Tour de France 2025 — Stage 9: Merlier Strikes Gold in Châteauroux!
Châteauroux, July 2, 2025 — In a stage dripping with tension, relentless speed, and audacious breakaways, it was Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) who rocketed to victory in Stage 9 of the Tour de France 2025, conquering the 174.1 km sprint finale in a scintillating 3 hours 28 minutes 52 seconds.
The day was electric, with Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) igniting the action early, launching a staggering 173 km solo escape at an eye-watering average of 49.9 km/h — a masterclass in defiance. The dream was alive until 700 meters to go, when the relentless peloton reeled him in, setting the stage for a high-speed cavalry charge.
And what a sprint it was.
Danny van Poppel lit the fuse for Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, but it was Merlier who timed his launch to perfection, surging past Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) and Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Dstny) to claim his third career Tour stage win — and his second of this edition after triumphing in Dunkerque earlier this week.
📊 Stage 9 — Top 5 Finishers
- 🥇 Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) — 3:28:52
- 🥈 Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) — s.t.
- 🥉 Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Dstny) — s.t.
- Pavel Bittner (Team Picnic PostNL) — s.t.
- Paul Penhoët (Groupama-FDJ) — s.t.
🌟 General Classification (After Stage 9)
- Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) — 33:17:22
- Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) — +0:54
- Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) — +1:11
Pogačar holds firm in yellow, as the GC battle simmers ahead of the looming mountain stages.
🏆 Points Classification
- Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) — 227 pts
- Tadej Pogačar — 156 pts
- Biniam Girmay — 151 pts
- Tim Merlier — 150 pts
Milan retains the green jersey, but Merlier is closing fast.
🔥 Highlight Moment: Van der Poel’s Heroics
The most combative rider today? No debate. Mathieu Van der Poel’s 173 km solo adventure was pure Tour drama. Though heartbreakingly caught in the final kilometer, his grit earned him both the admiration of fans and the Combativity Award.
🚴 Quick Facts:
- Average speed today: a blistering 50.0 km/h
- Tim Merlier’s Tour stage wins: 3 (2021, Stage 3 | 2025, Stage 3 & 9)
- Abandonment: João Almeida (UAE) leaves the race with fractured ribs sustained on Stage 7.
Explore the next war head! Stay tuned — the mountains are looming and this Tour is far from settled. If today’s electric sprint and brave attacks are a preview, the fireworks are only getting started. See full rankings after stage 10.
💥 Vive le Tour! 💥
