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Tim Merlier and Fabio Jakobsen are 2 sprinters in the same yard: “That won’t cause any problems” | cycling

2 top sprinters in the same team. At Soudal-Quick Step they have made it a specialty.

Last year, Mark Cavendish lost the competition against Fabio Jakobsen, who won a stage in the Tour. The year before, Sam Bennett lost against Mark Cavendish.

“In the past 5 years I was always surrounded by other top sprinters within this team who were just as good or better than me,” says Fabio Jakobsen. “So it’s just me.”

The Dutchman saw his old competitor leave with Cavendish last winter. With Belgian champion Tim Merlier he has a new sprint colleague.

How is the relationship between the European and the Belgian champion?

“I get along well with Tim’s best friend Bert Van Lerberghe, he has been my mate for 3 years. That’s why I also get along well with Tim,” explains Jakobsen.

“Although Tim and I are competitors, we will also need each other and the team will need both of us.”

“So I don’t think that will cause any problems,” says Jakobsen.

“I want to ride the Tour and Tim also wants to ride the Tour, and rightly so. That is top sport. Tim is also wearing a beautiful jersey (Belgian tricolor). We’ll both go for it.”

What does Tim Merlier – who is making the switch from Alpecin-Deceuninck – think about his competitor Jakobsen?

“Fabio wants to win races and I want to win races,” says the Belgian champion. “Our programs are already mapped out and there are enough races for both of us.”

Both sprinters will each start the season on a different continent. Jakobsen goes with Evenepoel to San Juan (in Argentina).

Merlier can go for his first sprint successes in the Tour of Oman and the UAE Tour.

In Gent-Wevelgem they will normally start together. “That race is certainly a big goal,” Merlier assures.

Jakobsen has also circled Gent-Wevelgem in red. “It’s one of the races I dream about because I haven’t won it yet.”

At Soudal-Quick Step they see no problem in the fact that they have to keep 2 sprint reigns satisfied.

In fact, Tom Steels throws in a third dog. “Briton Ethan Vernon is a diamond in the rough who has all the qualities to become a top sprinter.”

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