Merlier vs Philipsen: Milan Benefits From Sprint Rivalry

Analyse Three times they entered the sprint duel in the Baloise Belgium Tour, but if we are honest it never came to a real direct clash between Jasper Philipsen and Tim Merlier. In the meantime, that has already been from the Schelded prize in April. Both sprinters scored with their lead out in the Baloise Belgium Tour, but got into trouble with it, which may have even greater consequences in the upcoming Tour de France.

The good news for both top spurters is that, whatever the results of the Belgian Championship on the road in Binche on Sunday, they should not go to France empty -handed. In particular for Jasper Philipsen, this was not a unimportant step on a mental level, because it was dry in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne from the beginning of March. In the spring, according to De Limburger, we also did not see the Sprinter-Jasper Philipsen, but a rider who had fully focused on digesting slopes and cobblestones in the classics.

“Perhaps something has changed in the field of Focus now, compared to a few months ago,” said the fast Limburger earlier this week in front of our camera. And so it turned out. His lead-out Jonas Rickaert dropped Philipsen perfectly in the wheel of Juan Sebastian Molano and Jenno Berckmoes on day two, after which the leader of Alpecin-DEUNINCK showed and won his impressive leg speed. Trust boost: Check. For the fourth year in a row he can go to France with a stage victory in the Baloise Belgium Tour.

A day earlier in Knokke-Heist, Philipsen could not have defended his chances because he flew out of his click pedal in full sprint. But Philipsen will also be so honest that he was already too far placed at that time to do something about the winner Tim Merlier. The latter was also the case in the final stage.

It is quite impressive how Merlier can always work in position without a full train. He succeeded last week in the Brussels Cycling Classic, but again on the opening day in Knokke-Heist and in the final stage in Brussels. If Merlier has Bert van Lerberghe with him, that is enough in this platoon to position himself well. In Brussels it even succeeded without the leak, West Flanders, where Dries van Gestel took over his role. Merlier has the gift that he can use his sprint from far with a hefty start, and rarely stops. In the ride that Philipsen won, there was no trace of Merlier.

Only, in the Tour de France, where the number of good sprinters is easily three times and the mass sprints are all the more chaotic, such a lead out will not suffice for them both. Certainly because Lidl-Trek there in function of the Italian powerhouse Jonathan Milan-perhaps the only one who comes close to the two Belgians in terms of pure speed-brings an impressive lead out-train with Simone Consonni, Jasper Stuyven and Edward Theuns-all impressive hard driver sprinters, who can also be the best as the best as the best. It is a chain that inspires fear of the rest.

Fortunately, it also looks good for both Belgians. We know from Philipsen that he is a type of sprinter that is happy to be brought well, and thanks to the addition of the Australian fast man Kaden Groves and especially Mathieu van der Poel on the train around Philipsen, Alpecin-DEUNINCK creates a whole that is certainly daring to that of Lidl-Trek. The advantage for the team of the Roodhooft brothers is that they can fully bet on the sprint, and should not look back at a classification man.

That is different with Tim Merlier’s Soudal Quick-Step, where Kopman Remco Evenepoel waves the slice. For that reason, the European champion did not even make it to the selection last year. This time he is allowed to come, but just like at last year’s European Championship, he only has to do it with Bert van Lerberghe. Yet Merlier thinks it doesn’t stop there. “The collaboration with Bert is something that works very well between us, but I expect that the rest of the team will also be present for us in the final,” he said in front of our camera. Merlier himself also realizes that in France – where he immediately wants the first yellow sweater – it will be different.