Tour de France, Stage 9: Belgian Tim Merlier wins in Chateauroux and wins his second stage
Belgian Tim Merlier claimed his second stage victory in the 2025 Tour de France, winning again in a sprint in Châteauroux on Sunday, July 13, six days after his victory in Dunkirk.
In a thrilling finale, where Mathieu van der Poel, who had escaped since km 0, was caught 700 meters from the finish line, Merlier beat the green jersey Jonathan Milan, winner the day before in Laval, and Arnaud De Lie. Tadej Pogacar retained the yellow jersey, on the eve of the first mountain stage in the Massif Central.
1. Tim Merlier (Soudal – Quick Step) 03 hours 28 minutes and 52 seconds 2. Jonathan Milan (LIDL-TREK) 3. Arnaud De Lie (LOTTO) 4. Pavel Bittner (Picnic PostNL) 5. Paul Penhoet (Groupama – FDJ) 6. Biniam Girmay (Intermarché – Wanty) 7. Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious) 8. Jordi Meeus (RedBull – Bora-Hansgrohe) 9. Stian Fredheim (UNO-X MOBILITY)
10. Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) 33 hours, 17 minutes and 22 seconds. 2. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal – Quick Step) 3. Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa – B&B Hotels) 4. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma Lease a Bike) 5. Matteo Jorgenson (Visma Lease a Bike) 6. Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 7. Oscar Onley (Picnic PostNL) 8. Florian Lipowitz (RedBull – Bora-Hansgrohe) 9. Primoz Roglic (RedBull – Bora-Hansgrohe)
10. Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (Lidl – Trek)
On Monday, July 14, 2025, the tenth stage of the Tour de France promises to be spectacular: 165.1 km from Ennezat to Mont-Dore, in the heart of the Auvergne volcanoes. The riders will travel through several new towns for the first time before tackling seven category 2 climbs in the Puy-de-Dôme region, totaling 4,450 m of elevation gain. These include the Côte de Loubeyrat (4.1 km at 6.3%), the Côte de la Baraque (4.8 km at 7.4%) and the Côte de Charade (5.1 km at 6.8%).
Entirely traced within the massif, this first true mountain stage offers an ideal playground for climbers and adventurers. The finish, unprecedented as a stage town, will take place in Mont-Dore – a spa resort nestled at the foot of the Puy de Sancy, already visited by the peloton in 2023 but never as a stage finish.
La Croıx
