Tour de Pologne: Merlier top five in first bunch sprint
In the first bunch sprint he took part in since June, Tim Merlier showed encouraging signs for the next flat stages of the race, finishing a solid fifth in Prudnik despite being boxed in several times in the last 500 meters.
The two-time Belgian Champion, victorious in a dozen races since the start of the season, relied on a strong Soudal Quick-Step team to control things and deploy him in a good position going under the flamme rouge Thursday afternoon and proved that he had the legs to fight for another win, but luck wasn’t on his side. After eventually finding some space on the right side of the road, Tim put his fantastic sprint on display and eventually concluded just a wheel behind Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease a Bike), who took the victory.
There will be another chance for Tim on Friday, when another flat stage – this time starting and finishing in Katowice – awaits the peloton at this 27th World Tour stop of the season.
Photo credit: ©Dario Belingheri / Getty Images
Race details
| 1 |
Olav Kooij Team Visma | Lease a Bike |
4:46:20 |
| 2 |
Sam Bennett Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team |
0:00 |
| 3 |
Mads Pedersen Lidl - Trek |
0:00 |
| 4 |
Jordi Meeus Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
0:00 |
| 5 |
Tim Merlier
Soudal Quick-Step |
0:00 |
| 6 |
Stanisław Aniołkowski Cofidis |
0:00 |
| 7 |
Gerben Thijssen Intermarché - Wanty |
0:00 |
| 8 |
Alberto Dainese Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
0:00 |
| 9 |
Jensen Plowright Alpecin - Deceuninck |
0:00 |
| 10 |
Phil Bauhaus Bahrain - Victorious |
0:00 |
| 20 |
Bert Van Lerberghe
Soudal Quick-Step |
0:00 |
| 40 |
Paul Magnier
Soudal Quick-Step |
0:00 |
| 42 |
Martin Svrček
Soudal Quick-Step |
0:00 |
| 97 |
Pepijn Reinderink
Soudal Quick-Step |
0:00 |
| 129 |
Ayco Bastiaens
Soudal Quick-Step |
0:00 |
| 139 |
Warre Vangheluwe
Soudal Quick-Step |
1:24 |
| 1 |
Jonas Vingegaard Hansen Team Visma | Lease a Bike |
12:51:08 |
| 2 |
Diego Ulissi UAE Team Emirates |
0:19 |
| 3 |
Wilco Kelderman Team Visma | Lease a Bike |
0:20 |
| 4 |
Romain Grégoire Groupama - FDJ |
0:33 |
| 5 |
Magnus Sheffield INEOS Grenadiers |
0:37 |
| 6 |
Matej Mohorič Bahrain - Victorious |
0:44 |
| 7 |
Edoardo Zambanini Bahrain - Victorious |
0:44 |
| 8 |
Yannis Voisard Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
0:49 |
| 9 |
Mikkel Frølich Honoré EF Education - EasyPost |
0:49 |
| 10 |
Felix Großschartner UAE Team Emirates |
0:50 |
| 56 |
Martin Svrček
Soudal Quick-Step |
12:05 |
| 60 |
Paul Magnier
Soudal Quick-Step |
13:27 |
| 68 |
Pepijn Reinderink
Soudal Quick-Step |
16:38 |
| 119 |
Ayco Bastiaens
Soudal Quick-Step |
30:59 |
| 123 |
Bert Van Lerberghe
Soudal Quick-Step |
33:08 |
| 125 |
Warre Vangheluwe
Soudal Quick-Step |
33:37 |
| 126 |
Tim Merlier
Soudal Quick-Step |
33:39 |
| 1 |
Diego Ulissi UAE Team Emirates |
49 pt |
| 2 |
Jonas Vingegaard Hansen Team Visma | Lease a Bike |
48 pt |
| 3 |
Wilco Kelderman Team Visma | Lease a Bike |
47 pt |
| 4 |
Thibau Nys Lidl - Trek |
40 pt |
| 5 |
Romain Grégoire Groupama - FDJ |
39 pt |
| 6 |
Magnus Sheffield INEOS Grenadiers |
38 pt |
| 7 |
Matej Mohorič Bahrain - Victorious |
34 pt |
| 8 |
Edoardo Zambanini Bahrain - Victorious |
33 pt |
| 9 |
Oscar Onley Team dsm-firmenich PostNL |
27 pt |
| 10 |
Felix Großschartner UAE Team Emirates |
22 pt |
| 21 |
Tim Merlier
Soudal Quick-Step |
16 pt |
| 50 |
Bert Van Lerberghe
Soudal Quick-Step |
1 pt |
| 1 |
Michał Paluta Poland |
33 pt |
| 2 |
Jan Maas Team Jayco AlUla |
17 pt |
| 3 |
Szymon Sajnok Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
3 pt |
| 4 |
Kacper Gieryk Poland |
2 pt |
| 5 |
Norbert Banaszek Poland |
2 pt |
| 6 |
Niklas Märkl Team dsm-firmenich PostNL |
2 pt |
| 7 |
Pepijn Reinderink
Soudal Quick-Step |
2 pt |
| 8 |
Hugo Houle Israel - Premier Tech |
1 pt |
| 9 |
Mick van Dijke Team Visma | Lease a Bike |
1 pt |
| 10 |
Tim Declercq Lidl - Trek |
1 pt |
| 1 | UAE Team Emirates | 38:34:14 |
| 2 | Bahrain - Victorious | 3:04 |
| 3 | EF Education - EasyPost | 3:57 |
| 4 | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | 7:04 |
| 5 | Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | 7:33 |
| 6 | Movistar Team | 9:34 |
| 7 | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | 11:02 |
| 8 | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | 11:32 |
| 9 | Lidl - Trek | 13:23 |
| 10 | INEOS Grenadiers | 14:50 |
