Tim Merlier of Belgium held off Italy's Jonathan Milan in a mass sprint to win Stage 9 of the Tour de France on Sunday after Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel's daylong breakaway was reined in by the chasing pack less than a kilometer from the finish.

Tim Merlier won stage nine of the Tour de France at Chateauroux on Sunday after a heroic long-range escape from Mathieu van der Poel was caught in the final kilometre.With his gung-ho all-in style Van der Poel grew his Tour de France legend here despite being caught with 700m to go,

Watch the best action from Stage 2 of the 2025 Tour de France that saw cyclists undertake a hilly 209.1km ride from Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer.

If riders were hoping for a relaxing stage 2 to recuperate then they may be disappointed: today’s stage is the longest of the entire Tour, 209km from the small village of Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer on the northern coast of France.

Mathieu Van der Poel of the Netherlands edged Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia in a sprint to the finish in Sunday's Stage 2 of the 2025 Tour de France.

Jasper Philipsen has won the opening stage of the Tour de France in a sprint to the line in Lille. Defending champion Tadej Pogačar finished safely.