Soudal-QuickStep have been making ready barely otherwise from the opposite WorldTour groups this low season, with riders Tim Merlier, Yves Lampaert and the departing Tim Declercq amongst these competing in a snowy seashore race in Bredene final weekend.
Merlier dramatically gained the race after narrowly avoiding a quadbike going into the ultimate nook. He was pressured to dismount and run along with his bike to the road, solely besting journalist and rider Thijs Zonneveld by the barest of margins.
“I used to be not sure whether or not to throw my bike or simply stick it ahead, and it ended up being the latter,” stated Merlier to Sporza. “The end photograph confirmed that I gained by 10 hundredths of a second.”
Insane end line footage of Strandrace van Bredene to go with the equally insane end line photograph shared by King @thijszonneveld 🤯Re Tim Merlier – “You possibly can take the boy out of CX, however can’t take the CX out of the boy” 🤯#skillz 🎥: https://t.co/GVu3yLhxyn https://t.co/z6AkoXL1Vp pic.twitter.com/3hXIF0maYmDecember 4, 2023
He’ll begin his cyclocross season quickly on the World Cup in Antwerp with an extended give attention to the 2024 street season and attempting to get a spot on the Belgian squad’s Tour de France roster after enjoying second fiddle to Fabio Jakobsen in 2023.
“The goal is all the time to do higher, everybody has their very own ambitions,” stated Merlier to Sporza. “For me, that’s successful as many dash races as attainable. For Bert [Van Lerberghe] which may be doing as many good lead-outs as attainable. For Tim Declercq that’s doing as many good main kilometres as attainable.”
Declercq is leaving Soudal-QuickStep for Lidl-Trek in 2024 however was competing in his commerce workforce’s package for one of many closing occasions, in a position to giggle in regards to the far-from-ideal climate circumstances whereas teammates Remco Evenepoel and Julian Alaphilippe are already in Spain prepared for coaching camp.
“Why are we doing this? We additionally marvel,” laughed Declercq.
“I feel it is simply cool. It is a completely different stimulus that we give to our physique. It is an off-road race and we do not have a lot probability to do this,” stated Lampaert.
“I might dare to say that that is the sensation of a time trial. A time trial on the restrict, repeatedly. An hour of pumping. The whole lot you might have in you.”
That is the second seashore race Merlier has gained in just a few weeks, doing equally in De Panne, with the workforce spirit and morale key to competing at these occasions.
“We will chat about it for an entire 12 months,” stated Merlier. “We’re not paid for it and naturally, a street race is extra necessary than this, however it’s simply enjoyable for morale. For the environment. It’s simply extra enjoyable in case you have gained right here.”
Merlier was adamant that he might assist the workforce on the Tour even with their GC ambitions for Remco Evenepoel as a consequence of his means to assist on the off-road gravel stage 9 into Troyes and the way he can fill within the rouleur position on mountain days.
“There’s a tough gravel stage 9 on the programme. Bert Van Lerberghe and I’ve all of the qualities to guard Remco nicely and information him by way of positioning,” he stated to RTBF.
“Agreed, there are additionally different riders within the workforce able to doing this work, however our chief does not solely want climbers. Look how Jumbo-Visma’s rouleurs take the peloton in tow with their prepare, as much as the foot of every mountain.
“I stay satisfied that deciding on me and Bert can be a good suggestion to assist Remco win the Tour.”
