Baloise Belgium Tour

Sunday was a big day for Tim Merlier. The fastest man in the sport took again the spoils at the Tour of Belgium on the final day of the competition, just like last year, racking up his tenth victory of the season – the first sprinter to go into double-digits since the start of the season. On top of that, the win in Brussels was Merlier’s 60th in the pro ranks, which cemented his position as one of the most successful riders in the current peloton.

“It’s a great way to conclude our week here in Belgium! My teammates did a perfect job, making sure I was where I needed to be going into the final kilometers, and this helped me enter the last corner in third position, which was ideal to open the sprint. I’m really happy to finish the Tour of Belgium with a victory, my tenth of the season and the 60th of my career. These are some nice numbers and it makes me proud that I have such a fantastic team to help me reach these milestones. This win is good for the confidence, as I continue to work towards the Tour de France”, said Tim, whose success in the capital was again a comfortable one.

The week ended up being a memorable one also for Ethan Hayter. The 26-year-old finished first in the time trial after a superb ride, scoring his first victory in two years, and concluded the race second in the overall classification, which made him the first Brit in the last 36 years to be on the Tour of Belgium podium.

“It’s been a superb race for us and I am very happy! We took three wins in what has been one of our most successful races of the season and I’m proud I could play a part in this. Getting that victory in the time trial was great, an important boost for morale after a hard start to the year. I hope things won’t stop here and I will get some more good results for the team”, Ethan said after the podium ceremony in Brussels.

Photo credit: ©Rhode Van Elsen / Getty Images