Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) fended off Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin Deceuninck) to win Scheldeprijs in a bunch sprint Wednesday.
Quick-Step helped set up the bunch sprint that hit 75kph at the midweek classic, with American Luke Lamperti helping to lead out Merlier to power to the line.
“The race was a bit nervous, especially in the first part of the day, with the rain and the echelons. Fortunately, we were in a good position and remained attentive the entire race, even after a regrouping took place,” Merlier said.
“I had some bad luck with that late puncture, but I could come back, and then Bert was of great help in the finale,” he said. “When I felt it was the right moment to go, I opened my sprint and just kept going. I’m delighted with my first win in this race and with sitting on seven victories since the start of the year.”
Philipsen crossed the line second, with Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla) rounding out the podium with third.
The victory is a much-needed boost for the Belgian squad that’s been struggling for wins across its traditional hunting grounds during the spring classics campaign.
Wiebes untouchable in 4 in a row
Earlier Wednesday, Lorena Wiebes made it four in a row at Scheldeprijs at the midweek Flemish classics race.
Her SD Worx-Protime squad controlled the day’s main breakaway in the flat, 130km race around Schoten to set up the mass gallop.
Wiebes made the most of her leadout and kept perennial challenger Charlotte Kool relegated into second place.
“It was a fair sprint in the end,” said Wiebes, who races next at Paris-Roubaix. “The girls did great. They chased hard so I could sprint.
“In such a sprint everything has to be in place, especially if you don’t have a real last leadout train,” she said. “The chance of being trapped is very high. It was a little more pushing and pulling, but it turned out fine.”
Martina Fidanza (Ceratizit-WNT) kicked to third after Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) faded in the final charge to the line to finish seventh.
Wiebes has won every edition of the race since it was introduced in 2021.