No "extra pressure" ahead of European Championships for Tim Merlier

The European Championships road race today will give room for the sprinters to perform and fight for a very important title, and inbetween the big favourites there will be Belgium who will work towards the hopes of Tim Merlier.

"Being one of the favorites doesn't give me any extra pressure. It does feel good. All signals say it's okay," Merlier told Sporza ahead of the race. He will lead the Belgian team, with the support of the likes of teammates Dries de Bondt, aswell as close friend and leadout man Bert van Lerberghe, and Edward Theuns alongside several other classics riders.

"When I look at other favorites for victory when it comes to a bunch sprint, I mainly look at riders like Jakobsen, Kristoff, Ackermann or Pedersen. A duel against future teammate Fabio Jakobsen? Let's hope," he concluded.

The route in Munich will feature some small climbs early on which won't be to the liking of Merlier, however it is unlikely that they will have a big effect on the race. Being one of the few national teams with a specific leader and set leadout will be an advantage, as the 29-year old looks to add the European stripes in addition to his Belgian ones.