Minerva Classic Brugge-De Panne: Tim Merlier wins ahead of Dylan Groenewegen in photo-finish
Nacer Bouhanni takes third in Belgium, Mark Cavendish boxed in during crash-marred finale.
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Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Fenix) edged out Dylan Groenewegen (Team BikeExchange-Jayco) to win the Minerva Classic Brugge-De Panne on Wednesday.
The pair could only be separated in a photo finish, with Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) taking third.
In a messy and frantic finish with several crashes, a number of the pre-race favorites were either boxed-in or held up. Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates) hit the deck with 1.5km to go, while Mark Cavendish found himself too far back after the final corner. The British sprinter ran out of gas in the finale and sat up when he realized that he was too far back.
At the front of the race Merlier benefited from a near-perfect lead-out with Jonas Rickaert taking a huge turn on the front. That helped set up Merlier, although BikeExchange did everything they could to keep Groenewegen in contention.
When Merlier opened his sprint he already had a slight advantage on the right hand side of the road. Groenewegen, coming through the middle, battled back but was unable to close the gap before the line. Bouhanni did an excellent job of surfing the wheels and making sure that he was positioned well. He too had a powerful finish but he started his sprint from slightly too far back.
The win marked Merlier’s third victory of the season.
“I was a really hectic final. I was already happy to get safely over the finish line and then I crossed the finish line, and I didn’t know that I’d won the race. It was the same for Dylan. We asked each other but nobody knew. We were waiting a long time, which is never nice,” Merlier told VeloNews at the finish.
The day’s early break involving Enrico Battaglin (Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè), Dmitri Peyskens (Bingoal-Pauwels Sauces-WB), and Jens Reynders (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise) was brought back inside the final 30km.
Several teams attempted to take charge of the race once the break had been caught with Cofidis, Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl, and Bora-Hansgrohe leading the charge.
Road furniture played a huge role with several crashes in the closing stages. A Movistar rider hit a race marshal in one incident but heading into the final 10km most of the sprinters were still well supported.
Minerva Classic Brugge-De Panne Results
| Stage | Rank | Name | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MERLIER Tim | Alpecin-Fenix | 4:45:41 |
| 2 | GROENEWEGEN Dylan | Team BikeExchange - Jayco | 0:00 |
| 3 | BOUHANNI Nacer | Team Arkéa Samsic | 0:00 |
| 4 | WALSCHEID Max | Cofidis | 0:00 |
| 5 | KOOIJ Olav | Jumbo-Visma | 0:00 |
| 6 | DÉMARE Arnaud | Groupama - FDJ | 0:00 |
| 7 | CONSONNI Simone | Cofidis | 0:00 |
| 8 | DE LIE Arnaud | Lotto Soudal | 0:00 |
| 9 | STUYVEN Jasper | Trek - Segafredo | 0:00 |
| 10 | HAUSSLER Heinrich | Bahrain - Victorious | 0:00 |
| 11 | ANIOŁKOWSKI Stanisław | Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | 0:00 |
| 12 | MØRKØV Michael | Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team | 0:00 |
| 13 | KANTER Max | Movistar Team | 0:00 |
| 14 | DUPONT Timothy | Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | 0:00 |
| 15 | MANZIN Lorrenzo | TotalEnergies | 0:00 |
| 16 | ZABEL Rick | Israel - Premier Tech | 0:00 |
| 17 | BENNETT Sam | BORA - hansgrohe | 0:00 |
| 18 | MAS Lluís | Movistar Team | 0:00 |
| 19 | WÆRENSKJOLD Søren | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | 0:00 |
| 20 | EINHORN Itamar | Israel - Premier Tech | 0:00 |
| 21 | GIRMAY Biniam | Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux | 0:00 |
| 22 | VAN POPPEL Danny | BORA - hansgrohe | 0:00 |
