"Paul is incredibly talented, even more than me": Tim Merlier happy to help pave the way for his successor
Cycling
Soudal - Quick-Step has suffered the loss of Remco Evenepoel in this latest cycling market. Although several high-profile signings have been made to fill in the power vacuum, the Belgian team will have to make a do without its superstar in 2026. Fortunately they can at least partially lean on their star sprinters. Not only is Tim Merlier that household name of today, his successor Paul Magnier's future seems just as bright. If not better.
The French sprinter was the second-most winning cyclist in the entire peloton in 2025, behind only Tadej Pogacar. With a total of 19 wins in 2025, Quick-Step have a true gem in their hands. In a few years' time, it wouldn't be strange to see Magnier dominate the flat finishes of the Tour de France, but not in 2026.
And Magnier's rise to power directly affects the current Quick-Step lead sprinter Tim Merlier. Currently, Merlier is still Soudal Quick-Step's reference in the sprints. After all, his record sheet in 2025 (16 victories including two Tour de France stages) speaks volumes of his qualities. However age plays in the hands of Magnier as the Frenchman is more than a decade younger and thus brings more prospects in the long run for his team.
"I'm the bib man: I can do more in competition than I can in training. But when I finally put my mind to it in training, I have to work hard to beat Paul," Merlier told Het Nieuwsblad, about the upcoming star of bunch arrrivals, admitting that the Frenchman is "eating his heart out" in the squad.
There is no bad blood between the two though. For Merlier, it's a pride to see his successor's rise to glory while the inner competition allows him to push his own limits to new highs. With Quick-Step's rediscovered focus on sprints and Classics, the duo will be able to enjoy an even greater support of their team in 2026.
"I try to help him. I get along very well with Paul and I think we share the same perspective. If the team decides he has to sacrifice for me, he will, and vice versa. I try to help him too. If he has a bad sprint, he's not afraid to tell me, 'I made a mistake.' Then I try to make adjustments."
"I'm a team player, and the better the team, the more I like it. Paul is incredibly talented, even more than me, but sprinting is also about details. If you look at his last few months, I think he's slowly mastering them," added the 33-year-old cyclist.
Paul Magnier scored 19 victories for Soudal - Quick-Step in 2025
Magnier, for the big stages
Although he has 24 career victories to his credit, it is true that Paul Magnier has yet to win a stage in a Grand Tour. But that won't be long in coming, according to Tim Merlier, who has full confidence in his teammate's talent and potential:
"Yes, I'm convinced of it. He hasn't made it in the Giro [2025, ed.] yet, but I think he'll win a classic and some stages in a Grand Tour next year," the Soudal - Quick-Step star concluded.
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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