The Belgian champion was quick to raise his arms for his new team, Soudal-Quickstep. For his second road race of the season, Tim Merlier indeed won the first stage of the Tour of Oman between Rustaq and Muscat. The Belgian was ahead David Decker et Axel Zingle. Arne Marit fails, him, at the foot of the podium.
This first stage raised hopes of a duel with the former QuickStep house, Mark Cavendish. But, embarrassed in the home stretch, the Briton finished well away from the podium. A counter-performance which illustrates well the nervousness of the last hectometres. “The race was calm and it didn’t go fast so at the end it was complicated to create the train because there were still a lot of riders. Just before the last bendI also lost the wheel of my two launchers but I was able to find it“explained Tim Merlier.
By way of celebration, the sprinter made a reference to his very recent fatherhood. “On top of that, it was my mom’s birthday the day before yesterday, my girlfriend (nlr : Cameron Vandenbroucke) yesterday and my brother today. This victory is for everyone” smiled the one who had raised his arms in Zonnebeke in cyclocross on January 21.
This stage was the only chance for the sprinters and Merlier did not miss it. Sunday, the second stage will connect Muscat to Qurayyat (174 km)
