Tim Merlier confirms strong pre-Tour de France form with sprint win on stage 1 of 2025 Baloise Belgium Tour
CyclingWednesday, 18 June 2025 at 17:27
Tim Merlier has powered to the stage 1 win at the 2025 Baloise Belgium Tour, taking the race lead in the process, and confirming his strong pre-Tour de France form.
Six riders formed the day's early breakaway, with three local Belgian's being joined by a pair of Dutchmen and a Frenchman. With 35km to go though, they had all been caught, and the day was over for the break. The attacks didn't end there though, as a number of riders attempted to make flyers and disrupt what looked like an inevitable bunch sprint finale.
With 10km to go, two riders were narrowly dangling out ahead of the peloton. Despite a crash that saw Jonas Abrahamsen caught up, the peloton managed to nullify that attack, and then it really was all about preparing for the sprint.
In that sprint for the line, European champion Tim Merlier was the first to open things up, and with no one able to match the Belgian, it was the Soudal - Quick-Step star who took the stage win.
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- Regardless of what they were, they are very different now.awp19-07-2025
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- The spectator though is watching cyclists up a mountain in a bike race, and isn’t impeaching in the slightest on the cyclists’ safety. Is it really necessary for the car to be coming up on the opposite side of the road so close to the action? I know spectators can be a nuisance, to put it mildly, but after making the effort to support and enjoy the race up these mountains, here I think the driver seems more the one being inconsiderate and reckless.AndrewK19-07-2025
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- The spectator isnt watching the road, they are watching the riders and too far into the roadabstractengineer19-07-2025
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- Are you a product of the U.S. Public School System?Oldguyonavelo19-07-2025