The former European Champion triumphed for the second time in his career in one of Flanders’ oldest races.
Tim Merlier racked up his 11th victory of the season after showing a fantastic turn of legs in the final 200 meters of the Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen. In doing so, he delivered Soudal Quick-Step’s seventh win here, a new record this century at the event created in 1908, one year before the birth of the Giro d’Italia.
The 180km parcours consisted of twelve laps of a flat circuit, where the race followed its usual pattern: a breakaway went clear early and the sprinters’ teams made sure of not giving them too much of an advantage before bringing them back with fourteen kilometers to go. The strong headwind made it impossible for other attacks to have a chance, and the race came down to a bunch sprint, where timing proved to be essential.
Having found some space on the right side of the road in the hectic closing kilometer, Merlier unleashed his textbook sprint with only 150 meters to go and powered to Soudal Quick-Step’s 25th victory of the season, winning by a big margin in Koolskamp.
I’m happy to take the victory here for the second time in my career, especially as it’s close to my home.
“This is always nice. The headwind made things difficult, and you had to pick the right moment to go, but also have some luck to launch your sprint, and I’m delighted that all the pieces fell into place today. It’s a success that motivates me for the following races I have between now and the end of the season, in October”, Tim said after the podium ceremony.
Photo credit: ©Rhode Van Elsen / Getty Images
