After missing out on the opening stage of the Baloise Belgium Tour to Biniam Girmay, Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quickstep) was untouchable in the rising sprint to the line in Knokke-Heist on stage 2.
The Belgian easily held off Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM), while Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) was caught behind Kooij's lead-out man. After nearly giving up on his sprint, Philipsen re-accelerated for third place.
Results
Position | Rider (Country) Team | Time Gap |
|---|---|---|
1 | Tim Merlier (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep | Row 0 - Cell 2 |
2 | Olav Kooij (Ned) Decathlon CMA CGM | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Max Kanter (Ger) XDS Astana | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Emilien Jeanniere (Fra) Totalenergies | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Jenno Berckmoes (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Tom Crabbe (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Jonas Abrahamsen (Nor) Uno-X Mobility | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Søren Wærenskjold (Nor) Uno-X Mobility | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | David Dekker (Ned) Beat Cc P/B Saxo | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
GC
Position | Rider (Country) Team | Time Gap |
|---|---|---|
1 | Tim Merlier (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep[cite: 1] | 8:24:05 |
2 | Biniam Girmay (Eri) NSN Cycling Team[cite: 1] | 0:00:06 |
3 | Bart Kortleve (Ned) Metec- Solarwatt P/B Mantel[cite: 1] | 0:00:08 |
4 | Viktor Vandenberghe (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen - Altez Industriebouw Cycling Team | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Robbe Mellaerts (Bel) Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions[cite: 1] | 0:00:09 |
6 | Olav Kooij (Ned) Decathlon CMA CGM[cite: 1] | 0:00:10 |
7 | Max Kanter (Ger) XDS Astana[cite: 1] | 0:00:12 |
8 | Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech[cite: 1] | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Victor Broex (Ned) Metec- Solarwatt P/B Mantel[cite: 1] | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Wies Nuyens (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen - Altez Industriebouw Cycling Team | 0:00:13 |
