Wærenskjold fell as Merlier won again in chaotic Tour de France stage

The 12th stage of the Tour de France concluded in a chaotic mass crash on the finishing straight, disrupting the expected sprint finish. Riders including Fernando Gaviria, Jonas Abrahamsen, and Søren Wærenskjold of Uno-X were brought down in the incident. Mads Kaggestad, commenting for TV 2, described the scene as a "battlefield." Jonas Abrahamsen, visibly shaken and bruised, needed help from teammate Anders Skarseth to cross the finish line. This marked a tough day for the Norwegian contingent, especially after Wærenskjold had secured a victory on the 11th stage. The crash significantly impacted the Uno-X team's performance on this stage. In the midst of the chaos, Tim Merlier claimed victory, securing his third stage win of the current Tour de France. He was followed by Olav Kooij and Jasper Philipsen. The stage's outcome was influenced by aggressive tactics employed by the Lidl-Trek team, who launched multiple attacks in the final 35 kilometers, aiming to disrupt their rivals' rhythm, particularly in the competition for the green jersey. Alexander Kristoff praised Lidl-Trek's efforts, calling it a "firework of a stage." Despite the main peloton catching the breakaway with 21 kilometers remaining, Lidl-Trek initiated another counter-attack, which included Jonas Abrahamsen. However, this breakaway was also reeled in just five kilometers later. This 12th stage was likely the last pure sprint stage of this year's Tour de France.

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It is a battlefield.