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Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quickstep) put his new European Champion’s jersey on prime show on Friday, successful the Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen forward of Arvid de Kleijn (Tudor Professional Biking) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck).
“There’s all the time an additional strain on you on the first race you do with a particular jersey in your shoulders, however fortunately, I managed to get the win simply a few days after turning into European Champion, so all is sweet,” Merlier mentioned.
“The boys have been once more wonderful as we speak. It wasn’t straightforward, as a result of I didn’t have the perfect feeling and I used to be additionally blocked behind that crash, however due to Warre I may make it again simply in time for the dash.”
Merlier and Philipsen needed to scramble again to the lead of the race after a crash break up the peloton with 10km to go, however made it again with loads of time to get into place on Philipsen’s wheel.
“It was nonetheless hectic with that crash 10 kilometers from the end”, Merlier mentioned, including the staff weren’t concerned within the crash however have been stopped by it. “Then it was a staff pursuit for us, however we have been nonetheless in a position to catch up.
“Then I needed to search a bit to see who I nonetheless had round me, as a result of I had misplaced Bert (Van Lerberghe). Warre (Vangheluwe) introduced me nicely after which I needed to wait and decide up someplace. That turned out to be Philipsen’s wheel.”
Philipsen began the dash early right into a slight right-hand bend, attempting to make use of the within line to achieve a bonus, however Merlier was too sturdy and was in a position to come across the good distance and nonetheless snatch the victory. De Kleijn powered previous the fading Philipsen to nab second place.
The 180.2 kilometre race round Koolskamp began beneath sunny skies with a struggle for the breakaway, with three riders, Fabio Christen (Q36.5), Alex Colman (Flanders Baloise), Sam Gademan (Volkerwessels), incomes the early TV time.
Gademan misplaced contact in a bit of crosswinds with 55km to go that additionally knocked Caleb Ewan out of competition and briefly distanced Philipsen, however the race got here again collectively behind the 2 remaining leaders amid a sequence of turns and slim roads.
After the main duo’s hole hovered at simply over three minutes for many of the day, it was coming down shortly when Philipsen punctured and stopped in a flip with 37km to go.
With Alpecin-Deceuninck taking their ft off the gasoline, the benefit went again out till Philipsen was again in and his staff obtained again to work reeling within the escapees along with Soudal-Quickstep, Crimson Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Lidl-Trek.
The breakaway’s lead steadily dropped till the ultimate lap, when Christen surged leaving Colman behind with 14km to go. The Swiss rider’s lead was hovering at 30 seconds when a crash very near the entrance of the peloton on a slim stretch of street disrupted the chase. Sam Welsford (Crimson Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) was the worst off, however Fabio Jakobsen (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) was caught out, too.
Crimson Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe nonetheless had Jordi Meeus within the lead break up as they hit the crosswinds with 9.5km to go and drove the tempo as new European champion Tim Merlier (Soulda-Quickstep) was left behind in a chasing group.
Christen continued to energy on till he was caught by the primary break up inside 7km to go, however the peloton behind started to re-form. With 4.5km to go, the second peloton caught the primary.
Philipsen opened up the dash however Merlier was in a position to come across the prime within the slight right-hand bend to assert his first victory within the European Champion’s jersey.
Outcomes
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