Okolo Slovenska / Tour de Slovaquie
Stage 4: Prievidza - Nitra
Slovakia
Saturday 16 September 2023
149 km
Soudal Quick-Step poker in Slovakia

Tim Merlier made it four consecutive Soudal Quick-Step victories in Okolo Slovenska, cruising to another dominant success on the penultimate stage, which initially looked to be favouring the attackers.
Following a furious start, a five-man breakaway was established, but Tim Declercq and Josef Cerny kept their gap in check, and by the time the peloton arrived on the early slopes of the final classified climb, the quintet were almost caught. Trying to put pressure on yellow jersey Rémi Cavagna, several riders made a move on the steepest part of the ascent, which split the bunch in three groups. Merlier found himself among those in trouble, but with the help of his teammates, he closed down the gap on the descent and rejoined the peloton as the road flattened.
Going into the last kilometers, the Soudal Quick-Step train moved again to the front, driving a tempo that stretched out the bunch and keeping the two-time Belgian Champion in an excellent position. So powerful was the lead-out of Kasper Asgreen, that Tim had to kick out with only 100 meters to go, this short but strong acceleration being enough for his second victory in Slovakia.
“I am happy, especially as I didn’t feel well in the first part of the stage and you could see that when I lost contact on the climb, but I did my best to come back and I’m happy things turned out like this despite everything. I am lucky to have such a strong team around me; they kept me in front, then Kasper made sure I entered second in the last corner with 200 meters to go, and all I had to do was to finish it off. I am proud I could contribute with another victory to Soudal Quick-Step’s incredible tally this season and that I could do that in front of our sponsors Janom, who watched the stage”, Tim said after his 11th win of the year.
Photo credit: ©Jan Melicher
©Sona Nikova
Race details
1 |
Tim Merlier
Soudal - Quick Step |
3:21:26 |
2 |
Cees Bol Astana Qazaqstan Team |
0:00 |
3 |
Luca Colnaghi Green Project-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè |
0:00 |
4 |
Mirco Maestri EOLO-Kometa |
0:00 |
5 |
Daniel Skerl Cycling Team Friuli ASD |
0:00 |
6 |
Colby Simmons Jumbo-Visma |
0:00 |
7 |
Iúri Leitão Caja Rural - Seguros RGA |
0:00 |
8 |
Stanisław Aniołkowski Human Powered Health |
0:00 |
9 |
Patryk Stosz Voster ATS Team |
0:00 |
10 |
Dominik Neuman Elkov - Kasper |
0:00 |
29 |
Rémi Cavagna
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
45 |
Kasper Asgreen
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
46 |
Bert Van Lerberghe
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
74 |
Andrea Bagioli
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
88 |
Tim Declercq
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
98 |
Josef Černý
Soudal - Quick Step |
5:00 |
1 |
Rémi Cavagna
Soudal - Quick Step |
14:24:53 |
2 |
Stefan Küng Groupama - FDJ |
2:16 |
3 |
Milan Vader Jumbo-Visma |
2:20 |
4 |
Mulu Kinfe Hailemichael Caja Rural - Seguros RGA |
2:20 |
5 |
Bart Lemmen Human Powered Health |
2:29 |
6 |
Kasper Asgreen
Soudal - Quick Step |
2:42 |
7 |
Urko Berrade Fernandez Equipo Kern Pharma |
3:15 |
8 |
Koen Bouwman Jumbo-Visma |
3:24 |
9 |
Bruno Armirail Groupama - FDJ |
3:27 |
10 |
Jakub Otruba ATT Investments |
3:37 |
16 |
Tim Merlier
Soudal - Quick Step |
5:37 |
31 |
Bert Van Lerberghe
Soudal - Quick Step |
5:57 |
34 |
Andrea Bagioli
Soudal - Quick Step |
6:08 |
82 |
Tim Declercq
Soudal - Quick Step |
12:43 |
103 |
Josef Černý
Soudal - Quick Step |
21:03 |
1 |
Rémi Cavagna
Soudal - Quick Step |
44 pt |
2 |
Tim Merlier
Soudal - Quick Step |
40 pt |
3 |
Stefan Küng Groupama - FDJ |
35 pt |
4 |
Cees Bol Astana Qazaqstan Team |
30 pt |
5 |
Milan Vader Jumbo-Visma |
29 pt |
6 |
Kasper Asgreen
Soudal - Quick Step |
22 pt |
7 |
Andrea Bagioli
Soudal - Quick Step |
20 pt |
8 |
Colby Simmons Jumbo-Visma |
20 pt |
9 |
Mulu Kinfe Hailemichael Caja Rural - Seguros RGA |
17 pt |
10 |
Daniel Skerl Cycling Team Friuli ASD |
16 pt |
42 |
Tim Declercq
Soudal - Quick Step |
1 pt |
1 |
Milan Vader Jumbo-Visma |
36 pt |
2 |
Matěj Zahálka Elkov - Kasper |
20 pt |
3 |
Andrea Pietrobon EOLO-Kometa |
18 pt |
4 |
Jiří Petruš ATT Investments |
14 pt |
5 |
Koen Bouwman Jumbo-Visma |
12 pt |
6 |
Aljaž Jarc Adria Mobil |
10 pt |
7 |
Daniel Turek ATT Investments |
9 pt |
8 |
Sebastian Schönberger Human Powered Health |
6 pt |
9 |
Stefan Küng Groupama - FDJ |
6 pt |
10 |
Michael Konczer Team Hrinkow Advarics |
6 pt |
12 |
Rémi Cavagna
Soudal - Quick Step |
5 pt |
20 |
Kasper Asgreen
Soudal - Quick Step |
3 pt |
24 |
Andrea Bagioli
Soudal - Quick Step |
2 pt |
1 |
Colby Simmons Jumbo-Visma |
14:30:45 |
2 |
Javier Serrano Rodriguez EOLO-Kometa |
0:05 |
3 |
Loe van Belle Jumbo-Visma |
0:22 |
4 |
Brieuc Rolland Groupama - FDJ |
0:51 |
5 |
Daniel Vysočan RRK Group - Pierre Baguette - Benzinol |
0:51 |
6 |
Alberto Bruttomesso Cycling Team Friuli ASD |
2:11 |
7 |
Samuel Tuka Dukla Banska Bystrica |
2:57 |
8 |
Oliver Stockwell Cycling Team Friuli ASD |
2:57 |
9 |
Alessio Martinelli Green Project-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè |
2:57 |
10 |
Tomáš Obdržálek Elkov - Kasper |
3:14 |
1 | Soudal - Quick Step | 43:23:19 |
2 | Jumbo-Visma | 2:48 |
3 | Groupama - FDJ | 3:10 |
4 | Caja Rural - Seguros RGA | 5:41 |
5 | Human Powered Health | 5:45 |
6 | Equipo Kern Pharma | 6:07 |
7 | EOLO-Kometa | 6:55 |
8 | ATT Investments | 6:55 |
9 | Team Corratec - Selle Italia | 8:17 |
10 | Green Project-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè | 8:45 |