Yves Lampaert remains our best-placed rider in the overall ranking.
Tim Merlier was one of the main protagonists on the penultimate stage of the Renewi Tour, which took the peloton from Beringen to Peer, over a completely flat course where the main threat came from the crosswinds, which made the riders nervous, especially in the final part of the course.
Soudal Quick-Step made sure of keeping things together when numerous attacks came in the last 40 kilometers, Kasper Asgreen being the one that put in a mammoth effort at the front of the bunch so that the group remained as one. Unfortunately, the team couldn’t count on him in the finale, after a massive crash split the peloton, the Dane being among those delayed by the pile-up.
The closing meters of the stage were incredibly hectic, and despite starting the sprint from the back, the two-time Belgian Champion produced an incredible burst of sprint which netted him fourth place behind winner Sam Welsford (DSM-Firmenich), only a couple of centimeters separating him from the podium. In the general classification, Yves Lampaert sits in third place, but everything will be decided on the roads to Bilzen, where the race will come to a conclusion.
“We were a bit too far entering the last corner, and a rider slotted between myself and Brent. The moment I found a gap, I immediately accelerated, but I couldn’t keep the speed unfortunately, and they passed me. It is as it is, especially, after an insane finale like the one of today”, explained Tim after the stage.
Photo credit: ©Luc Claessen / Getty Images
