Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) claimed the ultimate stage 5 victory on the Baloise Belgium Tour, his second win within the five-day race. Merlier out-paced rivals Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Tom Van Asbroeck (Israel-Premier Tech) within the bunch dash in Brussels.
“The form continues to be OK. It is one of the best dash of the week, so I am proud of it. What can I say, I received at this time, once more, so, I am actually completely satisfied,” Merlier stated.
Søren Wærenskjold (Uno-X Mobility) secured the general title on the 2024 Baloise Belgium Tour after main the race since successful the opening time trial in Beringen. The Norwegian rider received by 4 seconds forward of Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) and 7 seconds forward of Alex Aranburu (Movistar Workforce).
“I knew that I had a brief dash in me, so I simply tried to take the primary one and keep on the wheel of Vacek,” Wærenskjold stated of the three mid-race Golden Kilometer sprints.
“I used to be fortunate that it performed out my method. I am actually completely satisfied and the group is wonderful and did a very good job all week, so I’ve to say thanks to them. I do not suppose I might have received if it wasn’t for my teammates.”
The finale stage 5 on the Baloise Belgium Tour was an 186.2km race in Brussels. The flat route was held throughout 5 laps of a roughly 35km circuit, and three alternatives have been provided on the mid-race Golden Kilometre dash for time bonuses, together with time bonuses provided on the end line.
A breakaway and a chase group emerged throughout the early kilometres of the race, which ultimately merged to kind a nine-rider group that included Dries De Bondt (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Ceriel Desal (Bingoal WB), Sébastien Grignard (Lotto Dstny), Olivier Godfroid (Baloise-Trek Lions), Stijn Appel (BEAT Biking Membership),
Thimo Willems (VolkerWessels Biking), Kay De Bruyckere (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal), Mauro Verwilt (Tarteletto-Isorex).
Underneath rain-soaked circumstances, the breakaway handed by means of the end line for the primary time with 4 laps to go, and the peloton, led by Uno X Mobility and Lidl-Trek, was solely 40 seconds behind.
The breakaway held onto 30 seconds on the sector over the subsequent 40km, however as they entered the ultimate two circuits, Soudal-QuickStep additionally joined the pace-setting on the entrance of the sector, inflicting the hole to drop additional.
De Bondt did the lion’s share of the work to maintain the now-reduced breakaway going. Desal, Grignard, Godfroid, and Willems appeared over their shoulder to see the sector simply 5 seconds behind, and so they have been caught with 52km remaining.
Michiel Coppens (BEAT Biking Membership) made a late-race assault 16km out and gained 18 seconds, however the transfer was short-lived because the groups with highly effective sprinters surged into their respective lead-outs and reeled him with 5km to go.
Gwen Leclainche (Philippe Wagner/Bazin) counter-attacked in a late-race flyer and gained a slim hole of 9 seconds. However was introduced again into the fold with three kilometres to go because the sprinter groups barrelled into the ultimate bunch dash in Brussels.
Outcomes
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