Eneco Tour: Tim Merlier wins stage 1 sprint in Ede ahead of Dylan Groenewegen
Gerben Thijssen holds off Christophe Laporte for final podium spot on flat day of racing
Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) sailed to victory on stage 1 at Eneco Tour launching a long-range sprint on the final 400 metres which had no reply from rivals.
Dylan Groenewegen (Unibet Rose Rockets) trailed in second while Gerben Thijssen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) took third ahead of Visma-Lease a Bike's Christophe Laporte.
The win moved Merlier 27 positions in the GC standings, now fifth overall. The top four positions held firm with just a two-second gap established from the opening prologue, Jakob Söderqvist (Lidl-Trek) in the leader's jersey. Wessel Mouris (Unibet Rose Rockets) remains in second place, Laporte in third and Merlier's teammate Ethan Hayter in fourth.
Once at the flamme rouge, Soudal-QuickStep went into formation for Merlier on the right side of the course. At the final 90-degree corner with 400 metres to go, Nils Eekhoff from Picnic PostNL took the lead with riders from Unibet Rose Rockets, Visma-Lease a Bike and Alpecin just behind. Merlier exploded past them all and won by several bike lengths.
"It was quite hectic [in the final kilometre], and then we speed up, a really high speed. It was also difficult to find each other, but in the end we did really well," Merlier said about scoring his 13th victory on Wednesday.
"They bring me to a good position, and then I choose what I'm gonna do in the last 500 metres. I think it was a bit of a risk to go a bit further, but in the end, I can go in the slipstream, and speed up from behind the other guys. This kind of finish suits me really well."
Patience pays off
After the 3.1km prologue to set the leaderboard, stage 1 took place with a flat 40-kilometre circuit on the north side of Ede tackled three times for 120km.
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The peloton began the opening kilometres sizing up each other under the sunny skies, with the seven WorldTour teams massing at the front. Then a trio from a Dutch Continental squads were allowed to accelerate away - Johan Dorussen (Metec-SOLARWATT p/b Mantel), Rick Ottema (EEW-VDK Cyclingteam) and Luke Verburg (Azerion-Villa Valkenburg). .
Once on the second circuit, the three riders took shares in maintaining their breakaway and built a gap of 3:00. On the approach to Ede for the final loop, the gap began to fade as the peloton sensed time to position their fast men.
The breakaway trio scooped up all the bonuses at the intermediate sprint with 24km to go, but the peloton was only 15 seconds back with 15km to go. A wall of sprint teams, led by Soudal-QuickStep, Picnic PostNL and Unibet Rose Rockets, spread across the road and charged from behind to end the breakaway with 11km to go.
As the shadows began to stretch across the road with the sun beginning to fade in late afternoon, the peloton seemed to settle down on the next four kilometres heading back into the city limits. Visma-Lease a Bike edged to the front to support Christophe Laporte alongside Soudal-QuickStep while Unibet Rose Rockets held position on an outside line for Wessel Mouris with Lotto-Intermarché sending riders up. Lidl-Trek was there for race leader Jakob Söderqvist, biding their time as the finish neared.
It wasn't until 2km to go that the wide procession began to fracture, Soudal-QuickStep amping up the action. This straight run led to a defining sharp left-hand corner onto Arnhemseweg for the final 400 metres.
On that final corner, Merlier used the slipstream of his teammate Bert Van Lerberghe to vault from sixth position to first as he flew down the straightaway for the victory.
