Results Ronde van Limburg 2026 | Tim Merlier wins chaotic sprint after disrupted finale in Tongeren

A few days after Paris-Roubaix, the Belgian once again underlined his dominance in a reduced bunch sprint. In a fragmented finale, he stayed in control and finished it off after a race that seemed to slip away from the sprinters several times. An early breakaway animated the race, followed by a long solo effort from Jasper Philipsen.

The race opened at a blistering pace, with a break of three—Albert Withen Philipsen, Jelle Vermoote, and Mikita Babovitsj—going clear after a flurry of attacks on the first climbs. The trio carved out more than two minutes in the opening phase, a frenetic rhythm mirrored by a flat-out first hour that put the peloton under immediate pressure.

Hitting the final circuits around Tongeren, the break remained a real threat. Philipsen proved the strongest of the three, first distancing his companions on the cobbled sections before pressing on alone.

The Lidl-Trek rider held firm deep into the race and began the last lap solo, forcing a sustained chase from the bunch.

Behind, the chase never fully settled. Repeated crashes and mechanicals broke the peloton’s rhythm, with key riders such as Milan Menten and Fabio Van den Bossche caught up in incidents during the decisive phase.

A spate of punctures also hit several sprinters and domestiques, further complicating efforts to mount a controlled pursuit.

Despite the disruptions, Philipsen’s lead ebbed away gradually. With around 20 kilometres remaining, his advantage was down to seconds before he was finally reeled in as the pace ramped up on the cobbles.

Lotto were among the teams trying to break things open, with Cedric Beullens attacking on the Manshoven pavé, though the move was quickly snuffed out. Fresh digs followed in the run-in, including one from Aime De Gendt, Dries De Bondt, and others, but the peloton regrouped with three kilometres to go.

With the race finally back together, focus shifted to the sprint, though even the finishing straight remained volatile. Positioning proved tricky, and several fast men were forced to regain places after earlier disruptions. Gerben Thijssen and Menten were among those battling for wheels as the speed stayed high and the formation stretched.

By contrast, Merlier surfed to the front cleanly thanks to a textbook lead-in, with Bert Van Lerberghe guiding him to the right spot before he launched early. From there, the Soudal Quick-Step rider showed his class, holding off the late surge from behind to seal victory after a race that never followed the script.

Merlier’s triumph capped a demanding day in Limburg, where aggressive racing and constant interruptions meant even a sprint finish came only after a long fight for control.