The title of the symbolic ‘Sprinters’ World Cup’ went to the Belgian Tim Merlier (Alpecin Fenix) as the winner in a tight finish that required a photo finish of the 46th edition of the Belgian classic Bruges-De Panne, disputed on a route of 207 km.
Merlier (Wortegem-Petegem, 29 years old), recent winner of the Nokere Koerse, he triumphed by a tubular, being necessary the observation of the arrival photo to confirm that he had achieved the third victory of the course. Finally, its success was verified, with a time of 4h.44.55, at an average of 43.8km/h. Glory for Merlier, disappointment for the Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen (BikeExchange), loser in the worst possible way, and less trauma for the Frenchman Nacer Bouhanni (Arkea Samsic), second and third respectively.
The classic one of the North Sea coast that passes through the western part of Flanders had no difficulties, all flat, no cobblestones, ideal for flying and promoting a massive arrival. The dangerous passage through De Moeren, feared by the wind, was not decisive, but sometimes nerves and mistakes caused falls. Accidents were not lacking. Movistar was affected, with the withdrawal of Gonzalo Serrano from Madrid and the blows of the German sprinter Max Kanter and the Swiss Johan Jacobs. It was not a race of good memories for the telephone squad.
After leaving the monumental Markt Square in Bruges, the capital of West Flanders, another Venice with plenty of bridges and canals, a breakaway was formed with three brave threes, Enrico Battaglin, Dimitri Peyskens and Jens Reynders. Innocuous escape that barely altered the plans of a platoon that controlled the differences with high precision.
At 29 from the finish line, the peloton had already finished with the illusions of the daring of the day. Sprint was smelled. The Quick Step warned from afar of his intentions thinking of Cavendish, but the Briton did not enter the definitive runway towards victory in a good position, even though their pitcher, Morkov, did his job, as usual.
Without Cavendish in the mix, and without the German Ackermann, rolling on the ground, the sprint was stripped of a couple of candidates. Groenewegen attacked from afar, taking the lead from the unleashed mob, but Merlier was next to him. Both arrived with the wheels together, parallel, at a distance inappreciable to the human eye.
The arrival photo intervened, where Tim Merlier was portrayed, smiling at the sixth victory of his team in 2022, and the third particular, 2 of them in the World Tour. A reason to smile at De Panne, a place for the French and Belgians to enjoy the beach in summer. One of them brought the party forward.