Equal prime within the 2025 victory chart alongside Tadej Pogačar and Tom Pidcock going into the opening stage of Paris-Good with 4 successes, Tim Merlier (Soudal Fast-Step) took the outright lead in that standing with a storming bunch dash victory. The European champion appeared a category aside from his dash rivals as he claimed his fifth bouquet of the season, an impression that was backed up by a photograph end picture that featured simply the Belgian rider.
Winner of two phases on the AlUla Tour on the finish of January and one other two on the UAE Tour in February, 32-year-old Merlier has developed a really helpful knack of beginning his season very quick and is already nicely established among the many peloton’s sprinting elite. However is the perfect?
Requested this query within the instant aftermath of his Paris-Good victory, one which emulated his opening day success on his debut on this race again in 2023, Merlier refused to be drawn. ‘It’s less than me to say issues like this. It’s as much as you guys to say it or don’t say it. I simply attempt to win as a lot as doable and to take my alternatives,’ mentioned the Belgian.
There’s a powerful argument to be made for Merlier being the present prime canine within the bunch sprints having twice crushed rivals Jonathan Milan and Jasper Philipsen within the UAE. Nonetheless, Milan additionally received twice in that occasion, whereas Philipsen, who has 9 Tour de France stage victories to his credit score, bounced again from setbacks in that race to win the current Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.
Merlier mentioned that he believes that his present stage is similar because it was final 12 months, when he took 5 wins earlier than the top of February. Though he made his newest success seem easy, he mentioned that it had been an advanced stage as a result of the GC groups stored the velocity and depth so excessive.
‘From 70 kilometres to go, Visma began to make the peloton nervous, and it was actually nervous on the climbs,’ mentioned the Belgian. ‘However then we organised ourselves once more, I stayed close to the entrance, and different groups closed the gaps when there have been assaults, and within the final kilometre I had the right lead-out.’
Whereas Merlier is racking up victories on the again of the arrogance that profitable brings, stage one runner-up Arnaud Démare (Arkéa-B&B Inns) confessed to being dissatisfied along with his second place. The Frenchman has dropped down the sprinting hierarchy within the final couple of seasons, and it’s now three years since his final success at WorldTour stage.
‘I’m dissatisfied as a result of I completed very quick however I used to be badly positioned on the final bend and I bought a bit bit boxed in,’ mentioned Démare. ‘I’m additionally dissatisfied as a result of I felt good and the staff carried out nicely. It’s a great signal however that is the third time I’ve completed second this season and I’d like to verify my good kind with a win.’
