An average of over 50kph for three and a half hours – Tour de France stage 9 becomes second fastest in history

CHATEAUROUX, FRANCE - JULY 13: (L-R) Raul Garcia Pierna of Spain and Team Arkea - B&B Hotels, Jonathan Milan of Italy and Team Lidl - Trek - Green Sprint Jersey, Neilson Powless of The United States and Team EF Education - EasyPost and Remco Evenepoel of Belgium and Team Soudal Quick-Step - White best young jersey compete during the 112th Tour de France 2025, Stage 9 a 174.1km stage from Chinon to Chateauroux ) / #UCIWT / on July 13, 2025 in Chateauroux, France. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images).

Stage 9 of the 2025 Tour de France is officially the second-fastest stage in Tour history, with the peloton averaging 50.013 kph for just under three and half hours of racing on Sunday.

It was a 174.1km sprint stage, won by Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep), but unlike Saturday's sprint stage that was raced relatively restfully – though still averaged 44.6 kph – stage 9 was fast and furious, thanks in part to Mathieu van der Poel's (Alpecin-Deceuninck) efforts in the breakaway.