As it happened: Another bunch sprint despite a late flurry of attacks at stage 12 of the Tour de France

Hello and welcome to stage 12 of the Tour de France!

For the second successive stage, this one looks like it should be nailed on for the sprinters. It is a little more complicated than yesterday, with three category four climbs in total, including one within the final 25km, so the sprinters teams will have to be careful about who they let into the day’s break at the start.

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Many records for the fastest this and the record ascent of that have tumbled over the years, and yesterday, the riders completed a Tour de France road stage with the fastest speed in the race’s history. Here’s race leader Tadej Pogačar’s assessment of how that 27-year record was broken.

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The stage start today is being held at a Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours motor circuit - an appropriate setting given how this is expected to be another fast and furious sprint finish. They will be departing from there in a few minutes for the unofficial start.

The riders at the unofficial start. They're on the move now, and are just 2km away from the KM0. IF yesterday is an indication, there will be a lot of riders wanting to get up the road and get into the break - possibly even Mathieu van der Poel, after his surprise efforts yesterday.

OFFICIAL START

And they're off! The pace is high, with the ever-aggressive Baptiste Veistroffer at the front of the peloton, but no attacks have opened up a gap in the opening kilometre.

There's plenty of action at the front, but still no group has formed. There must be a lot of riders who fancy their chances of denying the sprinters today, as this is being raced in stark contrast to the start of the sprint stages during the first week of the Tour.

Despite XDS Astana's hopes that the breakaway riders would hold fire until tomorrow, allowing their sprinter Max Kanter to have a clear run to sprint for the stage win, lots of riders are sensing that today is a big opportunity. Attacks keep coming, and keeping getting brought back as others aren't happy at having missed it.

160KM TO GO

For the first time, a small group managed to build a lead of a few seconds - Guernalec, Hessmann, Azparren and, despite the words of his team DS about not thinking this will be one for the breakaway, Astana's Teunissen. But they've been quickly brought back by teams still desperate to have representation in the breakaway. 20km in into the stage, the fight goes on.

A new four-man group formed, and had serious firepower with Asgreen and Schmid. But also present were Paret-Peintre and Prodhomme, who are marking for their respective sprinters Merlier and Kooij, and the lack of cohesion has seen the group brought back.

150KM TO GO

The peloton has knocked off the pace, with just the one rider up the road - and it's that man again, the indefatigable Baptiste Veistroffer. Given all the efforts of riders to get into the break earlier, we can only imagine this is a temporary truce until hostilities open up again soon.

The pace remains slow, as many, including the yellow jersey, take comfort breaks. That’s likely to change as they near the intermediate sprint, coming up in just over 10km, and the green jersey candidates start winding their lead-out trains up.

For now, though, Baptiste Veistroffer remains up the lead, with a lead of over two minutes.

140KM TO GO

There's just 7km left until the intermediate sprint. Veistroffer will likely take the 25 points as he remains up the road by just under two minutes, but there's a lot of points to be fought for among the green jersey candidates.

Mads Pedersen remains in pole position in that competition and, having crunched the numbers, we believe he will be hard to depose. Have a read of our more detailed analysis regarding that competition.

With one sprint stage remaining, the Tour de France green points jersey is Mads Pedersen's to lose - Analysis

The sprinters teams have retaken control, and it's Alpecin who lead the peloton with a long line of riders. They're looking to lead out Philipsen for the intermediate sprint, who, after his reinstation yesterday, remains in contention for the green jersey.

INTERMEDIATE SPRINT

Pedersen wins the sprint in the peloton for the points behind Veistroffer, profiting off a strong lead-out from his Lidl-Trek teammates. Philipsen was second, Merlier third, Kanter fourth, while Girmay drifted away in the finale and managed only fifth.

With the sprint done, hostilities have reignited and the attacks are coming out of the peloton again.

Three riders have managed to go clear from the peloton - Caruso, Costiou and Vercher. The rest of the peloton has slowed - it looks like that might be the end of the fight for the breakaway.

120KM TO GO

Caruso, Costiou and Vercher have joined what must be a relieved Veistroffer, who no longer has another prospect of riding all day at the front of him self by his own. They lead the peloton by just over a minute.

