Tour de France 2025: Tim Merlier breaks Mathieu Van der Poel's wings in Châteauroux

The Belgian sprinter from the Soudal Quick-Step team beat Italian Jonathan Milan, winner the day before in Laval, and Belgian Arnaud de Lie at the last minute to double the lead, six days after his success in Dunkirk.

Tadej Pogacar retains his yellow jersey as leader on the eve of the first mountain stage in the Massif Central. But the world champion lost his main rival, Portugal's Joao Almeida, who abandoned the stage midway through, weakened by his crash two days ago.

This is a major blow for the Slovenian, who will have to do without his best ally in the passes against Jonas Vingegaard's Visma team, which has several formidable climbers in its squad.

Merlier, 32, claimed his third Tour victory overall, including the one in 2021. The Belgian came back from the wire and overtook Milan on the finish line on a day that was destined for sprinters.

But, unlike the day before, it was anything but calm since Jonas Rickaert and Mathieu Van der Poel attacked from kilometer zero.

It was thought they were aiming for the intermediate sprint at km 24. But the two Alpecin teammates continued their effort to plunge into a long raid on completely straight roads.

The gap grew to 5:35 before the sprint teams began to increase their pace approaching Châteauroux, where the Visma team tried in vain to catch Pogacar out of the way.

Six kilometers from the finish, a completely exhausted Rickaert stood back to let Van der Poel attempt his solo run. In a magnificent effort, the three-time Paris-Roubaix winner held off the peloton's comeback until the flamme rouge, before being mercilessly swallowed up by the furious pack.