CHÂTEAUROUX, France (13 July 2025) – In a stage that began as calculated chaos and ended in pure sprinting artistry, Tim Merlier delivered Soudal Quick-Step their third victory of the 2025 Tour de France, conquering the historic finishing city of Châteauroux with a masterful display of tactical awareness and raw speed.
The 174.1-kilometer journey from Chinon to Châteauroux – affectionately known as “Cavendish City” after the Manx Missile’s three victories here – was supposed to be a routine sprint affair. Instead, it became a treatise on modern cycling’s unpredictability, with Mathieu van der Poel orchestrating a breakaway that held the peloton at bay for nearly the entire stage.
The Dutch Gambit
From the moment the flag dropped, Alpecin-Deceuninck threw the script out the window. Jonas Rickaert attacked immediately at kilometer zero, quickly joined by his illustrious leader Van der Poel. What appeared to be a token gesture rapidly evolved into something far more ambitious.
“My goal to be once on the Tour podium is achieved!” Rickaert would later reflect. “It was super hard today. It started with a small joke and it got more and more serious. We planned it. Yesterday I said I would like to be on the podium of the Tour and Mathieu said we go at the front the two of us. We thought the others would never let us go but they did.”
The Flying Dutchman’s presence at the front immediately elevated the break’s credibility. Van der Poel, ever the opportunist, claimed maximum points at the intermediate sprint in Châtellerault – 20 precious points that would bolster his team’s aggressive racing philosophy. By this point, the gap had stretched to 3’45”, with Lidl-Trek shouldering the burden of the chase behind.
The Pursuit Intensifies
As the race passed through Châtellerault, hometown of Tour de France legend Sylvain Chavanel – holder of the record for most consecutive participations with 18 from 2001 to 2018 – the lead duo’s advantage swelled to a maximum of 5’35”. The peloton, perhaps caught off guard by the audacity of the move, seemed content to let the gap grow.
Behind, the sprinters’ teams were already feeling the pressure. A crash involving Sam Watson (Ineos Grenadiers), Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility), and Pavel Bittner (Picnic PostNL) served as an early warning of the nervous energy coursing through the bunch.
The second hour proved decisive. Rickaert and Van der Poel accelerated again, covering 50.5 kilometers in that crucial period. The peloton, recognizing the genuine threat, began to organize. Uno-X Mobility joined Lidl-Trek at the front, while the wind – that eternal enemy of breakaway hopefuls – began to fragment the race.
Drama in the Wind
With 33 kilometers remaining, Visma-Lease a Bike seized the initiative on a wind-exposed section. The peloton exploded, riders scattered across the road like leaves in a gale. The acceleration proved too much for João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), the Portuguese climber forced to abandon just days after his crash en route to Mûr-de-Bretagne.
“It was already incredible how João coped with his injuries the last couple of days,” Tadej Pogačar would later observe. “If I was suffering throughout the stage today, I cannot imagine how much he must have suffered. I have the utmost respect for him and I’m very sad he has to leave the race.”
The wind-driven chaos brought the gap down to 55” with 20 kilometers to go, but the peloton’s effort proved unsustainable. The lead crept back up to 1’20” as the finale approached, giving the breakaway renewed hope.
The Final Reckoning
Rickaert’s heroic effort finally ended with six kilometers remaining, leaving Van der Poel to face the charging peloton alone. The world champion, still 30 seconds ahead, dug deeper than seemed possible, his rainbow jersey a beacon of defiance against the inevitable.
The catch came inside the final kilometer – a moment of pure drama as the peloton’s collective power finally overwhelmed individual brilliance. Jonathan Milan, the current green jersey holder, launched the same devastating sprint that had won him Stage 8 in Laval. But this time, Tim Merlier was ready.
Guided by the expert positioning of Bert Van Lerberghe, Merlier found his moment. Despite being briefly boxed in, the Belgian sprinter’s tactical acumen shone through. He navigated the chaos with the confidence of a rider who knew exactly what he needed to do.
“In the last two kilometres, I found Bert again, and I’m really confident when I’m on his wheel,” Merlier explained. “I know what he’s gonna do and it makes me relax. I got boxed in a bit but then I managed to go all in and I was able to do my sprint like I wanted to and I’m happy to win my second stage here.”
The Sprint of Champions
The final 200 meters unfolded as a masterclass in sprinting technique. Milan, drawing on the power that had served him so well in Laval, seemed poised for a repeat performance. But Merlier, timing his effort to perfection, surged past the Italian with a display of pure speed that left no doubt about the outcome.
