“It hasn’t been the easiest period…” - Tim Merlier answers doubts with Scheldeprijs success on just his second race day of 2026
Cycling
Tim Merlier answered questions over his form in emphatic fashion at Scheldeprijs 2026, sprinting to a third consecutive victory in Schoten on just his second race day of the season after a disrupted start to his campaign.
“It hasn’t been the easiest period, and you do start to have doubts: ‘Will I still be able to do it?’” Merlier admitted after the finish, framing the uncertainty that had followed him into the race before delivering the clearest possible response on the road.
From uncertainty to authority in Schoten sprint
Merlier’s path to victory was far from straightforward. He found himself without teammates in the final kilometre, forced to rely entirely on positioning and instinct rather than a structured lead-out. “They crashed, but I managed to avoid it in a phenomenal way. In the final kilometre, I was without teammates, but I was well positioned.”
That positioning proved decisive. As other sprint trains faltered in the aftermath of the crashes, Merlier held his line and waited for the right moment before launching. “Once I launched my sprint, I knew they would have to come from very far to beat me.”
No one could. The Belgian surged clear to take a third consecutive victory in Schoten, underlining once again his dominance in one of cycling’s purest sprinting contests.
“This one means a lot” after difficult spell
Beyond the result itself, this victory carried a deeper significance. It was not just another win in a race that suits him, but confirmation that his form is returning after a difficult period. “This time, there were a lot of question marks and doubts. In training, I was feeling better and better, but in races, I wasn’t having my best days.”
Scheldeprijs provided the answer he had been searching for. “It doesn’t come on demand, but this one means a lot.”
On just his second race day of the 2026 season, Merlier not only returned to winning ways, but did so with a performance that leaves little doubt about his level.
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Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- 'The Slovenian has collected four Tour de France titles' ... '[Kieran Wood's] ... reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis'. i would say that is pretty inaccurate accurate coverage, kieran wood ... too bad that AI's knowledge often lags several months behind ... but proof reading is certainly part of accurate coverage, isn't it? but fortunately does Kieran Wood place 'strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.' i would say the fifth tdf title is pretty new (and even verified) information, so feel free to update this article.Ketterechts01-11-2026
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