A three-week Grand Tour will always contain natural ebbs and flows, and, for much of Monday’s stage between Valenciennes and Dunkirk, it looked as if the peloton had declared an unofficial rest day, with the riders happy to cruise back towards the coast after a weekend of wind, rain and intensity.

Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier wins the ninth stage of the Tour de France in a thrilling mass sprint. The stage, held Sunday, covered 158 kilometers of flat terrain. Mathieu van

Tim Merlier clinched victory in stage nine of the Tour de France. He defeated Jonathan Milan in a sprint finish, following Mathieu van der Poel's remarkable effort. This win marked Merlier's second stage victory this year,