Belgium have opted for the high-risk tactic of selecting Jasper Philipsen and Tim Merlier for Sunday's European road race championships and will give both the freedom to sprint for victory, even if they go head to head and shoulder to shoulder.
Belgian national coach Sven Vanthourenhout has selected two sprinters because both Philipsen and Merlier are potential winners and so in theory offer more chances of victory.
"We were both promised that we would get our chance in a sprint. So I don't see any problems with that," Philipsen told the Belgian media about sharing sprint leadership with Merlier on the eve of the race.
"Same answer," the usually more reserved Melier added.
Both Belgian sprinters are on form and both could win the 220km race around the twisting roads of east Flanders. They both raced at Alpecin in 2021 and 2022 before Merlier moved on to Soudal but rarely raced together. Now they share team leadership.
Merlier crashed hard on stage 2 of the Renewi Tour but is confident of his sprint. The Soudal Quick-Step rider has won 3 sprints in 2024, including three stages at the Giro d'Italia and the Scheldeprijs Classic, where he beat Philipsen.
Philipsen is arguably again the best sprinter of the season. He won Milan-San Remo and Classic Brugge-De Panne, was second at Paris-Roubaix and then won three stages at the Tour de France, where Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate van der Poel is often his lead out man.
Both Philipsen and Merlier will have their own mini-lead outs as they take on Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands), Jonathan Milan (Italy), Mads Pedersen (Denmark), Alexander Kristoff (Norway) and riders from 31 different nations.
If the race ends in a bunch speed, Philipsen could sprint down one side of the road and Merlier on the other, in a kind of Belgian sprint showdown.
"Anything is possible," Philipsen said.
"There are more sprinters than just us,” Merlier added, highlighting how the two will thrash out a sprinting agreement with national coach Sven Vanthourenhout in the pre-race team meeting.
Vanthourenhout appears to have selected two sprinters because both Philipsen and Merlier are potential winners. Perhaps Belgium also knows that the race might not end in a bunch sprint, as was the case in the junior men and under 23 men races. Philipsen and Merlier could both win from a break or win a bunch sprint if the race tactics mean the peloton comes back together.
"I do not have a crystal ball, but… the course is suitable for racing. A bit like the Ronde van Limburg. And that does not always end in a sprint," Merlier suggested.
Philipsen was not so convinced and will perhaps stay in the peloton and hope for a bunch sprint.
"People like Pedersen and Mathieu van der Poel will want to make the race hard but then it will not be up to me to participate. Our chances of winning are greatest in a mass sprint. That's what we're aiming for," he said.
The scenarios do not include one sprinter sacrificing their chance for the other.
"I don't expect it to happen," Philipsen made clear.
"Both Tim and I will survive that with the necessary freshness. But if I really am at the end of my rope and get the feeling that I can't win, it would be a bit stupid to try. In that case, I'm afraid I won't be able to provide a lead-out."
Merlier agreed. Both simply want to sprint for themselves and they will have the freedom to do so.
As the Flemish media pointed out, it could end in triumph or disaster.
