Soudal-QuickStep fastman Tim Merlier has not often needed to struggle Tadej Pogačar for a bunch dash victory, however stage 3 of the 2024 Giro d’Italia was witness to only that – a unprecedented battle between the peloton and the race chief, which lastly noticed the Belgian declare the win.
After Pogačar was reeled in simply metres earlier than the road in Fossano, Merlier outpaced Jonathan Milan (Bahrain Victorious) to say his eighth victory of the season and his first since Scheldeprijs this April. It was additionally his second triumph within the Giro d’Italia following a stage 2 win in 2021.
Merlier devoted his victory to the late Wouter Weylandt, forming his palms in a ‘W’ to commemorate the Belgian racer who died in a crash on a descent within the 2011 Giro d’Italia.
“I’ve not forgotten him as a result of I used to be a fan of his,” Merlier advised Sporza. “ I bear in mind when he died, I used to be watching the Giro broadcast with a pal. It was an enormous blow.”
As for taking over Pogačar within the finale of stage 3, Weylandt admitted that it had been no straightforward process, saying the Slovenian had come very near wrecking the peloton’s plans for a bunch dash, the primary of the 2024 Giro.
“He severely upset issues. Not many groups managed to get reorganised rapidly sufficient after he attacked,” he added.
With Pogačar already on the rampage, a brief however very regular kilometre-long climb within the finale subsequently made issues much more tough for the sprinters.
“It was very arduous. I couldn’t get on the fitting wheel within the final a part of the dash,” Merlier mentioned. “I used to be discovering it robust to breathe, and I used to be all the time within the wind.”
Finally, although, Pogačar and Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) have been reeled in, and the Belgian star might think about his dash.
“With 300 metres to go, simply once I was beginning to go for it myself, I noticed Milan begin his dash on the left, and I knew I used to be going to complete first or second,” he defined.
Although that is Merlier’s third Grand Tour stage win, the Belgian described it as his hardest but, along with his workforce proving instrumental in retaining him on monitor. He added that he was not but taking a look at targetting the factors jersey, with not less than two extra victories wanted to make {that a} life like risk.
In the meantime, although, Merlier has had the prospect to dedicate a Giro win to Weylandt, and assist preserve the reminiscence of the late rider current within the present peloton in the absolute best manner.
Get limitless entry to all of our protection of the Giro d’Italia – together with journalists reporting, breaking information and evaluation on the bottom from each stage of the race because it occurs and extra. Find out extra.