Arnaud De Lie (Lotto) claimed the final podium spot, while the rest of the field could only watch as Merlier raised his arms in triumph. It was a victory that combined tactical intelligence with raw athleticism – the hallmarks of Tour de France stage success.
“It’s the second time I manage to beat Milan but he’s a really strong sprinter,” Merlier reflected. “It’s just nice we can show a nice battle between the two of us.”
For Milan, gracious in defeat, the day offered lessons for future battles. “It was a pretty tough stage with two strong riders at the front,” he said. “We had to fight for a sprint and use all the guys racing through the wind. It made for a difficult sprint and I came second. Of course I wanted more but sometimes we win, sometimes it ends up like this and we learn from it.”
Team Dynamics and Historical Echoes
Merlier’s victory carried deeper significance for Soudal Quick-Step. With wins already secured by Merlier in Dunkirk and Remco Evenepoel in Caen, this third success matched their 2021 Tour performance – a year when their third victory also came in Châteauroux, courtesy of Mark Cavendish.
The team’s unity was evident throughout the stage. Evenepoel, the young white jersey holder, contributed to the chase effort – an unusual sight that spoke to the squad’s collective ambition.
“When you win with the team and have contributed a little to Tim’s success, it feels like a victory too,” Evenepoel observed. “Four years ago, it was also the team’s third victory here with Cavendish, so history was made.”
Looking Ahead
As the riders prepared for the challenges ahead, the specter of Stage 10 loomed large. The Massif Central awaited, promising the first genuine battle for the general classification. Tim Wellens, holding the polka-dot jersey, was philosophical about his prospects.
“Tomorrow’s stage is going to be the most difficult one of the Tour de France so far,” he admitted. “I will almost certainly lose the polka dot jersey. I’m sure the breakaway riders will rack up most of the KOM points, and somebody will deserve to wear it.”
For Evenepoel, the transition from sprint finishes to climbing represented an opportunity to assert his general classification ambitions. “Tomorrow will be the first battle for the general classification,” he noted. “It’ll be interesting, explosive and maybe surprising. The French will be very motivated, as they always are on 14 July.”
The stage covered 174.1 kilometers in 3 hours, 28 minutes, and 52 seconds – an average speed of 50.0 km/h that reflected both the intensity of the racing and the quality of the final sprint. As the peloton crossed the line in Châteauroux, Merlier’s victory served as a reminder that in the Tour de France, opportunity favors the prepared mind.
In conquering Cavendish City, Merlier had added his name to a prestigious list of winners. But more than that, he had demonstrated the tactical sophistication and explosive speed that separates Tour de France stage winners from the merely fast. As the race headed into the mountains, his victory would stand as a testament to the enduring appeal of pure sprinting in cycling’s greatest theater.
By the Numbers
3: MERLIER, NEVER TWO WITHOUT THREE
Tim Merlier raises his arms for the 3rd time in the Tour, after his victorious sprints in Pontivy 2021 (stage 3) and Dunkerque 2025 (stage 3). He has a 100% success rate since these are the only sprints contested by the Belgian on the Tour.
5: MERLIER 5-0 MILAN
Tim Merlier is Jonathan Milan’s black sheep. When they finished 1-2 in the Grand Tours, the score is 5-0 for Merlier: 3 times at the Giro last year, twice this year at the Tour. Milan managed to beat Merlier to 2nd only in this year’s UAE Tour, stage 4.
Jonathan Milan dreamed of a second straight victory, but Tim Merlier beat him. The Belgian reached 74.3 km/h in the final 500 meters, compared to 72.7 km/h for the Italian!
Jonathan Milan dreamed of a second straight victory, but Tim Merlier beat him. The Belgian reached 74.3 km/h in the final 500 meters, compared to 72.7 km/h for the Italian!
5/5: NEW SPRINT IN CAVENDISH CITY
Châteauroux hosted its 5th Tour finish, and the victory was decided with a 5th bunch sprint. Tim Merlier succeeds Mario Cipollini (1998) and Mark Cavendish, winner in 2008, 2011, and 2021. This dominance of the “Manx Missile” earned Châteauroux the nickname Cavendish City!
