Latest news with #Alpecin-Deceuninck
Qatar Tribune
5 days ago
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Merlier out-sprints Milan to win stage nine of Tour de France
PA Media/DPA London Tim Merlier out-sprinted Jonathan Milan to victory on stage nine of the Tour de France after Mathieu van der Poel almost pulled off an audacious win in Chateauroux. Van der Poel had rolled off the front of the peloton alongside team-mate Jonas Rickaert at the start of the 174km stage from Chinon in what looked a certain suicide mission, but the Dutchman held off the chasing pack until the final few hundred metres. The Alpecin-Deceuninck adventure had forced rival teams to burn their lead-out men in a furious chase through crosswinds in the final 30km of the stage, and with the sprint trains thoroughly depleted the quick men had to fend for themselves at the finale. Saturday's stage winner Milan had good position on the barriers but Merlier went long and the European champion pipped the Italian to the line. 'It was really hard,' said Merlier, who also won stage three into Dunkirk. 'Five minutes (to Van der Poel) is a lot but we tried to chase and also the other teams start to help, the pacing was quite high at the front, but it was hard for all the guys. The bunch was nervous. 'In the end we just went all in and I'm happy I can win my second stage here.' There has been debate in recent days about the long-term value of flat sprint stages in the Tour, with the fight for UCI points meaning fewer teams can be tempted into breakaways, but this one certainly delivered some drama. Chateauroux, this week dubbed 'Cavendish City' in honour of Sir Mark, who took the first of his Tour-record 35 career stage victories in 2008, has only ever known sprints in its history in the race, but Van der Poel did his best to break that streak. When he and Rickaert went early, it looked like a play purely for the intermediate sprint points, but they rolled through that line early in the day and just kept going, building a lead of more than five minutes. Even as teams furiously fought for position in the wind behind, the lead still held at 50 seconds with 10 kilometres to go as splits appeared in the peloton. Rickaert fell back with six kilometres left and it became a straight fight between the powerful but shattered Van der Poel and some disorganised lead-out trains behind. It would go the peloton's way, but Van der Poel got at least one wish with Rickaert being named the most combative rider of the day. 'We wanted to go for it today because it's his dream to be on the podium of a Tour de France,' Van der Poel said. 'It's hard not to be able to finish it off but we put up a good show today.' There was no change at the top of the general classification, with triple champion Tadej Pogacar remaining 54 seconds clear of Remco Evenepoel. Twice winner Jonas Vingegaard is behind Kevin Vauquelin in fourth, one minute 17 seconds off yellow. However, there was a blow for Pogacar as key lieutenant Joao Almeida abandoned the race as a result of injuries suffered on stage seven.
Observer
6 days ago
- Sport
- Observer
Merlier wins stage nine of Tour de France
*Merlier beats Milan in another photo finish *Pogacar retains yellow jersey *Van der Poel's early attack ends in heartbreak Tim Merlier powered past Jonathan Milan to win stage nine of the Tour de France on Sunday, denying the green jersey holder back-to-back wins after Mathieu van der Poel's audacious solo attack ended in heartbreak just 700 metres from the finish. Merlier's second stage win of this year's Tour mirrored the Soudal Quick-Step sprinter's photo finish victory over the Italian on stage three. The Belgian stayed glued to Milan's wheel before unleashing his kick metres from the finish in Chateauroux after the 174.1-kilometre ride from Chinon. "One moment I thought I was boxed in but I can come out just before 200 metres or maybe just after, I don't know anymore," Merlier said. "I just go all in and I'm happy I can win my second stage here." Van der Poel's day began with promise as he and Jonas Rickaert broke away early, building up a commanding lead of more than five minutes with a tailwind pushing them to speeds of more than 50 kph. The Alpecin-Deceuninck duo persisted after taking points in the intermediate sprint for the green jersey before the peloton began their chase. "Well, five minutes-and-a-half is a lot so we tried to help and