Stage 1 results
Position |
Rider (Country) Team |
Time |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Tim Merlier (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep |
2:32:59 |
2 |
Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Unibet Rose Rockets |
0:00:05 |
3 |
Gerben Thijssen (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech |
0:00:03 |
4 |
Christophe Laporte (Fra) Visma-Lease a Bike |
Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 |
David Dekker (Ned) Beat Cc P/B Saxo |
Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 |
Pavel Bittner (Cze) Picnic PostNL |
Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 |
Nils Eekhoff (Ned) Picnic PostNL |
Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 |
Steffen De Schuyteneer (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 |
Florian Dauphin (Fra) Totalenergies |
Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 |
Jakob Söderqvist (Swe) Lidl-Trek |
Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 |
Leander Van Hautegem (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise |
Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 |
Davide Donati (Ita) Red Bull- Bora- Hansgrohe Rookies |
Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 |
Edward Theuns (Bel) Lidl-Trek |
Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 |
Mike Bronswijk (Ned) Eew-Vdk Cyclingteam |
Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 |
Elmar Reinders (Ned) Unibet Rose Rockets |
Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 |
Tuur Verbeeck (Bel) Lotto- Groupe Wanty |
Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 |
Pierre Thierry (Fra) Totalenergies |
Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 |
Robbe Claeys (Bel) Volkerwessels |
Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 |
Nolan Huysmans (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise |
Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 |
Mathis Avondts (Bel) Parkhotel Valkenburg |
Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 |
Bert Bolle (Bel) Volkerwessels |
Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 |
Kristian Egholm (Den) Lidl-Trek Future Racing |
Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 |
Pepijn Reinderink (Ned) Soudal-QuickStep |
Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 |
Roan Konings (Ned) Metec- Solarwatt P/B Mantel |
Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 |
Sebastian Grindley (GBr) Lidl-Trek Future Racing |
Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 |
Lukáš Kubiš (Svk) Unibet Rose Rockets |
Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 |
Sente Sentjens (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech |
Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 |
Thor Verleysen (Bel) Volkerwessels |
Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 |
Jesse Kramer (Ned) Beat Cc P/B Saxo |
Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 |
Elmar Abma (Ned) Volkerwessels |
Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 |
Chiel Schulten (Ned) Eew-Vdk Cyclingteam |
Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 |
Victor Vercouillie (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise |
Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 |
Wessel Mouris (Ned) Unibet Rose Rockets |
Row 32 - Cell 2 |
General classification after stage 1
Position |
Rider (Country) Team |
Time Gap |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Jakob Söderqvist (Swe) Lidl-Trek |
2:36:31 |
2 |
Wessel Mouris (Ned) Unibet Rose Rockets |
0:00:01 |
3 |
Christophe Laporte (Fra) Visma-Lease a Bike |
0:00:01 |
4 |
Ethan Edward Hayter (GBr) Soudal-QuickStep |
0:00:02 |
5 |
Tim Merlier (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep |
0:00:02 |
6 |
Michiel Mouris (Ned) Red Bull- Bora- Hansgrohe Rookies |
0:00:03 |
7 |
Finn Fisher-Black (NZl) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
0:00:04 |
8 |
Casper Matyáš Kopecký (Cze) Unibet Rose Rockets |
0:00:05 |
9 |
Pepijn Reinderink (Ned) Soudal-QuickStep |
0:00:06 |
10 |
Edoardo Affini (Ita) Visma-Lease a Bike |
0:00:06 |
11 |
Hartthijs De Vries (Ned) Unibet Rose Rockets |
0:00:07 |
12 |
Kristian Egholm (Den) Lidl-Trek Future Racing |
0:00:07 |
13 |
Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Visma-Lease a Bike |
0:00:07 |
14 |
Mick Van Dijke (Ned) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
0:00:07 |
15 |
Sente Sentjens (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech |
0:00:07 |
16 |
Rik Van Der Wal (Ned) Eew-Vdk Cyclingteam |
0:00:07 |
17 |
Pierre Thierry (Fra) Totalenergies |
0:00:08 |
18 |
Lukáš Kubiš (Svk) Unibet Rose Rockets |
0:00:08 |
19 |
Sebastian Grindley (GBr) Lidl-Trek Future Racing |
0:00:09 |
20 |
Elmar Abma (Ned) Volkerwessels |
0:00:09 |
21 |
Pavel Bittner (Cze) Picnic PostNL |
0:00:09 |
22 |
Filippo Fiorelli (Ita) Visma-Lease a Bike |
0:00:10 |
23 |
Davide Donati (Ita) Red Bull- Bora- Hansgrohe Rookies |
0:00:11 |