| 23 | MOZZATO Luca | B&B Hotels - KTM | 0:00 |
| 24 | VAN LERBERGHE Bert | Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team | 0:00 |
| 25 | BARBIER Rudy | Israel - Premier Tech | 0:00 |
| 26 | CAVENDISH Mark | Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team | 0:00 |
| 27 | MARIT Arne | Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:00 |
| 28 | BJERG Mikkel | UAE Team Emirates | 0:00 |
| 29 | THIJSSEN Gerben | Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux | 0:00 |
| 30 | FRETIN Milan | Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:00 |
| 31 | VAN ROOY Kenneth | Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:00 |
| 32 | VAN DEN BERG Marijn | EF Education-EasyPost | 0:00 |
| 33 | VAN GESTEL Dries | TotalEnergies | 0:00 |
| 34 | MÄRKL Niklas | Team DSM | 0:00 |
| 35 | WELSFORD Sam | Team DSM | 0:00 |
| 36 | BIERMANS Jenthe | Israel - Premier Tech | 0:00 |
| 37 | REYNDERS Jens | Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:00 |
| 38 | STEIMLE Jannik | Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team | 0:00 |
| 39 | MILAN Jonathan | Bahrain - Victorious | 0:00 |
| 40 | MULLEN Ryan | BORA - hansgrohe | 0:00 |
| 41 | SCULLY Tom | EF Education-EasyPost | 0:00 |
| 42 | ELOSEGUI Iñigo | Movistar Team | 0:00 |
| 43 | MARTINELLI Davide | Astana Qazaqstan Team | 0:00 |
| 44 | DUJARDIN Sandy | TotalEnergies | 0:00 |
| 45 | SINKELDAM Ramon | Groupama - FDJ | 0:13 |
| 46 | NORSGAARD Mathias | Movistar Team | 0:13 |
| 47 | BARBIER Pierre | B&B Hotels - KTM | 0:13 |
| 48 | SCOTSON Miles | Groupama - FDJ | 0:13 |
| 49 | VAN DER SANDE Tosh | Jumbo-Visma | 0:13 |
| 50 | FIORELLI Filippo | Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè | 0:17 |
| 51 | PÖSTLBERGER Lukas | BORA - hansgrohe | 0:18 |
| 52 | HALVORSEN Kristoffer | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | 0:18 |
| 53 | ROOSEN Timo | Jumbo-Visma | 0:18 |
| 54 | STEWART Campbell | Team BikeExchange - Jayco | 0:18 |
| 55 | STEELS Stijn | Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team | 0:18 |
| 56 | RESELL Erik Nordsæter | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | 0:18 |
| 57 | PAJUR Markus | Team Arkéa Samsic | 0:18 |
| 58 | NORMAN LETH Lasse | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | 0:18 |
| 59 | CAPIOT Amaury | Team Arkéa Samsic | 0:18 |
| 60 | WELTEN Bram | Groupama - FDJ | 0:18 |
| 61 | RUTSCH Jonas | EF Education-EasyPost | 0:18 |
| 62 | GROß Felix | UAE Team Emirates | 0:18 |
| 63 | ERVITI Imanol | Movistar Team | 0:18 |
| 64 | MACIEJUK Filip | Bahrain - Victorious | 0:18 |
| 65 | ZAKHAROV Artyom | Astana Qazaqstan Team | 0:28 |
| 66 | MODOLO Sacha | Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè | 0:28 |
| 67 | KREDER Wesley | Cofidis | 0:28 |
| 68 | MEURISSE Xandro | Alpecin-Fenix | 0:28 |
| 69 | RICKAERT Jonas | Alpecin-Fenix | 0:28 |
| 70 | SELIG Rüdiger | Lotto Soudal | 0:28 |
| 71 | OLIVEIRA Rui | UAE Team Emirates | 0:37 |
| 72 | SAGIV Guy | Israel - Premier Tech | 0:37 |
| 73 | JAUREGUI Quentin | B&B Hotels - KTM | 0:37 |
| 74 | WEEMAES Sasha | Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:37 |
| 75 | JACOBS Johan | Movistar Team | 0:37 |
| 76 | FELLINE Fabio | Astana Qazaqstan Team | 0:37 |
| 77 | NIEUWENHUIS Joris | Team DSM | 0:37 |
| 78 | LAENGEN Vegard Stake | UAE Team Emirates | 0:37 |
| 79 | LEDANOIS Kévin | Team Arkéa Samsic | 0:37 |
| 80 | BOHLI Tom | Cofidis | 0:37 |
| 81 | JOHANSEN Julius | Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux | 0:37 |
| 82 | VAN MOER Brent | Lotto Soudal | 0:37 |
| 83 | KIRSCH Alex | Trek - Segafredo | 0:42 |
| 84 | BOARO Manuele | Astana Qazaqstan Team | 0:45 |
| 85 | ZANONCELLO Enrico | Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè | 0:47 |
| 86 | GAZZOLI Michele | Astana Qazaqstan Team | 0:47 |
| 87 | DAINESE Alberto | Team DSM | 0:47 |
| 88 | VERMEERSCH Florian | Lotto Soudal | 0:49 |
| 89 | THWAITES Scott | Alpecin-Fenix | 0:49 |
