Merlier sprints to stage 12 victory as woes mount for vingegaard

Tim Merlier of Soudal Quick-Step took a hat-trick of stage wins at the Tour de France, claiming victory on the banks of the Saône on the penultimate day of racing.

Merlier dominates sprint, but woes pile up for vingegaard

Merlier added a third win to his name, having previously triumphed in Bordeaux and Bergerac, as a manic final hour of racing produced a thrilling sprint finish. But the Dane's title defense hangs by a thread as multiple rivals close in, and he faces an uphill battle to stay on the podium.

Vingegaard, chasing a second consecutive Tour crown, was left lying on the ground after a dramatic pile-up in the sprint, joining stage 11 winner Søren Wærenskjold and Netcompany Ineos' Dorian Godon among the fallen. Merlier emerged unscathed and claimed the win from stage five victor Olav Kooij.

Merlier's win was his third of the Tour and cemented his status as the fastest sprinter in the race, eclipsing past multiple stage winner Jasper Philipsen, who appears a shadow of his former self. The Belgian celebrated with an emotional moment on the podium, joined by his young son, saying the experience would be an extra motivation to win for them.

However, Vingegaard's fortunes took a turn for the worse as the fatigue of racing and winning May's Giro d'Italia begins to catch up with him. Remco Evenepoel, Juan Ayuso, and Paul Seixas are all within a minute of the double Tour winner, and his customary second place position is now under serious threat.