Merlier Wins Stage 12 of Tour de France

Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier secured his third stage victory of the 2024 Tour de France on Sunday, winning the flat 166‑kilometre Stage 12 that concluded in Chalon‑sur‑Saône. The win added to his earlier successes on the race’s opening day and the third stage, reinforcing his reputation as one of the tour’s most consistent finishers.

Merlier edged out Dutch rider Olav Kooij and fellow Belgian Jasper Philipsen in a tightly contested sprint, crossing the line just ahead of his rivals. The stage, characterized by a largely flat profile that favoured fast finishers, saw a high‑tempo peloton control the race until the final kilometres. Merlier’s triumph not only marked his third stage win but also bolstered his position in the points classification as the Tour moves deeper into the French heartland.