also other teams started to help. The pacing was quite high," Merlier added. "So they were at the front but it was just hard for the guys in the front and the guys who were pulling and the bunch was just nervous." However, the peloton soon began to reel in the Alpecin-Deceuninck duo to reduce the lead to less than a minute with 11 km to go while sprint specialist Wout Van Aert was dropped. As the rest of the Alpecin-Deceuninck team attempted to move to the front of the bunch and disrupt the chase, a tiring Rickaert finally gave in and slowed down, leaving Van der Poel to ride solo to the finish with more than five kilometres left. The Dutchman was visibly grimacing as the chasing pack came into view behind him and his heroic effort ended in the final kilometre when he was swallowed up by the bunch. Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) retained the yellow jersey and maintains a 54-second lead over Belgian Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick-Step) in the general classification. UAE Team Emirates and Pogacar suffered a major blow, however, when mountain domestique Joao Almeida was forced to abandon the race after fracturing a rib in a crash on stage seven — just before the Tour heads into the mountains. The 26-year-old, who finished fourth in the general classification last year, had come into the race in brilliant form having won the Tour de Suisse, the Tour of the Basque Country and the Tour de Romandie earlier this year. — Reuters
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Tim Merlier takes second stage win at Tour de France as Mathieu van der Poel's ‘mission impossible' falls just short
Van der Poel had rolled off the front of the peloton alongside teammate Jonas Rickaert at the start of the 174km stage from Chinon in what looked a certain suicide mission, but the Dutchman held off the chasing pack until the final few hundred metres. The Alpecin-Deceuninck adventure had forced rival teams to burn their lead-out men in a furious chase through crosswinds in the final 30km of the stage, and with the sprint trains thoroughly depleted the quick men had to fend for themselves at the finale. Yesterday's stage winner Milan had good position on the barriers but Merlier went long and the European champion pipped the Italian to the line. 'It was really hard,' said Merlier, who also won stage three into Dunkirk. 'Five minutes (to Van der Poel) is a lot but we tried to chase and also the other teams start to help, the pacing was quite high at the front, but it was hard for all the guys. The bunch was nervous. 'In the end we just went all in and I'm happy I can win my second stage here.' There has been debate in recent days about the long-term value of flat sprint stages in the Tour, with the fight for UCI points meaning fewer teams can be tempted into breakaways, but this one certainly delivered some drama. When Van der Poel and Rickaert went early, it looked like a play purely for the intermediate sprint points, but they rolled through that line early in the day and just kept going, building a lead of more than five minutes. Even as teams furiously fought for position in the wind behind, the lead still held at 50 seconds with 10 kilometres to go as splits appeared in the peloton. Rickaert fell back with 6km left and it became a straight fight between the powerful but shattered Van der Poel and some disorganised lead-out trains behind. It would go the peloton's way, but Van der Poel got at least one wish with Rickaert being named the most combative rider of the day. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more 'We wanted to go for it today because it's his dream to be on the podium of a Tour de France," Van der Poel said. "It's hard not to be able to finish it off but we put up a good show today.' There was no change at the top of the general classification, with Tadej Pogacar remaining 54 seconds clear of Remco Evenepoel. Jonas Vingegaard is behind Kevin Vauquelin in fourth, one minute 17 seconds off yellow. However, there was a blow for Pogacar as key lieutenant Joao Almeida abandoned the race as a result of injuries suffered on stage seven. 'We are really sad that we lost Joao (Almeida) today,' Pogacar said. 'I think it was just too much. I was suffering today on the bike... I cannot imagine him with all the pain, it must be really, really painful. 'It's a really big loss. Joao was in a super great shape.'
