Belgium’s Tim Merlier outsprinted Jonathan Milan and Arnaud De Lie to the finish line Sunday to grab a Stage 9 win at the Tour de France in Chateauroux, France.

Merlier, who earlier in this event took Stage 3 in a photo finish over Italy’s Jonathan Milan, was part of a group of racers that caught previous Stage 2 winner Mathieu Van der Poel in the last kilometer of the 174.1 kilometer, flat-terrain stage on Sunday.

The Belgian had previously won Stage 3 of this event in 2021 and has several one-day race championships under his belt.

The Italian Milan and the Belgian De Lie finished second and third, respectively. The Czech Republic’s Pavel Bittner was fourth while France’s Paul Penhoet was fifth on his home soil.

Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar retained the overall lead, ahead of Remco Evenepoel of Belgium in second and France’s Kevin Vauquelin (third). American Matteo Jorgenson edged up to fifth place.

Stage 10 on Monday features a mountainous route over 165.3 kilometers, culminating in Le Mont-Dore Puy De Sancy, the highest mountain in the Massif Central in south central France.

–Field Level Media