Merlier claims third Tour de France stage win in crash-hit sprint finish

Summary

Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier claimed his third stage victory of this year's Tour de France, winning a chaotic and crash-ridden sprint at the end of Thursday's 12th stage. Merlier edged out rivals after navigating a disorganised finish that was disrupted by a late crash involving Fernando Gaviria, while overall leader Tadej Pogacar retained his commanding advantage.