Tim Merlier powered past Jonathan Milan to win stage nine of the Tour de France on Sunday, denying the green jersey holder back-to-back wins after Mathieu van der Poel's audacious solo attack ended in heartbreak just 700 metres from the finish.

Belgium’s Tim Merlier won his second stage at this year’s Tour de France on Sunday, outsprinting Jonathan Milan and Arnaud De Lie in Châteauroux, but the real story of the day was an incredible day-long break from Alpecin-Deceuninck pair Mathieu van der Poel and Jonas Rickaert.

Jonathan Milan is the first Italian to win a stage at the Tour de France since Vincenzo Nibali’s success in Val Thorens (stage 20 of the Tour 2019). That was 113 stages ago. Stage eight winner Jonathan Milan: "I think I still don't understand what we did. To come with expectations and dreams and to bring them home are two different things.