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Wikipedia

Tim Merlier

Tim Merlier (born 30 October 1992) is a Belgian cyclist who rides for UCI WorldTeam Soudal–Quick-Step.[5]

Tim Merlier
Merlier in 2022 as Belgian national road race champion
Personal information
Full nameTim Merlier
Born (1992-10-30) 30 October 1992 (age 32)
Kortrijk, Flanders, Belgium
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight74 kg (163 lb)
Team information
Current teamSoudal–Quick-Step
Disciplines
RoleRider
Rider type
  • Sprinter
  • Classics specialist
Professional teams
2011–2015Sunweb–Revor
2015–2016Vastgoedservice–Golden Palace
2017–2018Vérandas Willems–Crelan (road)
2017–2018Crelan–Charles (cyclo-cross)
2019Pauwels Sauzen–Vastgoedservice (road)
2019–2020Creafin–Tüv Süd (cyclo-cross)[1]
2019–2022Corendon–Circus[2][3][4]
2023–Soudal–Quick-Step
Major wins
Grand Tours
Tour de France
1 individual stage (2021)
Giro d'Italia
4 individual stages (2021, 2024)

One-day races and Classics

European Road Race Championships (2024)
National Road Race Championships (2019, 2022)
Brussels Cycling Classic (2020)
Classic Brugge–De Panne (2022)
GP de Fourmies (2023)
Bredene Koksijde Classic (2021)
Nokere Koerse (2022, 2023, 2024)
Scheldeprijs (2024)
Medal record
Representing  Belgium
Men's road bicycle racing
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2024 Limburg Road race
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Munich Road race
Men's gravel bicycle racing
European Championships
Silver medal – second place 2023 Oud-Heverlee Elite

Considered to be one of the fastest sprinters in the world, Merlier has nearly thirty wins as a professional, including Grand Tour stage victories at both the 2021 and 2024 Giro d'Italia and the 2021 Tour de France,[6][7] and is a two-time winner of the Belgian National Road Race Championships, winning in 2019 and 2022.[8][9] Merlier also competes in cyclo-cross, having previously raced at the 2016 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Heusden-Zolder.[10][11]

Career

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Early years

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Initially a cyclo-cross specialist, Merlier turned professional with Sunweb–Revor in 2011, after having been a national junior champion two seasons prior. With the team, he saw modest success on the under-23 level, winning a round of the 2012–13 Under-23 Bpost Bank Trophy, in addition to several podiums in high level races.

Road beginnings (2015–2018)

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In 2015, he joined Vastgoedservice–Golden Palace, where he had his first notable result in a road race, placing third in Schaal Sels. The following year, he took his first pro road win at the Grote Prijs Stad Zottegem.

 
Merlier at the start of the 2015 E3 Harelbeke.

Following this win, he transferred to UCI Professional Continental team Vérandas Willems–Crelan for the 2017 season. In his second season with the team, he took two stage victories and the points classification at the Danmark Rundt.[12]

Corendon–Circus (2019–2022)

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From this point on, his road career started to take off, joining Pauwels Sauzen–Vastgoedservice in 2019.[2] This year marked his most notable win yet: the Belgian national road race championship, in addition to another stage of the Danmark Rundt as well as the one-day Elfstedenronde. In 2020, he again had three wins, including his first UCI ProSeries event: the Brussels Cycling Classic, and his first win at the UCI WorldTour level, winning stage six of Tirreno–Adriatico, both in sprint finishes.[13][14][15]

In 2021, Merlier took several victories in Belgian semi-classics, including the Bredene Koksijde Classic, Le Samyn, Grote Prijs Jean-Pierre Monseré, Ronde van Limburg and a second win of the Elfstedenronde.[16][17] He also placed third in the Dwars door Vlaanderen.[18] In May, he entered his first Grand Tour: the Giro d'Italia, where he won the second stage in a sprint ahead of Giacomo Nizzolo and Elia Viviani.[19] In the process he took over the lead of the points classification, but dropped out after stage 10. In July, he took arguably the most important result of his career so far, winning stage three of the Tour de France, outsprinting Jasper Philipsen and Nacer Bouhanni.[7]

Merlier had a strong start to 2022, winning the second stage of Tirreno–Adriatico in March, followed by the Nokere Koerse and Classic Brugge–De Panne later that month.[20][21][22] In June, he was crowned that National Champion for a second time in a photo finish with Jordi Meeus.[9] In August he won the bronze medal in the European Road Race Championships, and competed in his first Vuelta a España. He ended the year with a win at the Memorial Rik Van Steenbergen in October.

