Third victory in just five days of racing this season for the Belgian fast man
13-May-2026: Tim Merlier is the first overall leader of the Tour de Hongrie, after the former European Champion was head and shoulders over his opponents in Bekescsaba, where the opening stage of this 47th stage concluded.
Present in Hungary for the third time in five years, Soudal Quick-Step took the reins at the front of the peloton as soon as a breakaway formed, making sure the leading duo’s advantage wouldn’t exceed two minutes on the roads taking to the city that returned as a stage finish for the first time in 22 years. After bringing back the attackers with 11 kilometers to go, our team remained in control of things, increasing the pace while also keeping Tim Merlier well-positioned.
The last two men in the train were Alberto Dainese and Bert Van Lerberghe, who did an excellent job for the former European Champion. Merlier capitalized on his teammates’ flawless piloting, starting his effort only inside 200 meters to go and stomping his sprinting authority on the finale in Bekescsaba, where he scored his 45th victory in the Soudal Quick-Step jersey.
“I’m happy with this win! The squad did a good job today and I want to thank the guys for that. We lost each other a bit in the finale, but we weren’t worried at all. Alberto and Bert did a superb job, then Bert brought me in a perfect position with 500 meters to go and I just opened my sprint at the right moment. It’s nice to have three wins this season, especially as all came in the space of just a month. The yellow jersey is a beautiful bonus and I’m looking forward to sporting it on Thursday”, Tim said after his success.
