CHALON-SUR-SAONE, France — Belgian rider Tim Merlier earned another stage win at the Tour de France while several riders fell as they sprinted to the line Thursday.Defending champion Tadej Pogacar avoided the crash and kept his significant overall lead over second-place Jonas Vingegaard after 12 stages.It was Merlier’s third stage win on this year’s Tour and sixth of his career. Dutch rider Olav Kooij finished second and Jasper Philipsen of Belgium was third.With riders fighting for position on the home straight, Colombian Fernando Gaviria went down after clipping the wheel of another cyclist and fell to his left, bringing Norwegian rider Soeren Waerenskjold — Wednesday’s stage winner — down with him. Just behind them, four other riders had no room to swerve around them and flew over their handlebars.None of the riders appeared seriously injured and, after a few minutes of recovery, Gaviria crossed the line with the help of a teammate. Gaviria’s left knee was heavily bloodied and his left arm appeared hurt as he held it close to his body.Four-time Tour champion Pogacar remains 3 minutes, 36 seconds ahead of two-time champion Vingegaard and 4:06 ahead of Remco Evenepoel in third place.Pogacar had extended his overall lead Tuesday after another trademark attack in the 10th stage.Stage 12 was a mostly flat 179-kilometer (111-mile) r …
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