Soudal–Quick-Step (2023–)

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In August 2022, Merlier signed a three-year contract with UCI WorldTeam Soudal–Quick-Step.[23] Early into his first year with the team, he took several wins in the Middle East, including a stage of the Tour of Oman and two stages and the points classification of the UAE Tour. He maintained this momentum going into March with a stage win of Paris–Nice, and defending his title at Nokere Koerse ten days later.[24] In August, he won two stages of the Tour de Pologne, followed by the Grand Prix de Fourmies a month later.[25] In total, Merlier had 11 wins this season, his most successful to date.

Going into 2024, Merlier again showed strong form in the early season, taking two stages and the points classification of the AlUla Tour and three stages and the points classification of the UAE Tour. He placed second to Jasper Philipsen on stage two of Tirreno–Adriatico, but beat him at the Nokere Koerse, taking the race for a third consecutive year.[26][27] He again was outsprinted by Philipsen a week later at the Classic Brugge–De Panne but rallied to win Scheldeprijs in early April.[28] Merlier started the 2024 Giro d'Italia, his first Grand Tour since the 2022 Vuelta a España, where he won a bunch sprint ahead of Jonathan Milan on Stage 3 into Fossano, propelling himself into the maglia ciclamino.

Personal life

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Merlier's brother, Braam, also formerly competed as a professional cyclist.

On February 1, 2023, Merlier and his girlfriend Cameron Vandenbroucke had a son, Jules.[29]

Major results

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Cyclo-cross

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2009–2010
1st   National Junior Championships
1st Junior Bredene
Junior Superprestige
1st Vorselaar
2011–2012
Under-23 UCI World Cup
2nd Heusden-Zolder
Under-23 Superprestige
2nd Hoogstraten
2012–2013
1st Contern
Under-23 Bpost Bank Trophy
1st Lille
Under-23 Superprestige
3rd Hamme
2013–2014
2nd Under-23 Kalmthout
Under-23 Bpost Bank Trophy
3rd Loenhout
2014–2015
1st Illnau
1st Rhein-Neckar
3rd Zonnebeke
3rd Bredene
2015–2016
DVV Trophy
2nd Loenhout
Superprestige
3rd Gieten
2016–2017
Brico Cross
3rd Maldegem
2017–2018
Superprestige
2nd Middelkerke
DVV Trophy
2nd Lille
Brico Cross
3rd Maldegem
2019–2020
DVV Trophy
2nd Kortrijk
3rd Hamme
Ethias Cross
2nd Bredene
2nd Wachtebeke
2nd Otegem
2021–2022
Coupe de France
3rd Troyes II
2022–2023
Exact Cross
1st Zonnebeke
2nd Saint Sauveur de Landemont
2023–2024
Exact Cross
3rd Zonnebeke

Gravel

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2023
2nd   UEC European Championships
2nd National Championships
2024
UCI World Series
1st Blaavands Huk

Road

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Source:[30]

