The Belgian Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick Step), European European Champion, was the first head of return to Belgium after the first stage dispute between Merelbeke-Melle and Knokke-Heist, of 197.6 kilometers.
Merlier (Wortegem-Petegem, 32 years old) did not give the choice to his rivals, who won the pulse of Colombian Juan Sebastián Molano (UAE) and the British Ethan Vernon, second and third, respectively, giving time to a squad marked 4h 23:43, at 44.9 km/time. In the fourth place another Colombian, Fernando Gaviria (Movistar) enters.
Inaugural stage marked by the escape of 6 men: Vadystorm, Bezza, Lauressen, Biesterbos, Broex and Marchand. The platoon allowed the rebels’ dreams, but gradually reduced the advantage until the impulse of the lottery and ineos reduced the last 2 escaped, bezza and marchand, 32 kilometers from the final goal, inside the Knokke heist circuit.
Since then, control sprinter teams, especially the LIDL and Lotto, with all its troops in front of the platoon, but in times of reality, the illness was planted and attacks began to be far away.
The Dutch van Uden suffered a breakdown that left him in battle, and it was the Soudal that Tim Merlier had finally put on the good condition for the European champion to attack far away to surprise Molano and Vernon, who had to live for the occupation of the second square of the podium, and got the 59th success for his palmarés.
This Thursday, Merlier will defend the second stage between Beringen and Putte, of 194.4 kilometers, a completely flat day, a clear appointment for sprinters, even for a double of Merlier.
Source: La Verdad
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