Two-time Belgian Champion finishes third in the Middle East.
Soudal Quick-Step returned to the desert for the fourth edition of the rebranded Alula Tour, which got underway with a pan-flat stage around the Al Manshiya Train Station. For the sprinters’ teams targeting the victory at the end of the day it was pretty straightforward, with five men going clear early and being kept in check the entire time.
One of those who worked hard at the front of the peloton was also new Soudal Quick-Step rider Ayco Bastiaens, the 27-year-old Belgian spending large chunks of time at the front of the chasing group until the final 15 kilometers, when the last member of the breakaway was reeled in and the bunch was again as one.
The finale was a hectic one, with a crash at seven kilometers to go that forced Tim Merlier to take Bert Van Lerberghe’s bike and lose precious positions, and the presence of a very sharp hairpin just before the flamme rouge, which made everyone nervous and fragmented the lead-out trains.
As a result, it was every man for himself on the run-in to the line, but despite coming from a long way back and being without his trusted lead-out man, Tim Merlier clinched a solid third place in his first day of racing this season, as Casper Van Uden (DSM Firmenich-PostNL) took the win. It was the Belgian’s 16th top-three finish since joining the team at the start of last year and a confirmation he’ll be among the contenders for a stage victory in Saudi Arabia.
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