injuries suffered on stage Monday, the race takes in eight categorised climbs on Bastille Day as it travels 165.3km from Ennezat to Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy in the Massif Central.
CNA
13-07-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Merlier edges Milan to win stage nine of Tour de France, Pogacar retains yellow
CHATEAUROUX, France :Tim Merlier powered past Jonathan Milan to win stage nine of the Tour de France on Sunday, denying the green jersey holder back-to-back wins after Mathieu van der Poel's audacious solo attack ended in heartbreak just 700 metres from the finish. Merlier's second stage win of this year's Tour mirrored the Soudal Quick-Step sprinter's photo finish victory over the Italian on stage three. The Belgian stayed glued to Milan's wheel before unleashing his kick metres from the finish in Chateauroux after the 174.1-kilometre ride from Chinon. "One moment I thought I was boxed in but I can come out just before 200 metres or maybe just after, I don't know anymore," Merlier said. "I just go all in and I'm happy I can win my second stage here." Van der Poel's day began with promise as he and Jonas Rickaert broke away early, building up a commanding lead of more than five minutes with a tailwind pushing them to speeds of more than 50 kph. The Alpecin-Deceuninck duo persisted after taking points in the intermediate sprint for the green jersey before the peloton began their chase. "Well, five minutes-and-a-half is a lot so we tried to help and also other teams started to help. The pacing was quite high," Merlier added. "So they were at the front but it was just hard for the guys in the front and the guys who were pulling and the bunch was just nervous." However, the peloton soon began to reel in the Alpecin-Deceuninck duo to reduce the lead to less than a minute with 11 km to go while sprint specialist Wout Van Aert was dropped. As the rest of the Alpecin-Deceuninck team attempted to move to the front of the bunch and disrupt the chase, a tiring Rickaert finally gave in and slowed down, leaving Van der Poel to ride solo to the finish with more than five kilometres left. The Dutchman was visibly grimacing as the chasing pack came into view behind him and his heroic effort ended in the final kilometre when he was swallowed up by the bunch. Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) retained the yellow jersey and maintains a 54-second lead over Belgian Remco Evenepoel (Soudal–Quick-Step) in the general classification. UAE Team Emirates and Pogacar suffered a major blow, however, when mountain domestique Joao Almeida was forced to abandon the race after fracturing a rib in a crash on stage seven - just before the Tour heads into the mountains. The 26-year-old, who finished fourth in the general classification last year, had come into the race in brilliant form having won the Tour de Suisse, the Tour of the Basque Country and the Tour de Romandie earlier this year.
Reuters
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Merlier edges Milan in sprint finish to win stage nine of Tour de France
CHATEAUROUX, France, July 13 (Reuters) - Tim Merlier of Soudal Quick-Step won stage nine of the Tour de France on Sunday in a sprint finish to deny Jonathan Milan back-to-back stage victories after Mathieu van der Poel's early attack saw him lead the stage until the last kilometre. As van der Poel's heroic effort ended in heartbreak at the end of the 174.1-kilometre ride from Chinon to Chateauroux, it marked a second stage win on the Tour this year for Merlier, who had also edged Milan in a photo finish on the third stage.
