Alpecin - Fenix have taken another important win as Tim Merlier carried his form from Tirreno-Adriatico in order to take a strong win at the Nokere Koerse after the race was taken to a final bunch sprint.
Adrien Lagrée (B&B Hotels - KTM), Robin Carpenter (Human Powered Health), Aaron Verwilst (Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise), Kobe Vanoverschelde (Tarteletto - Isorex) and Gil D'Heygere (Minerva Cycling) took off on the day's breakaway. With 90 kilometers to go the attacks started as expected in the peloton, and throughout the final two hours of racing it was a constant flurry of attacks but as is traditional in the race, the lack of any true uphill sectors makes it hard to create damage in the peloton.
With 61 kilometers to go Lukas Postleberger attacked in the peloton and joined the remnants of the breakaway, which was then caught with 23 kilometers to go as the attacks kept flying off the peloton, with defending champion Ludovic Robeet and Victor Campenaerts frequent faces on the move. Countless riders made their attempts, but the peloton was constantly large and all moves were chased down, frequently by other riders looking to attack.
As in the women's race, a bunch sprint was the scenario where the win would be discussed, with Groupama - FDJ taking the head of the peloton into the final sprint at the Nokereberg, but the cobbled uphill sector proved complicated and Tim Merlier had the power and right line to take a big win.
This was Merlier's second win of the season, his first on home roads. Max Walscheid was the only rider capable of finishing near Merlier, and Lotto Soudal's Arnaud de Lie went on to finish in third place.
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