With a staggering 16 wins, Tim Merlier was statistically the most successful Belgian in the peloton last season. Only Tadej Pogacar had more (25). Yet the award for
Flandrien of the Year went to Remco Evenepoel. Merlier now looks at 2025, where the Tour de France is still high on the Belgian list. At the Gala of the Flandrien in Belgium, the Soudal Quick-Step sprinter already strongly suspected he would not win the award. "It will be hard to win here today," he told
Het Nieuwsblad. After his second-place finish, the 32-year-old Belgian addressed the possible plan to take both Evenepoel and Merlier to the Tour. "Whether I'm going to the Tour? I don't know yet. I read in Het Nieuwsblad that they planned to make the puzzle with me. I hope my puzzle piece fits in."
Merlier already won a stage in the 2021 Tour while still riding for Alpecin-Fenix. In the third stage, he ensured a one-two with teammate and compatriot Jasper Philipsen. "I would like to go to the Tour for a second stage win and secretly dream of yellow. I hope Bert Van Lerberghe can join me too; he can also play a role for Remco." The 32-year-old Van Lerberghe is the regular lead-out for his companion Merlier; for example, he was a crucial pawn in his teammate's triple-stage success at the Giro d'Italia.
Read more below the photo.
Tim Merlier completed his hat trick in the Giro on the very last day.
Lefevere's puzzle: "There are seven flat stages; you can't ignore that"
Patrick Lefevere already told at the
presentation of the Tour route that a complex puzzle awaits him. The Tour de France starts with a stage for the sprinters, and so Merlier would be the candidate to win the yellow jersey for his team. "There are seven flat stages; you can't ignore that,' the team boss pointed out. 'It will be a serious puzzle for us, but we must seriously consider taking Merlier."