"I love more the one-day races, the Classics" - Tim Merlier unbothered by 'second place' at Soudal - Quick-Step's sprinter hierarchy

Tim Merlier is one of the new faces of Soudal-Quick-Step, he left Alpecin-Fenix where he was, along with Jasper Philipsen, the main sprinter of the team to Soudal-Quick-Step where he will have the competition of the European Champion Fabio Jakobsen. Merlier will have the role of 2nd sprinter in the team, but he doesn't see that as a problem and is ok about not going to the Tour de France, Jakobsen main goal.

"Normally it will be the Vuelta. But I'm focused on the beginning of the season and not only thinking about the Vuelta. I've won already in the Giro, and I've won already in the Tour. I can live with that, if it's the Vuelta again. I haven't won there yet, so I'm happy to go back to make that happen.", Merlier said to Cyclingnews.

The 30 years old sprinter even said that he prefers and is stronger at the Belgium Classics than riding Grand Tours, since he rode great part of his career mainly in those races. Has his former team Alpecin-Fenix was a team that was primarily focused on the classics in the Belgian territory.

"For me, I love more the one-day races, the Classics, than the Grand Tours, even if the Grand Tours are also very important, I live in Flanders, close to the parcours of the big races in Belgium – that's one of the reasons I love the one-day races. I think I'm stronger after a hard race, than the simple Grand Tour sprint days. Mostly my best sprints are when everyone is a bit tired. But then again, in the Giro and Tour I won the opening sprint stages", he stated.

Tim Merlier shows no regrets with his move to Soudal-Quick-Step, even if he will have now more of a secondary role. The former Belgian Champion that also does cyclocross is confident that his performances and victories will increase and improve in his new team. And indeed Quick-Step-Soudal is known to make great sprinters as Mark Cavendish(a professional rebirth), Fernando Gaviria and Elia Viviani proved.

"They showed already that they can make a sprinter even better. I hope to have the same for me. That was one of the reasons I wanted to come to the team, because they have that history with sprinters. They show they take care of the sprinters. I'm very much looking forward to doing my first sprints with the team.", Merlier concluded.