4 Jours de Dunkerque / Grand Prix des Hauts de France
Stage 1: Dunkerque - Abbeville
France
Tuesday 16 May 2023
196.6 km
Merlier boxed in on Dunkerque opener

Tim Merlier returned to racing for the first time since last month’s Paris-Roubaix, and he showed his strong legs despite not finishing in the top three on a day marred by crashes. Taking place over an undulating course, the stage that concluded in Abbeville was animated by a five-man breakaway, caught with only seven kilometers to go, in part thanks to the fantastic effort put in by the Soudal Quick-Step boys.
Unfortunately, numerous crashes happened in the closing kilometers, disrupting the sprint trains, among those affected being also Tim Merlier. Going under the flamme rouge, the Belgian Champion found himself alone, after his teammates were caught behind those pile-ups, and boxed in, making it impossible for him to find a space to launch his sprint. Even in these conditions, Tim showed his incredible speed, taking fourth place behind winner Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma).
“We knew that we had to be at the front, as crashes were a possibility, and the guys did a perfect job keeping me in a good position. But when the crashes began coming, we lost one another, Bert being among those held up. Due to all this, I was quite far when the sprint started, but being able to finish just outside the podium in these conditions gives me a lot of confidence for the next stages”, Tim explained.
Photo credit: ©Luc Claessen / Getty Images
Race details
1 |
Olav Kooij Jumbo-Visma |
4:31:38 |
2 |
Max Walscheid Cofidis |
0:00 |
3 |
Paul Penhoët Groupama - FDJ |
0:00 |
4 |
Tim Merlier
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
5 |
Daniel McLay Team Arkéa Samsic |
0:00 |
6 |
Matteo Malucelli Bingoal WB |
0:00 |
7 |
Gerben Thijssen Intermarché - Circus - Wanty |
0:00 |
8 |
Erlend Blikra Uno-X Pro Cycling Team |
0:00 |
9 |
Stanisław Aniołkowski Human Powered Health |
0:00 |
10 |
Peter Sagan TotalEnergies |
0:00 |
37 |
Kasper Asgreen
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
43 |
Ethan Vernon
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
47 |
Jannik Steimle
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
72 |
Bert Van Lerberghe
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
91 |
Stan Van Tricht
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:00 |
124 |
Lars Craps Soudal - Quick Step |
2:22 |
1 |
Olav Kooij Jumbo-Visma |
4:31:28 |
2 |
Max Walscheid Cofidis |
0:04 |
3 |
Paul Penhoët Groupama - FDJ |
0:06 |
4 |
Alex Colman Team Flanders - Baloise |
0:07 |
5 |
Samuel Leroux Van Rysel - Roubaix Lille Métropole |
0:07 |
6 |
Mathis Le Berre Team Arkéa Samsic |
0:07 |
7 |
Anthony Turgis TotalEnergies |
0:07 |
8 |
Peter Sagan TotalEnergies |
0:08 |
9 |
Mark Stewart Bolton Equities Black Spoke |
0:08 |
10 |
Jannik Steimle
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:09 |
12 |
Tim Merlier
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:10 |
44 |
Kasper Asgreen
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:10 |
50 |
Ethan Vernon
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:10 |
74 |
Bert Van Lerberghe
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:10 |
93 |
Stan Van Tricht
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:10 |
136 |
Lars Craps Soudal - Quick Step |
2:32 |
1 |
Olav Kooij Jumbo-Visma |
15 pt |
2 |
Max Walscheid Cofidis |
12 pt |
3 |
Paul Penhoët Groupama - FDJ |
9 pt |
4 |
Tim Merlier
Soudal - Quick Step |
7 pt |
5 |
Daniel McLay Team Arkéa Samsic |
6 pt |
6 |
Matteo Malucelli Bingoal WB |
5 pt |
7 |
Gerben Thijssen Intermarché - Circus - Wanty |
4 pt |
8 |
Samuel Leroux Van Rysel - Roubaix Lille Métropole |
3 pt |
9 |
Mathis Le Berre Team Arkéa Samsic |
3 pt |
10 |
Anthony Turgis TotalEnergies |
3 pt |
16 |
Jannik Steimle
Soudal - Quick Step |
1 pt |
1 |
Alex Colman Team Flanders - Baloise |
11 pt |
2 |
Kenny Molly Van Rysel - Roubaix Lille Métropole |
9 pt |
3 |
Geoffrey Soupe TotalEnergies |
3 pt |
4 |
Damien Girard Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur |
3 pt |
5 |
Olivier Le Gac Groupama - FDJ |
2 pt |
6 |
Mathis Le Berre Team Arkéa Samsic |
1 pt |
7 |
Maciej Bodnar TotalEnergies |
1 pt |
1 |
Olav Kooij Jumbo-Visma |
4:31:28 |
2 |
Paul Penhoët Groupama - FDJ |
0:06 |
3 |
Alex Colman Team Flanders - Baloise |
0:07 |
4 |
Mathis Le Berre Team Arkéa Samsic |
0:07 |
5 |
Gerben Thijssen Intermarché - Circus - Wanty |
0:10 |
6 |
Milan Fretin Team Flanders - Baloise |
0:10 |
7 |
Rait Ärm Van Rysel - Roubaix Lille Métropole |
0:10 |
8 |
Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen CIC U Nantes Atlantique |
0:10 |
9 |
Axel Narbonne Zuccarelli Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur |
0:10 |
10 |
Tuur Dens Team Flanders - Baloise |
0:10 |
19 |
Ethan Vernon
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:10 |
35 |
Stan Van Tricht
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:10 |
52 |
Lars Craps Soudal - Quick Step |
2:32 |
1 | Groupama - FDJ | 13:34:54 |
2 | Intermarché - Circus - Wanty | 0:00 |
3 | Cofidis | 0:00 |
4 | Jumbo-Visma | 0:00 |
5 | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | 0:00 |
6 | Team Flanders - Baloise | 0:00 |
7 | Human Powered Health | 0:00 |
8 | Soudal - Quick Step | 0:00 |
9 | AG2R Citroën Team | 0:00 |
10 | Van Rysel - Roubaix Lille Métropole | 0:00 |