To win the sprint of the second stage of Tour of Belgium 2024 was Tim Merlier. The sprinter of Soudal-QuickStep at the very slightly uphill finish line of Knokke-Heist he managed to put the wheel in front of two equally strong sprinters in Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Olav Kooij (Visma | Lease a Bike). This is the 11th success of the season for the Belgian rider, achieved with great authority and thanks to a truly devastating sprint that left his opponents no escape. The Norwegian is still at the top of the provisional general classification Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X) with just one second ahead of the Czech Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek).
The video of the arrival
The story of the race
The presence of the flying finish line and a cobbled sector in the early stages of the race meant that the breakaway was unable to form, with the group making a few attempts, but without anyone ever managing to make the difference. The day’s action thus arises after the first hour of the race, experienced at a high pace, when they are the ones moving David Bais (Team Polti Kometa), Kay De Bruyckere (Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal), Quentin Bezza (Philippe Wagner/Bazin), Gianni Marchand (Tarteletto – Isorex), Lars Loohuis (Beat Cycling), Ward Vanhoof (Team Flanders – Baloise) e Max Kroonen (VolkerWessels). However, the day for the seven men was not simple because the group never allowed much margin, always remaining under two minutes late.
Also thanks to the wind that makes its appearance, both from behind and from the side, the group accelerates further 80 kilometers from the end, finalizing the pursuit already 75 kilometers from the finish line, after an acceleration of Dries De Bondt (Decathlon Ag2r La World) e Ceriel Desal (Bingoal WB). Thus begins an inevitable phase of spurts and counter-strikes, with Lidl – Trek and Soudal Quick-Step trying to keep the race closed, as well as possibly trying to create new fans in the favorable sections of the final circuit. We thus enter the final 40 kilometers with the group still compact.
With 19 kilometers to go, when the last lap of the final circuit begins, the compact group is pulled together by the men of Soudal-QuickStep, Uno-X Mobility, Visma | Lease a Bike and Lotto Dstny and it doesn’t take long for the jostling at the head of the group to begin among the trains of sprinters who want to win the stage. The group is very stretched at 2500 meters at the finish line and the leader Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X) is in fourth position. He is the first to launch the sprint, surprising his direct rivals Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) who manages to hold on until the finish line and wins in great class in front of Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) e Olav Kooij (Visma | Lease a Bike).
