Belgium’s Tim Merlier won his second stage at this year’s Tour de France on Sunday, outsprinting Jonathan Milan and Arnaud De Lie in Châteauroux, but the real story of the day was an incredible day-long break from Alpecin-Deceuninck pair Mathieu van der Poel and Jonas Rickaert.

Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier wins the ninth stage of the Tour de France in a thrilling mass sprint. The stage, held Sunday, covered 174 kilometers of flat terrain.

Stage 10 of the Tour de France will take place on Monday, July 14th, and it could be one of the most eventful days of the race in the Massif Central rounds.

Stage 8, 171km from Saint-Meen-le-Grand - the birthplace of three-time Tour winner Louison Bobet - was always heading for a battle among the fast men, and it was the Italian who surfed the wheels best after losing his lead-out train, hopping onto Mathieu van der Poel ’s leadout before breaking clear.

A key teammate of Tour de France leader Tadej Pogačar has abandoned the race. João Almeida had fractured a rib during Stage 7 and was dropped early during Sunday’s ninth stage between Chinon and Châteauroux.

Tadej Pogacar may be concentrating intensely on winning his fourth Tour de France, but in the middle of Saturday's stage eight he was just as focused on how his partner Urska Zigart was performing in the Giro d'Italia Women.