Tim Merlier denied Vuelta a Espana ride as Soudal - Quick-Step go all in on Remco Evenepoel

After Soudal - Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefevere announced last week that Remco Evenepoel will be returning to the Vuelta a Espana to defend his title, it has now been confirmed that because of this, there will be no space for Tim Merlier.

A former stage winner at both the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia, Merlier had been hoping to add a Vuelta stage win and complete his set. That now though, will not be the case for the Belgian. "Remco said very clearly that he had no problem with Tim there. But this week, during the rest day of the Tour, we sat together in San Pellegrino, where the team is on altitude training," Lefevere told Sporza. "Tim said that he himself had no problem with possibly riding a different program, including the Benelux Tour - where there may even be more sprints than in Spain - and a few one-day races."

"In a grand tour, the leaders are always guided up to three kilometres from the finish. This way Tim could also be brought forward and Bert Van Lerberghe could have done the lead-out," continues the always outspoken Lefevere. "But in the end, after talking to Tim himself, we decided not to do it and give him a different program. Whether this can be a tactical advantage? If everyone is good, this should be an advantage, yes."

The choice to go all in with Evenepoel is not at all a surprising one. As mentioned he is the defending champion of the race and will start as one of the favourites to take victory yet again. Nevertheless, for Merlier, it now means he's ridden just one Grand Tour in the last two years.

"Tim wanted to ride the Vuelta, but he's a good boy and said he would accept the team's decision. Winning is winning: whether it's a stage in the Vuelta or a stage in the Benelux Tour," concludes Lefevere.