2015
3rd Schaal Sels
5th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad U23
2016 (1 pro win)
1st Grote Prijs Stad Zottegem
5th Ronde van Limburg
9th Halle–Ingooigem
9th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad U23
2017
3rd Schaal Sels
7th Dwars door het Hageland
2018 (2)
Danmark Rundt
1st   Points classification
1st Stages 3 & 5
3rd Ronde van Limburg
5th Grote Prijs Marcel Kint
2019 (3)
1st   Road race, National Championships
1st Elfstedenronde
Tour Alsace
1st   Points classification
1st Prologue (TTT), Stages 1 & 4
1st Stage 5 Danmark Rundt
2nd Antwerp Port Epic
3rd Münsterland Giro
5th Memorial Rik Van Steenbergen
6th Dwars door het Hageland
6th Omloop Mandel-Leie-Schelde
7th Paris–Chauny
2020 (3)
1st Brussels Cycling Classic
1st Stage 6 Tirreno–Adriatico
1st Stage 4 Tour of Antalya
3rd Three Days of Bruges–De Panne
4th Scheldeprijs
5th Dwars door het Hageland
2021 (9)
1st Bredene Koksijde Classic
1st Le Samyn
1st Grote Prijs Jean-Pierre Monseré
1st Ronde van Limburg
1st Elfstedenronde
Giro d'Italia
1st Stage 2
Held   after Stages 2–4 & 8–9
1st Stage 3 Tour de France
Benelux Tour
1st Stages 1 & 4
2nd Grote Prijs Marcel Kint
2nd Grand Prix d'Isbergues
3rd Dwars door Vlaanderen
3rd Antwerp Port Epic
7th Grote Prijs Jef Scherens
7th Brussels Cycling Classic
9th Dwars door het Hageland
2022 (5)
1st   Road race, National Championships
1st Classic Brugge–De Panne
1st Nokere Koerse
1st Memorial Rik Van Steenbergen
1st Stage 2 Tirreno–Adriatico
3rd   Road race, UEC European Championships
3rd Bredene Koksijde Classic
3rd Elfstedenronde
6th Gent–Wevelgem
6th Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
7th Famenne Ardenne Classic
9th Scheldeprijs
10th Ronde van Limburg
2023 (11)
1st Grand Prix de Fourmies
1st Nokere Koerse
UAE Tour
1st   Points classification
1st Stages 1, 2 (TTT) & 6
Okolo Slovenska
1st   Points classification
1st Stages 2 & 4
Tour de Pologne
1st Stages 1 & 7
1st Stage 1 Paris–Nice
1st Stage 1 Tour of Oman
1st Stage 6 Four Days of Dunkirk
2nd Grote Prijs Marcel Kint
2nd Gullegem Koerse
4th Ronde van Limburg
8th Omloop van het Houtland
2024 (16)
1st   Road race, UEC European Championships
1st   Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
1st Scheldeprijs
1st Nokere Koerse
1st Gooikse Pijl
Giro d'Italia
1st Stages 3, 18 & 21
Held   after Stage 3
UAE Tour
1st   Points classification
1st Stages 1, 4 & 6
AlUla Tour
1st   Points classification
1st Stages 3 & 4
Tour of Belgium
1st Stages 2 & 5
1st Stage 5 Tour de Pologne
2nd Classic Brugge–De Panne
8th Gent–Wevelgem

Grand Tour general classification results timeline

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Grand Tour 2021 2022 2023 2024
  Giro d'Italia DNF — — 138
  Tour de France DNF — — —
  Vuelta a España — 132 — —

Classics results timeline

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Monument 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Milan–San Remo Has not contested during his career
Tour of Flanders — — — — 43 65
Paris–Roubaix — NH 48 40 23 DNF
Liège–Bastogne–Liège Has not contested during his career
Giro di Lombardia
Classic 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne — 25 38 12 — —
Brugge–De Panne — 3 — 1 — 2
Gent–Wevelgem — 27 34 6 14 8
Dwars door Vlaanderen — NH 3 — DNF —
Scheldeprijs — 4 68 9 — 1
Brussels Cycling Classic 33 1 7 23 61 —

Major championships timeline

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Event 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
  World Championships Road race — — — — — — — — —
  European Championships Road race DNE — — — DNF — — 3 — 1
  National Championships Road race DNF DNF 6 76 1 19 6 1 17 6
Legend
— Did not compete
DNF Did not finish

