After another win, Merlier looks ahead to Paris-Roubaix: "Van Aert, Van der Poel and Pedersen have bigger engines, but you never know"

“We were able to control the race from the start,” the Belgian sprinter said. “We reeled in the big breakaway easily and took control of the race after that. It’s a pity we didn’t get help chasing down the second breakaway, but that only made me more determined to go for the win today.”

But the victory was anything but certain in the final kilometer. “We were pretty far back heading into the last kilometer. Bert (Van Lerberghe, ed.) did an incredible job bringing me to the front. In the sprint, I was maybe a bit too exposed to the wind, but luckily it all worked out in the end.”

In the final kilometers, Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier was once again able to rely on his trusted lead-out man, Bert Van Lerberghe. “In the sprint, we were ultimately in a small group. It was mainly about waiting and then moving up at the right moment. I tried to position Tim as well as possible, and then he finished it off in a really strong way.”

“I was lucky to avoid the crash,” Van Lerberghe continued. “I felt something, but fortunately it didn’t seem to affect me. I hope the riders who went down aren’t too badly hurt. At least I was able to do my job well again, and I’m happy that Tim was able to finish it off.”

Yves Lampaert normally plays a key role in Merlier’s sprint train, but due to a crash, the Belgian couldn’t contribute in the final. “A few riders went down in front of me, and I was caught behind them. Because of that crash, I couldn’t reconnect with the peloton, but luckily Tim was able to finish it off, and I didn’t suffer any further injuries.”

Next up for Lampaert is Paris–Roubaix on Sunday, a race he’s really looking forward to. “My form is good, so I hope I can be there when it counts in Paris–Roubaix. It would be great if I could be part of the finale and make it a strong race,” the Belgian concluded.

Alongside Lampaert, Tim Merlier will also be on the start line for Paris–Roubaix. “Paris–Roubaix is a tough race where a lot comes down to small details. They’re already forecasting rain and wind, so I expect it will be a full day of racing. I think the big engines like Van Aert, Van der Poel, Ganna, and Pedersen have a better shot than I do.”

“But never say never,” the fast Belgian continued. “There are always scenarios where you can get back into the race and end up in the finale. I’ve never really scored a strong result in Roubaix, so you don’t go into it with massive confidence. But of course I’ll give it everything to get the best possible result, I just have to stay realistic.”