Circuit Nevers Magny-Cours to Chalon Sur Saone – Photos – A.S.O.
Today’s stage started at the Nevers Magny-Cours motorsports circuit with a flurry of attacks. After a final sprint, it was Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step), who took the stage at Chalon-sur-Saône.
It’s his third win this TDF, after Bordeaux and Bergerac, after claiming one in 2021 (in Pontivy) and two in 2025 (Dunkerque, Châteauroux).
Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto Intermarché) provided a solo break–something he is getting known for in this Tour– and many attackers tried to take the lead in the finale, with Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) pedaling towards the finish without a leadoff.
But the sprinters’ teams maintained control and Merlier proved the fastest on the 1.6 km final straight. The Belgian rider narrowly got the better of Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) before they head back into the mountains on stage 13 tomorrow.
The Details
After Soren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) surprised everyone yesterday by taking a successful flier to the line at Nevers, the peloton rolled out from the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours motor racing track and headed to Chalon-sur-Saône. The route was a bit hillier than on Wednesday, with three cat. 4 climbs and a total elevation gain of 1,800 meters across 179.1 km of racing.
Veistroffer Out in Front Again
There were a lot of attacks on this flat stage. Dutch sprinter Dylan Groenewegen is the last winner here (2019) but the city also has a history of favouring attackers, starting with Brian Robinson, the first British Tour stage winner and the winner of the first stage that finished in Chalon-sur-Saône (1959).
Mauro Schmid (Jayco AlUla) attacked as soon as the flag dropped, and was followed by Marco Haller (Tudor), Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto Intermarché), Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility), and the rest of the field.
After a series of attacks and counter-attacks, Veistroffer opened a gap at km 27. The Frenchman was performing his third breakaway in his first Tour de France after he led the way on stages 5 (alone) and 7 (with Jakub Otruba).
Some came to support Veistroffer
Sprinters’ teams rapidly set the pace at the front of the bunch. Just before the intermediate sprint in Decize (km 45.8). Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) crossed the line in front of his rivals for the green jersey.
Due to the increase of pace in the peloton, the gap decreased and counter-attackers tried to close the gap to Veistroffer. Several contenders tried. Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious), Ewen Costiou (Groupama-FDJ United) and Matteo Vercher (Total Energies) succeeded in joining Veistroffer at km 57.
But en route to Luzy (km 86.4), Jean-François Bernard’s hometown, Tim Merlier’s Soudal Quick-Step, Biniam Girmay’s NSN and Jasper Philipsen’s Alpecin-Premier Tech collaborated to control the attackers.
Sprinters fends off late attackers
Veistroffer accelerated 62 kilometers from the finish and only Costiou followed. The first attacker of the day found himself alone again when Costiou sat up as the race hit 50 kilometers.
After 15 kilometers alone at the front, Veistroffer’s lead was minimal. Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) puts the hammer down to try and spoil the sprinters’ dreams. His teammates Mathias Vacek and Derek Gee-West also upped the ante on the final climb of the day, the Côte de Montagny-lès-Buxy (cat. 4, summit at km 159.4). Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) also attacked several times on the run-in to Chalon-sur-Saône, but the peloton controlled the pace.
Alpecin-Premier Tech took the lead into the final kilometer and Mathieu Van der Poel launched Jasper Philipsen. But the Belgian sprinter was passed by Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) as well as Dutch rival Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM). Behind them, Fernando Gaviria (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) and Dorian Godon (Netcompany Ineos) hit the deck at high speed in a crash near the finish.
