"There are a few in the team working on it" - Tim Merlier's triumph puts Quick-Step just one step from 1000th victory
Cycling
Sunday was a perfect day for anyone racing in the European/World champion's jerseys. And Tim Merlier was certainly not going to break the party on home roads. In fact, he had won the Brussels Cycling Classics with a difference of class.
"I wanted to start too early, but with 300 meters to go, with a headwind and uphill, that's not possible. That's why I waited. With 200 meters to go, I couldn't find a slipstream anymore. It was a bit far, but I made it," he said after his victory.
In the run-up to the Tour de France, the legs look great for Merlier who's just returned from an altitude training camp. "The feeling on the bike was pretty good. It’s always difficult during the first race, because you don’t know what’s going to happen. I was a bit afraid of it, but I clearly came out of the training camp well. It felt okay in the race, but there’s always a question mark. So now I’m very happy with the feeling and the victory."
Soudal - Quick-Step now has 999 victories spread out across the Wolfpack's history. Will Merlier round up the number tomorrow at Antwerp Port Epic? "There are a few in the team working on it, I have already heard that, so the pressure was immediately back on the shoulders," laughed Merlier.
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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