Paris-Nice: Merlier sprints to top 3

Tim Merlier was again in contention at the French race, at the end of the 212.4km stage 5, which represented the sprinters’ last opportunity to fight for glory. Victorious on the opening day of the event, where he captured his fourth win since the start of the season, the Belgian Champion was up there for Soudal Quick-Step when it came down to crunch time in Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux.
Our rider was well placed going under the flamme rouge, but in what became a very messy bunch sprint due to a roundabout in the final kilometer, he lost a few positions and had to come from a long way back. Even in these conditions, Merlier showed his incredible speed, passing several riders on his way to third, behind Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma), who took the victory.
Stage 6 of Paris-Nice will be one for the baroudeurs. Five classified climbs and no meter of flat on the roads to La Coulle-sur-Loup will be just the terrain a breakaway needs in order to try and hold off the peloton.
Photo credit: ©Alex Broadway / Getty Images
Race details
1 |
Olav Kooij Jumbo-Visma |
5:19:54 |
2 |
Mads Pedersen Trek - Segafredo |
0:00 |
3 |
Tim Merlier
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
4 |
Matteo Trentin UAE Team Emirates |
0:00 |
5 |
Max Kanter Movistar Team |
0:00 |
6 |
Bryan Coquard Cofidis |
0:00 |
7 |
Sam Bennett BORA - hansgrohe |
0:00 |
8 |
Arne Marit Intermarché - Circus - Wanty |
0:00 |
9 |
Hugo Page Intermarché - Circus - Wanty |
0:00 |
10 |
Cees Bol Astana Qazaqstan Team |
0:00 |
44 |
Florian Sénéchal
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
51 |
Kasper Asgreen
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
64 |
Rémi Cavagna
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
90 |
Yves Lampaert
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
142 |
Tim Declercq
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:52 |
1 |
Tadej Pogačar UAE Team Emirates |
17:14:52 |
2 |
David Gaudu Groupama - FDJ |
0:06 |
3 |
Jonas Vingegaard Rasmussen Jumbo-Visma |
0:46 |
4 |
Simon Yates Team Jayco AlUla |
0:58 |
5 |
Gino Mäder Bahrain - Victorious |
1:21 |
6 |
Romain Bardet Team DSM |
1:42 |
7 |
Daniel Felipe Martínez Poveda INEOS Grenadiers |
1:42 |
8 |
Matteo Jorgenson Movistar Team |
1:44 |
9 |
Neilson Powless EF Education-EasyPost |
1:46 |
10 |
Matteo Sobrero Team Jayco AlUla |
1:56 |
24 |
Rémi Cavagna
Soudal - Quick Step |
3:20 |
45 |
Kasper Asgreen
Soudal - Quick Step |
8:25 |
54 |
Yves Lampaert
Soudal - Quick Step |
11:29 |
98 |
Tim Merlier
Soudal - Quick Step |
23:50 |
101 |
Florian Sénéchal
Soudal - Quick Step |
24:07 |
110 |
Tim Declercq
Soudal - Quick Step |
25:03 |
1 |
Mads Pedersen Trek - Segafredo |
36 pt |
2 |
Olav Kooij Jumbo-Visma |
34 pt |
3 |
Tadej Pogačar UAE Team Emirates |
31 pt |
4 |
Tim Merlier
Soudal - Quick Step |
24 pt |
5 |
Michael Matthews Team Jayco AlUla |
20 pt |
6 |
David Gaudu Groupama - FDJ |
18 pt |
7 |
Sam Bennett BORA - hansgrohe |
16 pt |
8 |
Gino Mäder Bahrain - Victorious |
9 pt |
9 |
Magnus Cort Nielsen EF Education-EasyPost |
9 pt |
10 |
Bryan Coquard Cofidis |
9 pt |
1 |
Jonas Gregaard Wilsly Uno-X Pro Cycling Team |
30 pt |
2 |
Tadej Pogačar UAE Team Emirates |
12 pt |
3 |
Sandy Dujardin TotalEnergies |
8 pt |
4 |
David Gaudu Groupama - FDJ |
5 pt |
5 |
Anders Skaarseth Uno-X Pro Cycling Team |
5 pt |
6 |
Thomas De Gendt Lotto Dstny |
4 pt |
7 |
Neilson Powless EF Education-EasyPost |
3 pt |
8 |
Paul Ourselin TotalEnergies |
3 pt |
9 |
Gino Mäder Bahrain - Victorious |
3 pt |
10 |
Nils Politt BORA - hansgrohe |
3 pt |
19 |
Tim Declercq
Soudal - Quick Step |
1 pt |
1 |
Tadej Pogačar UAE Team Emirates |
17:14:52 |
2 |
Matteo Jorgenson Movistar Team |
1:44 |
3 |
Mattias Skjelmose Jensen Trek - Segafredo |
2:10 |
4 |
Kévin Vauquelin Team Arkéa Samsic |
2:11 |
5 |
Kevin Vermaerke Team DSM |
4:17 |
6 |
Anthon Charmig Uno-X Pro Cycling Team |
4:48 |
7 |
Matthew Dinham Team DSM |
6:13 |
8 |
Clément Champoussin Team Arkéa Samsic |
6:29 |
9 |
Matis Louvel Team Arkéa Samsic |
12:58 |
10 |
Michel Ries Team Arkéa Samsic |
14:44 |
1 | Team Jayco AlUla | 50:40:34 |
2 | Bahrain - Victorious | 0:58 |
3 | INEOS Grenadiers | 1:07 |
4 | Jumbo-Visma | 1:54 |
5 | Groupama - FDJ | 4:24 |
6 | AG2R Citroën Team | 5:35 |
7 | Movistar Team | 5:40 |
8 | Team DSM | 6:23 |
9 | Cofidis | 6:56 |
10 | Team Arkéa Samsic | 8:12 |