NBC Sports
6 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Merlier sprints to victory in Tour de France Stage 9 after van der Poel's breakaway is thwarted
CHATEAUROUX, France — Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier won the ninth stage of the Tour de France in a mass sprint after Mathieu van der Poel spent the whole day at the front before being caught by the chasing pack less than a kilometer from the finish. There was no significant change in the overall standings and three-time Tour champion Tadej Pogačar kept the race leader's yellow jersey. Sunday's stage headed into central France on a 174-kilometer (108-mile) flat stretch for sprinters. But Van der Poel, a one-day classics specialist with a flamboyant style of riding, almost foiled their plans. The Dutch rider joined his Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate Jonas Rickaert in an early breakaway and produced a tremendous effort during a 173-kilometer breakaway at a speed of about 30 mph (50 kph) but could not go all the way and was swallowed less than a kilometer from the line. Merlier won the sprint ahead of Jonathan Milan, the winner of Saturday's stage, with Arnaud De Lie completing the podium. It was Merlier's second stage win of this year's Tour. '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,' Merlier said. 'It's the second time I manage to beat Milan but he's a really strong sprinter. It's just nice we can show a nice battle between the two of us.' In the overall standings, double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel remained 54 seconds behind Pogačar in second place. Frenchman Kévin Vauquelin was third at 1 minutes, 11 seconds, and two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard sat 1:17 behind in fourth spot. Ealier in the stage, João Almeida, a key teammate of Pogačar, abandoned the race. Almeida, who fractured a rib during Stage 7, was dropped early and the UAE Team Emirates-XRG later announced over the race radio that the Portuguese rider had retired. Almeida was caught in a high-speed crash earlier this week as riders scrambled for position at the front, 6 kilometers (4 miles) from the finish line. Almeida escaped without a concussion but his rib fracture finally proved to be too painful to carry on in the three-week race. Almeida finished fourth at the 2024 Tour de France and started this year's edition on the back of strong results elsewhere, having won the Tour de Suisse, Tour de Romandie and Itzulia Basque Country. Monday's stage The mountainous stage on Bastille Day from Ennezat to Le Mont-Dore features seven second-category hills or passes. The final climb has an 8% gradient. 'We expect a very hot, hard stage tomorrow,' Pogačar said. 'There will be a huge fight for the break, as it's the French national day and all French riders will want to put on a great show. It will be hard to control, but we will be up there paying attention to the other team's moves. It's not the hardest course, but it offers a lot of possibilities.'
TimesLIVE
6 days ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Merlier edges Milan to win stage nine of Tour, Pogacar retains yellow
Tim Merlier powered past Jonathan Milan to win stage nine of the Tour de France on Sunday, denying the green jersey holder back-to-back wins after Mathieu van der Poel's audacious solo attack ended in heartbreak just 700m from the finish. Merlier's second stage win of this year's Tour mirrored the Soudal Quick-Step sprinter's photo finish victory over the Italian on stage three. The Belgian stayed glued to Milan's wheel before unleashing his kick metres from the finish in Chateauroux after the 174.1-kilometre ride from Chinon. 'One moment I thought I was boxed in but I can come out just before 200m or maybe just after, I don't know any more,' Merlier said. 'I just go all in and I'm happy I can win my second stage here.' 📸 Stronger! 📸 En patron ! #TDF2025 | @TISSOT — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 13, 2025 Van der Poel's day began with promise as he and Jonas Rickaert broke away early, building up a commanding lead of more than five minutes with a tailwind pushing them to speeds of more than 50kph. The Alpecin-Deceuninck duo persisted after taking points in the intermediate sprint for the green jersey before the peloton began their chase. 'Well, five minutes-and-a-half is a lot so we tried to help and also other teams started to help. The pacing was quite high,' Merlier added. 'So they were at the front but it was just hard for the guys in the front and the guys who were pulling and the bunch was just nervous.' However, the peloton soon began to reel in the Alpecin-Deceuninck duo to reduce the lead to less than a minute with 11km to go while sprint specialist Wout Van Aert was dropped. 🗣️ "I am so much more confident with him [Bert] in front of me. I came out just before 200m or after, I went all in and I'm happy I can win my second stage here." - 🇧🇪 @MerlierTim Interview with Stage 9 winner, Tim Merlier ⤵️ 🗣️ "Je suis beaucoup plus confiant avec lui [Bert]… — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 13, 2025 As the rest of the Alpecin-Deceuninck team attempted to move to the front of the bunch and disrupt the chase, a tiring Rickaert finally gave in and slowed down, leaving Van der Poel to ride solo to the finish with more than 5km left. The Dutchman was visibly grimacing as the chasing pack came into view behind him and his heroic effort ended in the final kilometre when he was swallowed up by the bunch. Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) retained the yellow jersey and maintains a 54-second lead over Belgian Remco Evenepoel (Soudal — Quick-Step) in the general classification. UAE Team Emirates and Pogacar suffered a major blow, however, when mountain domestique Joao Almeida was forced to abandon the race after fracturing a rib in a crash on stage seven — just before the Tour heads into the mountains. The 26-year-old, who finished fourth in the general classification last year, had come into the race in brilliant form having won the Tour de Suisse, the Tour of the Basque Country and the Tour de Romandie earlier this year.
