"I felt like I came out too late" - Tim Merlier wins another Renewi Tour stage with a well-timed final kick

For the second time at this year's Renewi Tour, the European champion Tim Merlier claimed the crown for fastest sprinter in the race for himself. On a punchy course to Bilzen-Hoeselt, Merlier couldn't rely on the exclusive support of his Soudal - Quick-Step teammates as their numbers whittled on previous stages, but the Belgian still executed his job in final kilometer with precision of his own.

"It was a very tough finish, but the guys put me in a really good position," Merlier said in an interview at the finish. "In the final 500 meters I got a bit boxed in, but I managed to get out. Kooij was leading at first, but I think he went a bit too early. He started to slow down, and I was able to hold my speed. It was enough for the win."  

"We were on Kooij’s side, and I thought it would open up there, but instead it opened on the other side of the road. Then it was full gas to the line. It’s a finish that suits me, but of course it’s very tricky when it comes to timing. Too early is deadly," Merlier analyzes this final meters of fourth stage.

But on Saturday, his timing was perfect. "This time I felt like I came out too late, but it just dragged on long enough, although I’m not even sure exactly when I launched."

Merlier also thanked his teammates for their work, despite having lost two riders earlier this week. "We were down to just five riders. For once, we didn’t take the initiative from the beginning," the winner explained. "But the other teams, aside from Tudor and Lotto, were hesitant. I know from experience that these situations often come down to the wire. Others might get stressed, but I thrive on it."

The team managed even without Merlier's right-hand man Bert Van Lerberghe. "Bert wasn’t feeling well yesterday and decided to stop. He sent me a message this morning. He may not have been there, but I kept in mind how he would have done it. The guys stepped up really well."

His compatriot even sent him a message with tips for the final sprint. "I don’t know if I executed it properly, but at least I won," he laughs.