24 |
Julius Van Den Berg (Ned) Picnic PostNL |
0:00:11 |
25 |
Rick Ottema (Ned) Eew-Vdk Cyclingteam |
0:00:11 |
26 |
Milan Lanhove (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise |
0:00:11 |
27 |
Edward Theuns (Bel) Lidl-Trek |
0:00:11 |
28 |
Ferre Geeraerts (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise |
0:00:11 |
29 |
Joeri Schaper (Ned) Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team |
0:00:11 |
30 |
Bram Dissel (Ned) Beat Cc P/B Saxo |
0:00:12 |
31 |
Tuur Verbeeck (Bel) Lotto- Groupe Wanty |
0:00:12 |
32 |
Frank Van Den Broek (Ned) Picnic PostNL |
0:00:12 |
33 |
Simon Goossens (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech Development Team |
0:00:12 |
34 |
Danijel Agricola (Ned) Metec- Solarwatt P/B Mantel |
0:00:13 |
35 |
Victor Vercouillie (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise |
0:00:13 |
36 |
Gerben Thijssen (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech |
0:00:13 |
37 |
Nolan Huysmans (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise |
0:00:13 |
38 |
Paul Conor (Fra) Vendee U Primeo Energie |
0:00:13 |
39 |
Roel Van Sintmaartensdijk (Ned) Lotto-Intermarché |
0:00:15 |
40 |
Julian Vergouw (Ned) Metec- Solarwatt P/B Mantel |
0:00:15 |
41 |
Nils Eekhoff (Ned) Picnic PostNL |
0:00:15 |
42 |
Thomas Monkelbaan (Ned) Eew-Vdk Cyclingteam |
0:00:15 |
43 |
Florian Dauphin (Fra) Totalenergies |
0:00:15 |
44 |
Roy Hoogendoorn (Ned) Metec- Solarwatt P/B Mantel |
0:00:15 |
45 |
Finn Crockett (Irl) Volkerwessels |
0:00:16 |
46 |
Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Unibet Rose Rockets |
0:00:16 |
47 |
Chiel Schulten (Ned) Eew-Vdk Cyclingteam |
0:00:16 |
48 |
Steffen De Schuyteneer (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
0:00:17 |
49 |
Benedikt Benz (Ger) Lidl-Trek Future Racing |
0:00:17 |
50 |
Jesse Kramer (Ned) Beat Cc P/B Saxo |
0:00:17 |
51 |
Pietro Mattio (Ita) Visma-Lease a Bike |
0:00:17 |
52 |
David Dekker (Ned) Beat Cc P/B Saxo |
0:00:17 |
53 |
Bert Bolle (Bel) Volkerwessels |
0:00:18 |
54 |
Menno Huising (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike |
0:00:18 |
55 |
Mike Bronswijk (Ned) Eew-Vdk Cyclingteam |
0:00:18 |
56 |
Jarne Van De Ven (Ned) Metec- Solarwatt P/B Mantel |
0:00:18 |
57 |
Marijn Maas (Ned) Beat Cc P/B Saxo |
0:00:18 |
58 |
Thor Verleysen (Bel) Volkerwessels |
0:00:19 |
59 |
Johan Dorussen (Ned) Metec- Solarwatt P/B Mantel |
0:00:19 |
60 |
Jochem Kerckhaert (Ned) Beat Cc P/B Saxo |
0:00:19 |
61 |
Florian Senechal (Fra) Alpecin-Premier Tech |
0:00:19 |
62 |
Max Kroonen (Ned) Beat Cc P/B Saxo |
0:00:19 |
63 |
Alan Jousseaume (Fra) Totalenergies |
0:00:19 |
64 |
Robbe Claeys (Bel) Volkerwessels |
0:00:20 |
65 |
Siebe Roesems (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech Development Team |
0:00:20 |
66 |
Luke Verburg (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg |
0:00:21 |
67 |
Siebe Deweirdt (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise |
0:00:21 |
68 |
Steijn Oosterveld (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg |
0:00:21 |
69 |
Nicola Marcerou (Fra) Totalenergies |
0:00:21 |
70 |
Niek Voogt (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg |
0:00:22 |
71 |
Mattanja Woets (Ned) Volkerwessels |
0:00:23 |
72 |
Mathis Avondts (Bel) Parkhotel Valkenburg |
0:00:23 |
73 |
Leander Van Hautegem (Bel) Team Flanders- Baloise |
0:00:23 |
74 |
Hugo Paats (Ned) Eew-Vdk Cyclingteam |
0:00:23 |
75 |
Otto Van Zanden (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg |
0:00:24 |
76 |
Jonas Rutsch (Ger) Lotto-Intermarché |
0:00:24 |
77 |
Elmar Reinders (Ned) Unibet Rose Rockets |
0:00:26 |
78 |
Stef Koning (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg |
0:00:26 |
79 |
Roan Konings (Ned) Metec- Solarwatt P/B Mantel |
0:00:29 |
80 |
Ceriel Desal (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team |
0:00:40 |
81 |
Sebastian Putz (Aut) Red Bull- Bora- Hansgrohe Rookies |
0:00:41 |
82 |
Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep |
0:00:43 |
83 |
Taco Van Der Hoorn (Ned) Lotto-Intermarché |
0:00:46 |
84 |
Gijs Schoonvelde (Ned) Red Bull- Bora- Hansgrohe Rookies |
0:00:55 |
85 |
Tim Naberman (Ned) Picnic PostNL |
0:01:00 |
86 |
Tars Poelvoorde (Bel) Lotto- Groupe Wanty |
0:01:08 |
87 |
Milan De Ceuster (Bel) Development Team Picnic Postnl |
0:01:41 |
Jackie has been involved in professional sports for more than 30 years in news reporting, sports marketing and public relations. She founded Peloton Sports in 1998, a sports marketing and public relations agency, which managed projects for Tour de Georgia, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and USA Cycling. She also founded Bike Alpharetta Inc, a Georgia non-profit to promote safe cycling. She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams. On the bike, she has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast), and spends time on gravel around horse farms in north Georgia.
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