Sprint finishes are often chaotic, and today Alpecin-Deceuninck's Tim Merlier experienced that the hard way, as he struggled in the final sprint having lost too much energy in the fight for positioning.
“I would rather have won, huh. I was in a good position, but 400-500 meters from the finish I was still on the outside of the corner," Merlier told reporters at the end of the day. "I had to hold back a little bit and came into the wind. I also miss some punch, I think.”
“Did something go wrong in the sprint? A lot of things happen in a sprint, eh, too much to mention. But I was slowed down by an elbow twice more and lost speed," Merlier justifies. As BORA - hansgrohe nailed the leadout to perfection, others didn't have the same legs when it came to the final dash to the line.
"By the time I wanted to start, I had already wasted too much energy. Those things come into play. But Bennett also just had a good sprint," Merlier admitted. He crossed the line a solid third, but will hope for tomorrow in Breda.
“We were exactly the only team that wanted to sprint. Well, on to tomorrow," he said regarding the work Alpecin-Deceuninck have put on during the day. "There are still plenty of opportunities," the Belgian champion concluded.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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- It would likely be a very steep section of 4.1 km, not changing the average gradient considerably, with the climb remaining 10.1 km at 11.8%. It would reach 20% on the gravel. It would start 1.6 km in, and finish with 4.2 km left to climb (before the short final descent)
Rafionain-Glas02-11-2026
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#LaVuelta22 🏁 It's 🥉 for @MerlierTim today!
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