Tim Merlier wins Stage 12 sprint at Tour de France, Pogacar keeps yellow

Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier of Soudal Quick‑Step claimed his third stage victory of the 2026 Tour de France on July 16, winning the 12th stage from the Magny‑Cours circuit to Chalon‑sur‑Saône. The 179.1 km route was mostly flat with three fourth‑category climbs and an intermediate sprint at Decize, culminating in a mass sprint where Merlier out‑finished Dutch rider Olav Kooij (2nd) and fellow Belgian Jasper Philipsen (3rd). A late‑stage crash involving several riders, including Colombian Fernando Gaviria, disrupted the finish but did not affect Merlier’s win.

The general classification remained unchanged, with Slovenian Tadej Pogačar retaining the yellow jersey, now holding a 3 minutes 36 seconds lead over Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard. Other notable results included Germany’s Max Kanter finishing seventh and several other sprinters navigating the technical finale.

The stage was broadcast live on major European networks and streamed online, with coverage highlighting the flat profile that favored sprinters before the upcoming mountain stages.