Dark clouds are gathering over the peloton, and the weather could have to impact on the stage - be it rain, or possibly even crosswinds. EF DS Charly Wegelius is telling his team to be alert.

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Here are the four riders who eventually ended up in the day's break. Once again Lotto and TotalEnergies have representation, while Bahrain and Groupama are clearly becoming more restless having made it into the second of the Tour without a stage win.

KOM - COTE DE LANTY

The break has just gone over the first climb of the day, the Côte de Lanty, with Veistroffer taking the sole point on offer. It wasn't much of a test, and they were able to take it on quite easy as the pace is calm for now. That might change later, especially towards the end of the stage if any of the sprinter teams want to pile the pressure on to make life hard for their rivals.

There was some confusion amid the intermediate sprint. At first, it seemed as though Pedersen had been relegated from the sprint, and he was seen talking animatedly with the commissaire in the car, and his Lidl-Trek team saying they had been told that over the radio. However, the results have been confirmed, and Pedersen confirmed to have taken 20 points. Here are the official updated rankings:

1 Mads Pedersen 337

2 Biniam Girmay 282

3 Jasper Philipsen 271

4 Tim Merlier 237

5 Max Kanter 215

This has been another quiet day for the yellow jersey, but you imagine that will change over the coming day, especially when we reach the mountains at the weekend.

In firm control of the jersey, Tadej Pogačar could ride defensively all the way from here until Paris, but he looks like a man on a mission, eager to right wrongs from the past and gain as much individual success as possible.

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The heavens have opened! Many days of pressure in this hot weather has finally cracked, and rain has started falling heavily on the race.

KOM - COTE DE CUZY

The break go over the second categorised climb of the day, another category four effort, and once again Veistroffer is allowed to take the point uncontested. The peloton continues to ride hard to control the break, and has them at just 45 seconds.

As the the weather, that was only a brief shower, and the weather is dry once again.

Give or take one or two other stages that they have an outside chance in, this might already be the very last bunch sprint at this year’s Tour de France.

The kilometres that precede can be a little dull sometimes, but there’s no spectacle quite like a bunch finish, and part of that is the variety of different styles of the sprinters who try to win. Before we witness that again later today, be sure to have a read of our piece on the science of sprinting.

What kind of sprinter are you? Understanding the key strengths of Tour de France fastmen – and how to beat them

70KM TO GO

Just 40 seconds now for the four riders out front. If this is to be the last chance of a bunch sprint at this Tour, the sprinters are not going to let the opportunity slip.

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60KM TO GO

There’s movement out front, as Veistroffer and Costiou drop their two breakaway companions, Caruso and Vercher. Given their slender lead of 50 seconds, they’re likely just delaying the inevitable catch.

Jasper Philipsen is hoping to put what has been a stressful time at this Tour behind him, and at last seal what would be a first stage win at this race. He wasn’t impressed by the commissaires yesterday, even after they reinstated him, but remains as hungry as ever for success, and his Alpecin team are prominent at the front of the peloton as they work to control and bring back the break.

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50KM TO GO

Jonas Vingegaard has had to make his way back to the peloton after a mechanical, with the help of a few teammates. Thankfully for him, the racing isn't full on yet, as the peloton keep the two remaining breakaway riders (Caruso and Vercher are back in the peloton) pegged at about 40 seconds.

Vingegaard has had supportive words for his great rival, in the aftermath of him being booed a couple of days ago.

'Don't boo at him' - Jonas Vingegaard defends Tadej Pogačar against Tour de France hecklers

Costiou has given up the ghost, leaving Veistroffer up front by himself, just as he was before the breakaway formed. There will be no pries for guessing who wins the combativity award today, but right now Veistroffer is re concerned with how much longer he can lead the race for. As things stand, the peloton is still allowing him 40 seconds.

40KM TO GO

30 seconds now for Veistroffer. The sprinter teams won't want to catch him too early, but the pace in the peloton might go up regardless in the coming kilometres - the terrain gets a little undulating, with one categorised and another uncategorised climb to come, and there's a chance for some teams to put the pressure on the purer sprinters (Mads Pedersen and Lidl-Trek - we're looking at you)

ATTACK - SIMMONS

Things are getting interesting, and as anticipated, it's Lidl-Trek who are laying down the pressure! Simmons attacks on the uncategorised climb, joined by 6 or 7 riders, with others trying to join them.

