The Belgian delivered a well-deserved podium for the Wolfpack after a full gas day of racing.
Tim Merlier took his best ever result in a cobbled Classic at the end of Sunday’s relentless Gent-Wevelgem, which once again threw everything it had in the riders’ way, from its famous plugstreets to the three ascents of the iconic Kemmelberg, the last of which came with 35 kilometers remaining – all of these gradually whittling down the bunch.
The most successful sprinter of the season, the European Champion came at the start just four days after crashing out from Classic Brugge-De Panne due to a knee injury, and supported by a fantastic team, he remained in contention for a podium result, making the most out of this race in Wevelgem, where he emerged as the fastest from the peloton to take our team’s first top three finish there since 2020.
The race was made even more difficult by the crosswinds which split the bunch with more than 120 kilometers to go, leaving several groups scattered across the road, including one that included Tim. Helped by the rest of the Soudal Quick-Step boys, the Belgian returned at the front and managed to remain there after each time up the Kemmelberg. This never-say-die attitude and the superb job of the whole Wolfpack behind Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), who soloed to victory, set Merlier up for the sprint after 250 kilometers, and the 32-year-old didn’t disappoint.
“I’m glad that the team had confidence in me to start today after the crash in De Panne, and I want to thank our sports director Iljo Keisse for putting me on the start list here. The team left everything out there today. It was incredibly tough and fast the entire day, it was a day of suffering, but we never gave up and did our best in these circumstances. In the final kilometer I just did a long sprint, as I knew that I was fast, and I am really happy with this result. It was a good day for the team and we can be proud of ourselves, the way we fought and the result we got”, Tim said after signing off Soudal Quick-Step’s 20th podium of the season.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
