Tom Boonen Won Stage 12 of the Tour De France

Belgium's Tom Boonen raced closer to securing his first points triumph by sprinting to victory in the 178.5km 12th stage of the Tour de France today. The Quick Step rider claimed his second stage win of this year's race by winning a bunch sprint ahead of Erik Zabel of the Milram team. Robert Hunter, the winner of yesterday's stage, came in third for the Barloworld team.

Boonen, whose previous victory was on stage six at Bourg-en-Bresse, is now 20 points clear of Hunter at the top of the green jersey standings.

"Yesterday I wasn't lucky, today was OK," said Boonen, who missed stage 11's sprint into Montpellier after being caught up in a major crash in the final kilometre. "I had won the last sprint before the Alps, now I win the last sprint before the Pyrenees. It's good for my morale."

The yellow jersey remains on the shoulders of Michael Rasmussen after he finished safely in the peloton. The Rabobank rider is at the centre of a controversy following the the Danish Cycling Union's announcement that it had dropped him from the national team after he received several warnings from the International Cycling Union (UCI) and anti-doping authorities. Rasmussen had failed to inform the authorities of his whereabouts while training and therefore missed two random dope tests in May and June.

Breakaway riders Amets Txurruka and Pierrick Fedrigo managed to build up an 11-minute gap over the peloton but their advantage vanished 700 metres from the finish line, leaving the road open for another bunch sprint.

Tomorrow's 13th stage will be a 54km individual time trial in Albi.