This is all getting very chaotic, with more and more riders jumping out of the peloton. Some very strong riders are in the front group, including Ganna.

All this started happening when Philipsen had only just made his way back to the peloton from a mechanical, and there's no sign of him towards the front of the bunch.

30KM TO GO

Ganna and Lidl’s Vacek are doing much of the pace-setting in the group that’s formed, which has about 15 riders in it. Soudal-QuickStep are trying to lead the chase in the peloton for their sprinter Merlier, but they’re 20 seconds adrift..

Amid all of that action, Veistroffer was caught and is back in the peloton, now struggling to hang on at the back.

The peloton are really going quick to try and bring this breakaway group back, and have them back at 10 seconds.

The break's been caught, thanks largely to some great work by Soudal's Paret-Peintre. There's still another climb to come, however, and a lack of control in the peloton - more attacks are likely imminent.

They're on the Côte de Montagny-lès-Buxy (2.5km at 3.9%), and attacks have indeed been fired, mostly from Lidl-Trek. Derek Gee-West instigated them, and though he has been caught, he is setting a ferocious pace up the climb, presumably to put the other sprinters under as much pressure as possible.

CÔTE DE MONTAGNY-LÈS-BUXY

Lidl are all over the climb. After Gee-West's work, both Simmons and then Vacek piled the pressure on, and have both crested the climb in a group of about eleven, a few seconds ahead of the peloton.

15KM TO GO

Despite the efforts of Grégoire and Simmons to keep away, all the riders in that group have been caught on the descent. It's a reduced peloton though - do the sprinters' teams have the firepower to control it and prevent other attacks?

This is turning into an unpredictable finale, with only 15km left. And Pedersen himself has just done a turn at the front of the peloton with a big push!

Pedersen is fully committing to attacking rather than waiting for the sprint. He's just attacked for the third time, taking a few riders with him, but can't quite get a gap. The peloton remains altogether again, for now, but the attacks keep coming.

The race is still a mess, with the attacks coming thick and fast. Lidl remain the main instigators, with even Skjelmose having a go, but nothing has managed to stick.

5KM TO GO

There's more control in the peloton now as we approach the finish. The sprinter teams have reasserted control, and the attacks have ceased. It looks like we should have a bunch sprint after all.

XDS Astana have control of the peloton at the moment, but the other sprinters are well-positioned, Merlier, Philipsen and Pedersen all right towards the front as they enter the final 3km.

1KM TO GO

After a long turn from Lidl-s Vacek, Alpecin take over at the front as they enter the final kilometre with a long train of three lead-out men. This is looking good for Philipsen.

MERLIER WINS

In a dramatic finale Merlier takes the win! Philipsen had the lead-out, but once again Merlier had the speed, and takes his third stage win at this year's Tour.

There was a crash in the sprint right towards the front of the peloton in the final few hundred metres, with Gaviria going down with Wærenskjold It was dramatic, and many riders were held up behind it, but it doesn’t seem that anyone has been too badly hurt.

It was a closer sprint than we've seen before, with all the sprinters bunched together at the front, but Merlier still had time to celebrate as he crossed the line.

Jasper Philipsen will be deeply disappointed at not being able to win today. He had a domineering lead-out from his Alpecin team, who stormed to the front at almost exactly 1km to go. He had Van der Poel as the last man to deliver him, too, but by his side Jasper Stuyven also managed to deliver his man Merlier into a strong position, and ultimately Philipsen was - as he has this whole race - simply done for pace by Merlier.

Given everything had to go through in that finale, with constant attacks over the kind of undulating terrain he struggles with, that was some win by Tim Merlier. He’s in the form of his life, and three stage wins make this the most successful Grand Tour of his career. There can be little doubt now - he is the fastest sprinter in the world.

Tim Merlier's child was at the stage today, giving him some extra motivation to go for the win today.

Thanks for joining us today, for what was the last sprint we’ll see at this Tour for a while - and possibly at all.

Tomorrow sees the return of climbing, beginning the next phase of this race, where the GC contenders will return to the centre of attention. Could it be another win for Tadej Pogačar? Can someone challenge him? Or will the breakaway be able to succeed? Find out tomorrow as we bring you all the action live once more.