Tim Merlier escapes the chaos to win GP de Fourmies: "That makes me very happy"

Tim Merlier hadn't gotten a win since the Tour de Pologne but kicked off September on the right foot with a victory at the GP de Fourmies.

“The good feeling helped me when I lost the team in the crazy last kilometer. I started the sprint early and had enough left to catch," Merlier said in a post-race interview. The race had a pretty packed sprinter startlist however the amount of fast men in the finale led to a pretty chaotic situation. A few sprinters could not be in contention, including teammate Fabio Jakobsen - the two teamed up in a rare occasion.

Merlier was ultimately Quick-Step's option, and in the final sprint he put in a strong sprint to beat Gerben Thijssen and Matteo Moschetti. This is his ninth win of the season, for the rider who is set to lead the team's ambitions in the flat stages in 2024.

“That makes me very happy. The team did a great job and I have to thank them for that. I'm really looking forward to my next appointment: the Tour of Slovakia," he concludes.