Belgian Merlier wins crash-marred Tour de France stage

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Soudal Quick-Step teams Belgian rider Tim Merlier cycles to the finish line to win the 3rd stage of the Tour de France on July 7.

PHOTO: AFP

DUNKIRK, France – Belgian Tim Merlier pipped Italian Jonathan Milan right at the line to win Stage 3 of the Tour de France at Dunkirk on July 7, as Mathieu van der Poel retained the race lead.

The stage was marred by a series of falls but the two favourites for the title, Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, finished safely in the main pack and remain in second and third place overall behind van der Poel.

Said Merlier: “It was a really hard battle. It was difficult to be in position. I lost (teammate) Bert (van Lerberghe) before the last corner.

“The team did an incredible job until the last five but then the real chaos started and it was really difficult to find position. I lost Bert and then in the last 2km I fought back to come in position. I was in the wind all the time.

“With 500m to go, I found a bit of slipstream. I know that it’s always difficult to beat Milan, but I’m happy I can take my second win in the Tour de France. I wasn’t sure. I put my hands in the air, I wasn’t sure any more.”

The flat 178km run from Valenciennes along the Belgian border was marked above all by a nasty fall that caused Jasper Philipsen to quit with severe grazing and a suspected