On home soil, sprinter Tim Merlier won gold for Belgium for the first time at the European Men’s Cycling Championships. The four-time Giro d’Italia stage winner took victory after a mass sprint on the 222.9-kilometer circuit from Heusden-Zolder to Hasselt. The 31-year-old crossed the finish line ahead of Dutchman Olav Kooij and Estonian professional Madis Mihkels.
His favorite colleague Jasper Philipsen and the Dutch world champion Mathieu van der Poel were left behind. The two German classic specialists Nils Politt and John Degenkolb played no role in the medal award.
Van der Poel wanted to prepare for the World Championships in Zurich in two weeks with a win. The 29-year-old was in strong form, as he had been in his big victories in the spring, and made his first attacks a good 90 kilometers from the finish. But the field closed up again and van der Poel had no chance in the duel with the fast professionals in the mass sprint.
Many stars not there
However, van der Poel’s biggest competitors were not at the start. Tour champion Tadej Pogacar has only just returned to racing in Canada. Double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel was also absent, as was his injured Belgian compatriot Wout van Aert.
The day before, the strong Dutch team had already won the women’s road race thanks to Lorena Wiebes. As expected, the 25-year-old top sprinter won the mass sprint ahead of the Italian Elisa Balsamo and the Polish Daria Pikulik. It was already the eighth Oranje victory at the ninth European Championship and the second title win for Wiebes after 2022. The best German was the national champion Franziska Koch in 13th place.
Silver for groom in the junior women’s category
The German team finished the European Championships with six medals. On Sunday morning, Messane Bräutigam took second place in the junior women’s road race behind the Dutchwoman Puck Langenbarg. In the elite category, however, the German team achieved a podium finish in the unimportant mixed competition.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240915-930-233281/1
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