Tim Merlier The victory to the Sprint in Dunkerque is taken, in the third stage of the Tour of Francia. The Belgian won Jonathan Milan in the Finish photo, in an arrival of the most rugged and in which Jasper Philipsen was not, who had to retire due to a fall. Lidl's men threw Milan, who was very long, being overcome by the Belgian as very little.
The third stage of Tour of Francia 2025 He ran between Valenciennes and Dunkerke. The Tour, fully Llano, 178 kilometers was conducive to the massive arrival to the Sprint. And there it appeared Philipsen and the Alpecin as top favorites. The Belgian was looking for his second triumph in this edition of the Ronda Gala, while his team could keep the full victories, after winning Van der Poel the second stage.
However, Philipsen He suffered a half stage fall. In an intermediate sprint, the Belgian had the bad luck of going to the ground, after crashing with Bryan Naughty. The Frenchman saved the fall after a touch when he tried to gain hole for the Sprint moving to his left and got into the trajectory of the regularity leader. The fall was very spectacular and the Belgian could not continue. He retired from the race.
It was the highlight of a stage without excessive shocks, where the teams that played the triumph of stage controlled without excess problems the race. Except for a moment where Tim Wellens He tried luck without any success, the stage was aimed at the squad sprinters to play everything in a massive arrival in the finish line. Without philipsen, they won whole victory Milan Jonathan, Team Marlier, Wide of Story And also, another alpecin, Kaden Groves.
After two days with a clear domain of the alpecin, winners with Philipsen and Van der Poel, it was the turn that another team took the victory. In the first, Saturday's, with departure and arrival in Lille, it was the Belgian who won practically without opposition, ahead of a Gallay to which he knew how to close and without much more competition because of the fans. In Boulogne-Sur -mer it was Van der Poel who exhibited his power against Pogacar y Awesome card.
In this way, Alpecin was consolidated as the strongest team in the days of interwar, when the general's men do not take the weight of the race. And in Dunkerque they aimed to impose again, although already with Milan or Merlier adding to that payroll of candidates. But Philipsen's fall left them in painting. Precisely, the one who caused it, Shell, He also went to the ground in a final injured, in which there were two montoneras. The first one was caused by Groenewegen, When he tried to make his way on the platoon. The second, in the curve before the goal, with cyclists flying above others.
