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James Moultrie

'We didn't dream about it, it was too big for us' – Tim Merlier eyes first Tour de France yellow jersey with childhood friend as lead-out

Tim Merlier Bert Van Lerberghe Tour France BELGA MAG Tour de France DAVID PINTENS SoudalQuickStep Cyclingnews

Belgian Tim Merlier of Soudal Quick-Step pictured during a press conference ahead of the 2025 Tour de France cycling race, Wednesday 02 July 2025, in Kruisem. The 112th edition of the Tour de France starts on Saturday 5 July in Lille, France, and will finish in Paris, France on the 27th of July. BELGA PHOTO DAVID PINTENS (Photo by DAVID PINTENS / BELGA MAG / Belga via AFP) (Photo by DAVID PINTENS/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images).

Trust is often vital in a sprint lead-out, and few of the fastmen lining up at the 2025 Tour de France will have a better connection with their right-hand man than Soudal-QuickStep's Tim Merlier and Bert Van Lerberghe do.

Both born in Kortrijk and close friends from school for more than 20 years, the pair of 32-year-olds are among the favourites to claim the first yellow jersey on Saturday's flat opener in Lille, but it wasn't a future they ever expected to be living.

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