| 90 | MEZGEC Luka | Team BikeExchange - Jayco | 0:49 |
| 91 | BALLERSTEDT Maurice | Alpecin-Fenix | 0:49 |
| 92 | THEUNS Edward | Trek - Segafredo | 0:49 |
| 93 | VERGAERDE Otto | Trek - Segafredo | 0:49 |
| 94 | JONES Taj | Israel - Premier Tech | 0:54 |
| 95 | DEBUSSCHERE Jens | B&B Hotels - KTM | 0:54 |
| 96 | DECLERCQ Benjamin | Team Arkéa Samsic | 0:54 |
| 97 | NOPPE Christophe | Team Arkéa Samsic | 0:54 |
| 98 | EDMONDSON Alex | Team BikeExchange - Jayco | 1:04 |
| 99 | GOGL Michael | Alpecin-Fenix | 1:07 |
| 100 | LAUK Karl Patrick | Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | 1:08 |
| 101 | REX Laurenz | Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | 1:08 |
| 102 | WRIGHT Fred | Bahrain - Victorious | 1:08 |
| 103 | ARASHIRO Yukiya | Bahrain - Victorious | 1:08 |
| 104 | RICHEZE Maximiliano | UAE Team Emirates | 1:08 |
| 105 | BODNAR Maciej | TotalEnergies | 1:08 |
| 106 | WARLOP Jordi | B&B Hotels - KTM | 1:08 |
| 107 | DOULL Owain | EF Education-EasyPost | 1:10 |
| 108 | EENKHOORN Pascal | Jumbo-Visma | 1:10 |
| 109 | HESTERS Jules | Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 1:10 |
| 110 | URIANSTAD Martin | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | 1:10 |
| 111 | GUARNIERI Jacopo | Groupama - FDJ | 1:10 |
| 112 | DE GENDT Aimé | Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux | 1:10 |
| 113 | BASSO Leonardo | Astana Qazaqstan Team | 1:10 |
| 114 | HEINSCHKE Leon | Team DSM | 1:10 |
| 115 | O'BRIEN Kelland | Team BikeExchange - Jayco | 1:10 |
| 116 | WIRTGEN Tom | Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | 1:10 |
| 117 | GRIGNARD Sébastien | Lotto Soudal | 1:17 |
| 118 | KONYCHEV Alexander | Team BikeExchange - Jayco | 1:29 |
| 119 | TERPSTRA Niki | TotalEnergies | 1:29 |
| 120 | VAN MELSEN Kévin | Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux | 1:29 |
| 121 | ABERASTURI Jon | Trek - Segafredo | 1:29 |
| 122 | COLNAGHI Luca | Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè | 1:29 |
| 123 | PETIT Adrien | Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux | 1:29 |
| 124 | VANBILSEN Kenneth | Cofidis | 1:29 |
| 125 | KOCH Jonas | BORA - hansgrohe | 1:29 |
| 126 | HEALY Ben | EF Education-EasyPost | 1:29 |
| 127 | DAVY Clément | Groupama - FDJ | 1:29 |
| 128 | DENS Tuur | Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 1:29 |
| 129 | LANGEVELD Sebastian | EF Education-EasyPost | 1:29 |
| 130 | KEISSE Iljo | Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team | 1:29 |
| 131 | DE BUYST Jasper | Lotto Soudal | 1:29 |
| 132 | TONELLI Alessandro | Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè | 1:29 |
| 133 | GRADEK Kamil | Bahrain - Victorious | 1:29 |
| 134 | MOSCON Gianni | Astana Qazaqstan Team | 1:29 |
| 135 | BOL Cees | Team DSM | 1:29 |
| 136 | ROBEET Ludovic | Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | 1:29 |
| 137 | VERMOTE Julien | Alpecin-Fenix | 1:50 |
| 138 | EGHOLM Jakob | Trek - Segafredo | 2:03 |
| 139 | VAN EMDEN Jos | Jumbo-Visma | 2:03 |
| 140 | WIŚNIOWSKI Łukasz | EF Education-EasyPost | 2:25 |
| 141 | TROIA Oliviero | UAE Team Emirates | 2:25 |
| 142 | DURBRIDGE Luke | Team BikeExchange - Jayco | 2:25 |
| 143 | PEÁK Barnabás | Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux | 2:25 |
| 144 | STORK Florian | Team DSM | 2:25 |
| 145 | PEYSKENS Dimitri | Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB | 2:25 |
| 146 | SAUGSTAD Lars | Uno-X Pro Cycling Team | 2:25 |
| 147 | POLITT Nils | BORA - hansgrohe | 3:32 |
| 148 | MEEUS Jordi | BORA - hansgrohe | 3:32 |
| 149 | ACKERMANN Pascal | UAE Team Emirates | 3:32 |
| 150 | BRÄNDLE Matthias | Israel - Premier Tech | 4:03 |
| 151 | HOOLE Daan | Trek - Segafredo | 4:03 |
| 152 | SCHWARZMANN Michael | Lotto Soudal | 5:15 |
| 153 | LEMOINE Cyril | B&B Hotels - KTM | 5:15 |
| 154 | BATTAGLIN Enrico | Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè | 5:55 |
Results provided by ProCyclingStats.