Tim Merlier of Belgium got here from behind in a messy, hectic dash to win the elite males’s highway race title on the UEC Highway European Championships in japanese Flanders.
Belgium had opted for an uncommon two-sprinter group tactic, with Merlier and Jasper Philipsen given the liberty to experience their very own dash.
Philipsen managed to take the perfect line alongside the boundaries however Merlier had much more velocity and got here alongside the skin. He quickly received forward of his rivals in sight of the road and had time to have fun as Olav Kooij (Netherlands) took second and Madis Mihkels (Estonia) beat Philipsen to take third.
Italy had managed the assaults by Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands) and Mads Pedersen (Denmark) through the 222km race and even led out the dash solely to be swamped within the remaining 5 hundred metres. Jonathan Milan struggled within the struggle for the wheels and solely completed thirteenth.
Merlier took his 14th and arguably the largest win of the 2024 season. He celebrated along with his household and younger daughter. He admitted that he misplaced his chain with 300 metres to go however recovered in time to launch his successful dash.
“It is unbelievable,” Merlier stated. “My chain got here off with 300 metres to go and I believed it was over. However I received going, discovered a spot and got here out of the bunch on the proper second.”
Merlier confirmed that Belgium had a two-sprinter technique as a result of he was assured he might win.
“I requested to be within the race as a result of I believed I might win the championship. I did it and I am happy with it,” he stated.
“This jersey means lots, after twice being the Belgian nationwide champion. I stated it was my final objective of the yr. I’ve labored for this. I had two arduous crashes within the final two weeks however I stored believing.”
The way it infolded
The riders signed on below a timid Belgian September solar, noticing that there was little wind. The sprinters have been the happiest concerning the situations, sensing their possibilities of a bunch dash had elevated, however in addition they feared that the climbs and cobbles of the 222.7km race across the Limburg lanes might shake up the race.
The riders rolled out of the shadows of the Heusden-Zolder velodrome at velocity, with Mathis Le Berre (France), Jonas Rutsch (Germany), Ivo Oliveira (Portugal), Nils Brun (Switzerland) and Félix Ritzinger (Austria) quickly forming the early break.
France put Rémi Cavagna on the entrance to chase and Le Berre was quickly ordered to take a seat on. That angered the riders within the break, with Oliveira shouting to Le Berre to drop again and different riders making an attempt to hole him.
The 4 plus Le Berre pushed on on the quick laps of Hasselt however so did the peloton, with different nations placing a rider on the entrance to make sure the break by no means gained greater than two minutes.
The work of Cavagna diminished the hole to a minute because the attackers began the Printhagendreef cobbles, the primary of 9 sectors after 85km. The Op de Kriezel cobbles got here quickly after and had extra of an impact. Ritzinger was dropped from the assault as Le Burre and France modified their techniques, deciding to experience and drive different groups to chase.
With 113km to go, the race twisted once more and the ultimate opened up early when Mathieu van der Poel made his first transfer. He surged away on an uncovered sector and all of a sudden it was ‘race on!’
Matteo Trentin joined him to defend Italy’s pursuits, as did different riders and Dutch teammate Mike Teunissen. They quickly caught the break however the peloton quickly caught them to carry the race again collectively. Van der Poel quickly went once more, making an attempt to make for a tough race however he was marked every time, because the riders lined the primary of three rolling and cobbled circuits.
With 87km to go, on the Op de Kriezel cobbles, van der Poel went once more and was once more marked by Trentin. Mikkel Bjerg was additionally there for Denmark, whereas on the again, Tim Merlier needed to chase after a puncture and roadside wheel change.
After ten kilometres, a top quality group of chasers joined the van der Poel group to type a harmful assault. Kasper Asgreen and Bjerg have been there with Pedersen and they also drove the tempo, realizing the Belgians have been absent. Extra chasers and extra assaults got here, because the hilly circuit and cobbles impressed actual Classics racing.
Subsequent time up the Kolmontberg climb, Teunissen accelerated from the assault and Pedersen and Trentin joined him. Van der Poel wished to be a part of the motion however missed the transfer, happily different riders closed the hole. The race got here again collectively as soon as once more and Italy tried to regulate the peloton however extra assaults got here on the Op de Kriezel cobbled sector because the riders started the final lap of the circuit in south Limburg.
With 55 km to go, Pedersen made one other assault to attempt to break up the peloton. Van der Poel jumped in with him once more and so did Christophe Laporte of France and Danny van Poppel of the Netherlands. They didn’t need to anticipate a dash end.
Nonetheless, Italy clearly did. Eduardo Affini used his time trial abilities and domestique’s velocity to chase, calling for Germany and Belgium to assist him. There was all of a sudden solely 50 km to race and solely 50 or so riders within the peloton because of the intense and quick racing.
Within the assault have been Mathieu van der Poel and Danny van Poppel (Netherlands), Christophe Laporte (France), Mads Pedersen (Denmark), Jonas Rutsch (Germany) and Arthur Kluckers (Luxembourg).
They gave their all however Italy and Belgium mixed to drive the chase, pegging the hole at 15 seconds, with France and the Netherlands sitting of their wheels, watching and ready.
The break and the peloton powered over the Kolmontberg and Zammelenberg climbs, with Affini and Maestri pulling for Italy and Teuns and Laurenz Rez for Belgium. A crash break up the peloton simply earlier than the Printhagendreef cobbled sector however the catch lastly got here with 26km to go, the possibilities of a high-speed dash end turning into extra sure.
Certainly, the Italian group took management of the peloton to set the tempo and dissuade different assaults on the experience to the end.
There have been seven Azzurri on the entrance, solely Mosca absent after working lots earlier within the race. Nonetheless, additionally ready for a dash end have been Olav Kooij (Netherlands), Alexander Kristoff (Norway), Arnaud Démare (France), Jasper Philipsen (Belgium) and Tim Merlier (Belgium) within the 53-rider group.
The riders handed by way of the end with 14.2km to go, with Germany and France shifting as much as the entrance. There was a second of calm earlier than the dash. Kasper Asgreen tried a solo assault and the Dane was allowed to hang around entrance, solely to be swept up with 5 kilometres to go.
Søren Kragh Andersen then tried once more for Denmark however Italy and particularly Affini shortly chased him down. It was dash time!
Italy led out the dash however appeared to lack a remaining acceleration. The Dutch practice moved as much as place Kooj with two kilometres to go on a large part of highway.
Matteo Trentin led into the ultimate kilometre after which Mattia Cattaneo took over within the remaining kilometre however the Italians have been all of a sudden swamped earlier than Simone Consonni might drag Milan clear for a run to the road.
Philipsen surged alongside the boundaries and seemed within the good place to win. But he lacked energy and his Belgian rival Merlier surged previous on the skin to win the dash and so take the European title and pull on the distinctive European champion’s jersey.
Outcomes
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