Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) scored his 16th win of the 2024 season at Gooikse Pijl, prevailing in the bunch sprint finish at the end of the 195.8km race.
The Belgian, who also has three Giro d'Italia stages and the European road title on his season palmarès, pipped Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) in a photo finish on the line. Further back, Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease A Bike) rounded out the podium just ahead of Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla).
The triumph marks Merlier's 50th career victory and is also his third in a row following wins at the European Championships road race and the Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen.
A bunch sprint finish was always going to be likely with so many teams bringing sprinters to the race and thus having a combined interest in dragging back the breakaway. The catch was made 8km from the line after hard work from teams including Lotto-Dstny and Soudal-QuickStep.
Rain and nerves meant that the sprint and team trains were far from organised, leaving the final something of a free-for-all among the top sprinters. Through the chaos, Merlier emerged at the head of the pack with Kooij, Meeus and Groenewegen further back.
While the two Dutchmen couldn't make their way alongside and past Merlier, it looked as though a late burst from Meeus might have denied the QuickStep man another win. However, the photo finish showed that he had in fact held off Meeus and taken the glory in Gooik
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