Tim Merlier wins a stage of the Tour de France!

Well known for his victories on Polish roads during the Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour, Tim Merlier claimed a stage win at the Tour de France on Monday. The Belgian rider from the Soudal – Quick-Step team beat Jonathan Milan and Phil Bauhaus in the sprint – the latter also having stage wins to his name at the Tour de Pologne.

The Tour de France – the most prestigious cycling race of the year – is currently underway, traditionally held in July. Like the Tour de Pologne, the French event is part of the UCI WorldTour calendar and features the best teams in the world. No fewer than seven former winners of the Tour de Pologne are competing this year, alongside many riders who also have stage victories in the Polish race on their palmarès.

Among them is Tim Merlier – the Belgian sprinter and current European champion representing Soudal – Quick-Step. The 32-year-old has won three stages of the Tour de Pologne, most recently in Katowice last year. Although he didn’t finish at the front in the opening stage of this year’s Tour de France, which ended in a bunch sprint, he bounced back impressively on Monday, proving unbeatable in a mass sprint from the peloton.

Merlier edged out Jonathan Milan of Lidl-Trek and Phil Bauhaus of Bahrain Victorious, taking his second career stage win at the Tour de France.

– The Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour attracts stars who fight for victories not only here, but also in the world’s biggest races. Tim Merlier is a perfect example of that. He’s one of the best sprinters in the world and has won three stages in the last two editions of the Tour de Pologne. The Tour de France also features many winners of our race, which speaks to its international standing –  said Czesław Lang, General Director of the Tour de Pologne UCI WorldTour.

The Tour de France runs until July 27. The next stage race on the UCI WorldTour calendar will be the Tour de Pologne, taking place from August 4–10. The race will start in Wrocław and finish with an individual time trial at the Wieliczka Salt Mine. The event will be broadcast by TVP and Eurosport and streamed on the MAX platform, reaching cycling fans in 65 countries.