"Some riders prefer to crash rather than sprint" - Tim Merlier upset to have missed his last sprint opportunity

All sprinters had stage 17 marked in red in their roadbooks. Tim Merlier who already raised his hands twice during this Tour de France also had his sights set on today. But the rainy arrival to Valence was scarred by a big crash just under the flamme rouge with most of peloton blocked, including the Soudal - Quick-Step sprinter who could only envy Jonathan Milan as he equaled his victory tally.

According to the Belgian, such a crash was an expected outcome. "I can make a list before the race and say who'll be down if someone crashes. I'll have to take another good look, but I already know a few names," he sighs.

"Some riders are simply pushing the limits a bit more than necessary," Sporza reported. "They prefer to crash rather than sprint. The good news is that I didn't crash today. That's up to them. I don't know exactly what's going wrong. There are a few riders I'd rather not get behind in the chaos."  

Merlier was already dropped at times during the stage, but thanks to a dedicated work of his team, the Belgian would still arrive to Valence with a shot at his third victory. But the last kilometers went far from ideal.

"I was completely out of control, otherwise I wouldn't have been behind the crash. I still had the feeling it was going to work out. I was moving up and made the wrong choice twice, taking the right side of the roundabout. That was my own fault, but I felt I was going to put things right."

"I'm standing here with mixed feelings. I missed another opportunity, but on the other hand, I stayed upright. Fortunately, I already have two victories under my belt and I can look back on my Tour de France with satisfaction," said the Belgian.

His voice indicates that he doesn't believe in one more sprint opportunity in Paris, with the Montmartre circuit in mind. But with the finish line in sight, the European champion silently vows to finish the Grande Boucle for the first time in his career. "That will be very difficult. It will be a tough three-day race where my legs won't be very happy," he said, looking ahead to the Alps.