References

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  1. ^ "Timo Kielich tweede in Baal, Eva Lechner pakt vijfde plaats" [Timo Kielich second in Baal, Eva Lechner takes fifth place]. Creafin–Fristads (in Dutch). Veldritpromotie Morkhoven. 1 January 2020. Archived from the original on 3 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020. Tim Merlier eindigde 9de, Gianni Vermeersch elfde. [Tim Merlier finished ninth, Gianni Vermeersch eleventh.]
  2. ^ a b "Tim Merlier per direct naar Corendon-Circus, Fransman Antoine Benoist wordt stagiair" [Tim Merlier goes directly to Corendon-Circus, Frenchman Antoine Benoist becomes a trainee]. Corendon–Circus (in Dutch). Team Ciclismo Mundial BVBA. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  3. ^ "De nieuwe speelkameraadjes van MVDP: "Er zal meer naar ons gekeken worden"" [The new playmates for MVDP: "We will be looked at more"]. Sporza (in Dutch). Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie. 2 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Alpecin-Fenix". UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. Archived from the original on 3 January 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Tim Merlier". UCI.org. Union Cycliste Internationale. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Tim Merlier holds off Italian duo to win second stage of Giro d'Italia". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. PA Media. 9 May 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Tim Merlier claims his first Tour de France stage win". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  8. ^ "National road race championships roundup". VeloNews. Pocket Outdoor Media, LLC. 30 June 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2019. Tim Merlier (Corendon-Circus) beat Timothy Dupont (Wanty-Gobert) and Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), who came second and third respectively in the men's race.
  9. ^ a b Fletcher, Patrick (26 June 2022). "Tim Merlier sprints to victory in chaotic Belgian Championship road race". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  10. ^ "2016 Cyclo-croos World Championships: Entries list men's elite" (PDF). wk2016.be. p. 2. Retrieved 1 February 2016.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ "Tim Merlier". cyclingarchives.com. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  12. ^ Qui est Tim Merlier, le favori des Championnats de Belgique ?
  13. ^ "Results – Brussels Cycling Classic 2020" (PDF) (pdf). Brussels Cycling Classic. 30 August 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  14. ^ O'Shea, Sadhbh (12 September 2020). "Tirreno-Adriatico: Tim Merlier wins stage 6". CyclingNews. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  15. ^ Tim Merlier remporte au sprint sa première victoire en World Tour
  16. ^ Fletcher, Patrick (2 March 2021). "Tim Merlier wins Le Samyn". CyclingNews. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  17. ^ "Merlier wins GP Monseré". CyclingNews. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  18. ^ Fletcher, Patrick (31 March 2021). "Van Baarle parlays 50km solo attack into Dwars door Vlaanderen victory". CyclingNews. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  19. ^ Farrand, Stephen (9 May 2021). "Giro d'Italia: Tim Merlier wins sprint on stage 2". CyclingNews. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  20. ^ Ostanek, Daniel (8 March 2022). "Tirreno-Adriatico: Tim Merlier wins stage 2". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  21. ^ Ostanek, Daniel (23 March 2022). "Merlier beats Groenewegen in Classic Brugge-De Panne photo finish". CyclingNews. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  22. ^ Weislo, Laura (16 March 2022). "Tim Merlier wins Nokere Koerse". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  23. ^ "Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl officialise les arrivées de Merlier, Hirt et Pedersen". lequipe.fr (in French). L'Équipe. 5 August 2022.
  24. ^ Ostanek, Daniel (15 March 2023). "Nokere Koerse: Tim Merlier wins men's one-day race". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  25. ^ Fotheringham, Alasdair (29 July 2023). "Tour de Pologne: Tim Merlier wins stage 1". CyclingNews. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  26. ^ Fotheringham, Alasdair; Moultrie, James (5 March 2024). "Tirreno-Adriatico: Jasper Philipsen wins stage 2 in chaotic sprint". CyclingNews. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  27. ^ Weislo, Laura (13 March 2024). "Tim Merlier wins Nokere Koerse for third consecutive year". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  28. ^ Weislo, Laura (3 April 2024). "Tim Merlier nets Soudal-QuickStep the victory at Scheldeprijs". CyclingNews.
  29. ^ "Tim Merlier en Cameron Vandenbroucke verwelkomen zoon Jules". Wielerflits.nl (in Dutch). 2 February 2023.
  30. ^ "Tim Merlier". FirstCycling.com. FirstCycling AS. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
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