Merlier rockets to emphatic sprint victory at Ronde van Limburg

Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) powered to victory at the Ronde van Limburg after an emphatic sprint in Tongeren. 

The former European champion was the pre-race favourite, and duly delivered on the expectations, illustrating his status as one of the best sprinters of his generation, launching a perfectly timed sprint, which nobody could match and winning by multiple bike lengths.

Fernando Gaviria (Caja-Rural) sprinted to a promising second place while Floris Van Tricht (NSN) rounded out the podium in third.

Merlier now has two victories in four race days in 2026, after winning Scheldeprijs a week ago, and wins the Ronde van Limburg for the second time in his career, after sprinting to glory in 2021.

Beginning in Hasselt, the day’s breakaway would form, featuring Mikita Babovich (Bahrain-Victorious), Jelle Vermoote (Tarteletto-Isorex), and Albert Withen Philipsen (Lidl-Trek).

Philipsen went clear of his companions with 54km to go and reached the final lap with just under 40km to go, around 40 seconds in front of the chasing peloton.

The young Dane would battle and make the peloton work hard to catch him, but he was swept up with 20km remaining.

Cedric Beullens (Lotto-Intermarché) attacked with 16km remaining on the Manshoven cobbled sector, but the Belgian was unable to get clear.

This sparked a series of counterattacks over the next couple of kilometres, but nobody was able to break free with Lidl-Trek controlling the peloton. 

Aimé De Gendt (Pinarello-Q36.5) forced a split with 6.5km remaining as he pushed on at the front, forming a group of six riders including Florian Sénéchal (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Fabio Van den Bossche (Soudal Quick-Step), Tim Torn Teuntenberg (Lidl-Trek), Dries de Bondt (Jayco AlUla), and Jens Verbrugghe (NSN). 

It was a dangerous move, but one that was swept up with 4km remaining as attention turned to the impending sprint finish. 

Bahrain-Victorious led under the flamme rouge, but when the sprint was launched, Merlier quickly hit the front and opened up an advantage that nobody could match.