Boonen storms to success in stage 12

Quickstep’s Tom Boonen produced a stunning late sprint to claim a photo-finish win in today’s 178-kilometre Tour de France stage 12 from Montpellier to Castres.

The Belgian rider’s surge, coming after Euskaltel rider Amets Txurruka and Bouygues Telecom’s Pierrick Fedrigo had led for 125 kilometres only to be caught a kilometre from the finish, saw him pip Erik Zabel to the line by a matter of centimetres.