10: BITTNER, THE NEW CZECH HOPE
Fourth today, Pavel Bittner achieved the Czech Republic’s best result in… 10 years! The last time a Czech rider finished so high was on July 9, 2015, when Zdenek Stybar won stage 6 in Le Havre. Only two Czechs have won in the Tour: Jan Svorada and Zdenek Stybar.
44: POGAČAR EQUALS HINAULT AT THE SAME AGE
Tadej Pogačar wins his 44th Yellow Jersey at 26 years old, the same number as Bernard Hinault at the same age! The record holder, Eddy Merckx, had won it 63 times at the age of 26.
173: THE LONGEST BREAKAWAY SINCE THE START
Present in the breakway at the start of the stage with Jonas Rickaert, Mathieu Van der Poel was in the lead for 173 kilometers, at an average speed of 49.9 km/h. It’s the longest breakaway since the start of the Tour 2025. The Dutchman was caught by the peloton 650 meters from the finish.
3: SOUDAL QUICK-STEP LIKE IN 2021?
With Remco Evenepoel (stage 3) and Tim Merlier (stages 5 and 9), Soudal Quick-Step is the most successful team in this Tour with 3 wins. The last time they won at least 3 times was in 2021. The 3rd victory was achieved by Mark Cavendish in… Châteauroux! The team finished the Tour with a total of 5 wins, equaling its 2017 record.
50.013: FULL SPEED
The first riders of the day were classified in 3h 28′ 52″ after the 174.1 km race, for an average speed of 50.013 km/h. This is the second-fastest stage in the history of the Tour.
1982: BELGIUM PILLING UP VICTORIES
Tim Merlier claims Belgium’s 494th Tour victory, and already the 4th in 2025. This is the first time the Belgians have won four of the first nine stages since… 1982! The winners were Ludo Peeters (stage 1), Daniel Willems (stage 3), Pol Verschuere (stage 7), and Frank Hoste (stage 8).
8: FOR THE MOUNTAINS, SEE YOU FROM TOMORROW
The leader of the best climbers classification, Tim Wellens, has only 8 points after 9 stages. Such a low total has not been seen since 2018 – Toms Skujinš led with 6 points after 9 stages. This is mainly due to the relatively low mountain profile so far, before the arrival of more significant climbs, starting tomorrow. Stage 10 between Ennezat and Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy has 8 climbs, including 7 Category 2 climbs. 37 points for the polka dot jersey will be up for grabs tomorrow, compared to 34 since the start.
2: RICKAERT LIKE VAN DER POEL
Alpecin-Deceuninck has won 13 Tour stages, but the combativity prize awarded to Jonas Rickaert is only the second in its history! The Belgian succeeds his teammate Mathieu Van der Poel (with whom he escaped today), rewarded after stage 12 of the Tour 2023. It was also a July 13th!
2/3: TWO BELGIANS ON THE PODIUM
With Tim Merlier (1st) and Arnaud de Lie (3rd), Belgium has placed two riders on the podium of a stage for the first time since 2023, and the 1-2 finish of Jordi Meeus and Jasper Philipsen (stage 21 in the Champs-Élysées). This is also de Lie’s third top-3, after stages 3 and 8 last year.
Stage 9 Results (Chinon > Châteauroux – 174.1km)
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- Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) – 3h 28′ 52”
- Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) – same time
- Arnaud De Lie (Lotto) – same time
- Pavel Bittner (Team Picnic PostNL) – same time
- Paul Penhoet (Groupama-FDJ) – same time
- Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) – same time
- Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious) – same time
- Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) – same time
- Sondre Edvardsen-Fredheim (Uno-X Mobility) – same time
- Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) – same time
General Classification after Stage 9
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- Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) – 33h 17′ 22”
- Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) – 33h 18′ 16” (+54”)
- Kevin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) – 33h 18′ 33” (+1′ 11”)
- Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – 33h 18′ 39” (+1′ 17”)
- Matteo Jorgenson (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – 33h 18′ 56” (+1′ 34”)
- Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) – 33h 19′ 08” (+1′ 46”)
- Oscar Onley (Team Picnic PostNL) – 33h 20′ 11” (+2′ 49”)
- Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) – 33h 20′ 24” (+3′ 02”)
- Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) – 33h 20′ 28” (+3′ 06”)
- Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) – 33h 21′ 05” (+3′ 43”)
Jersey Holders after Stage 9
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- Yellow Jersey (General Classification): Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
- Green Jersey (Points Classification): Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek)
- Polka-Dot Jersey (King of the Mountains): Tim Wellens (Lotto)
- White Jersey (Best Young Rider): Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step)
