Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) steamed to his 15th victory of the season at the Omloop van het Houtland on Wednesday, meaning only Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) has more victories than him in 2025.
The Belgian sprinter was guided around the final few corners in Lichtervelde by his Soudal-QuickStep teammates in the perfect position, before launching his sprint with the finish line in sight, which no one could match.
Results
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'You have to take every opportunity you get' - After four days of suffering Tim Merlier is ready for first sprint of 2026 Tour de France
While some rivals have been hunting points the Soudal-QuickStep rider has been biding his time -
'Not as easy as it looks' – Mads Pedersen perfectly executes Tour de France stage win plan made months in advance by 'workaholic' head DS
Lidl-Trek rider proves doubters wrong in Foix after hearing 'a lot of places that I was done and I should just stop the season' -
Torstein Træen's Tour de France yellow jersey gives Uno-X Mobility something to celebrate
'This shows that if we do a good job, we can stand here and lead the Tour de France' says team manager Thor Hushovd -
How to watch Tour de France Stage 5: All the broadcasters and live streams for a potential sprint day
Find out how you can watch stage 5 of the Tour de France
