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Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,

Friday, July 17, 2026

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The most glorious moments in your life are not the so-called days of success, but rather those days when out of dejection and despair you feel rise in you a challenge to life, and the promise of future accomplishments. - Gustave Flaubert

Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Giro d'Italia, A Year-by-Year History of the Tour of Italy, Vol 1: 1909 - 1970 is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Current racing:

• July 4 - 26: Tour de France

Upcoming racing:

• July 26: Vuelta a Castilla y Leon

Latest completed racing:

• July 8 - 12: Tour of Austria
• June 24 - 28: National Championshps
• June 17 - 21: Tour de Suisse
• June 17 - 21: Baloise Belgium Tour
• June 7 - 14: Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
• June 14: Copenhagen Sprint
• June 14: GP Gippingen/Canton Aargau
• June 10: Circuit Franco-Belge
• June 7: Brussels Cycling Classic
• June 1 - 5: Ethias-Tour de Wallone
• May 8 - 31: Giro d'Italia

We posted the race organizer's report with the results.

Here's the report from stage winner Tim Merlier's Team Soudal Quick-Step:

Tim Merlier captured his third victory at this year’s Tour de France, in Chalon-sur-Saône, where the race returned for the first time in seven years. Victorious already in Bordeaux and Bergerac last week, Soudal Quick-Step’s 33-year-old was once again head and shoulders above his opponents as he powered to another win.

Tim Merlier wins stage twelve. Photo: ASO/Thomas Maheux

Considering everything that happened in the last 30 kilometers, it was also one of his most impressive victories of the season. Attacks flew left and right as many riders tried to apply pressure on the sprinters and tire them out on the small climbs spicing up the final part of stage 12. One of these moves looked really dangerous at one point, when the gap went up to 20 seconds, but Soudal Quick-Step - who controlled the stage from the start - was again dominant at the head of the peloton, shutting down all these attacks and keeping things together for a bunch sprint - the last one of this Tour de France.

In the chaotic last kilometer of the stage, Jasper Stuyven did a magnificent work when it came to guiding Tim through the peloton and putting him in a perfect position with 300 meters to go, from where the Belgian couldn’t miss. As soon as he found a gap, Merlier came around his rivals and delivered a pitch-perfect sprint in a pulsating finale for the tenth Grand Tour stage victory of his career.
“After yesterday’s disappointment, I was really focused today and remained calm and relaxed the entire time, even when Jasper said he was unsure if he could do the lead-out, because of a flat tire. The tire eventually sealed and the communication between us was better, and in the end I just did my best to finish it off. I’m happy to win three stages in a single Tour de France for the first time in my career.”

Tim’s perfect day at the office was rounded out by going to the podium in Chalon-sur-Saône together with his three-year old son, Jules: “It gave me extra motivation to have my partner and son here today. I think it’s for the third time when he is with me on the podium of a race, after the European Championships and Scheldeprijs, and I hope he will remember this moment over the years.”

Here's the Tour report from Dorian Godon's Team Netcompany INEOS:

Dorian Godon was caught up in a crash in the final straight of stage 12 at the Tour de France after another aggressive day of racing.

The 179 kilometre stage looked set to end in a bunch sprint despite an attacking start that saw Josh Tarling repeatedly on the offensive as teams battled to establish the day's breakaway.

A lone rider initially gained around two minutes on the peloton before being joined by three others, but were reeled back in with around 35 kilometres to race.

The catch immediately sparked another round of attacks, with Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) forcing a 16 rider move that included Filippo Ganna. The Italian spent time driving the break on the front, but the peloton brought the group back with 23 kilometres remaining.

The peloton together with 22.8 km to go.

Tobias Foss remained active as the attacks continued, with Kevin Vauquelin also launching a move as the peloton fractured under the sustained pace before regrouping for the finale.

Godon was well positioned as the race headed into the finishing straight, but was unfortunately caught up in a crash during the bunch sprint. The Frenchman was able to remount and cross the line, with the team awaiting a full assessment following the stage.

Here's the Tour de France report from Jonas Vingegaard's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:

Team Visma | Lease a Bike and leader Jonas Vingegaard have safely navigated another sprint stage. In the twelfth stage of the Tour de France, Tim Merlier sprinted to another stage victory. Vingegaard remains second in the general classification.

Classification leaders on the start line. Jonas Vingegaard is wearing the dotted race kit. ASO photo

Just like yesterday, a bunch sprint was expected. After the start at the Circuit Nevers Magny-Cours and the intermediate sprint that followed shortly after, four riders went clear in central France. Due to the work of the sprinters’ teams at the front of the peloton, the quartet was never given a realistic chance of fighting for the win. With around thirty kilometers to go, the breakaway riders were caught, opening up opportunities for new attacks.

Several attempts followed, but eventually all eyes in Chalon-sur-Saône, where Dylan Groenewegen won for the team in 2019, turned back to the fast men. The final opportunity for the sprinters this week was ultimately claimed by Merlier, who secured his third stage victory of this Tour. Behind the Belgian, several sprinters crashed in the hectic finale. The riders of Leading Race Coach Marc Reef stayed out of trouble and all eight crossed the finish line safely.