The announcement was made during our team’s presentation in Calpe.
European Champion Tim Merlier and his trusted lead-out man Bert Van Lerberghe have agreed on a new deal with Soudal Quick-Step, which would see them remain with the Wolfpack until the end of 2028.
Tim has joined our squad ahead of 2023, and has since became one of the fastest riders in the world under the guidance of our staff, racking up a total of 27 victories, including the continental title, a hat-trick of Giro d’Italia stages, Nokere Koerse twice and Scheldeprijs, the oldest race in Flanders.
“Ever since my days as a young rider I had this dream of racing for this team one day, and now, to extend my contract after just two seasons means a lot. I have a lot of beautiful memories from the past two years, I have won a lot of races and I want to continue doing so in the next four years. This season will be a special one, as I will compete with the European Champion jersey on my shoulders, and I would love to show it in the Tour de France and get a stage victory there. At the same time, it’s great to remain on the same team as Bert. We have known each other since we were kids, we have a strong bond which can be seen in the races we do together and we hope to have the same successful partnership that we have enjoyed until now.”
Bert, who is part of the team since 2020, is more than Tim’s lead-out man, it’s his best friend, their strong relationship dating back to their pre high school days, when the two of them were just 12 years old. In the past couple of seasons, Van Lerberghe played a vital role not just in Tim’s successes, but also in many of the team’s cobbled Classics wins.
“All the wins that I played a part in are important to me, but the most memorable ones are those of the 2021 Spring Classics campaign and the ones of Tim. We trust each other 100% and this makes things easier for us when we are in a race”, Bert added. “I’m very happy to stay here, I feel great and love the atmosphere in the squad. Soudal Quick-Step is a special team, the best team for me, and I appreciate their confidence, something which only motivates me to continue giving my best.”
Photo credit: ©Wout Beel
