Tim Merlier to start
It is at our doors that the large loop will start in a few days. In Lille more specifically, with this flat arrival, which should return to the bag of a pure sprinter. And who says pure sprinter says Tim Merlier. The Soudal Quick-Step runner is in the form of his life. His two victories on the Tour of Belgium and his two others on the Dauphiné are proof. Only Tadej Pogacar (11) did better in 2025 than the European champion and his ten successes. Add to this that the man of Wortegem-Petegem will run at home or almost (only 49 kilometers separate him from where he grew up) and you get a good customer for the yellow jersey in Lille land. “Of course it makes you dream. This is a unique opportunity”he blew after his victory in Brussels over the Baloise Belgium Tour. In the event of Flemish failure, Jasper Philipsen (5 stages wins on the Tour), could replace it on the northern podium.
Tour of Belgium: Merlier likes to be alone in the winner’s photo!
Wout van aert in yellow in Boulogne-sur-Mer
But the dream in yellow of Tim Merlier is likely to stop from the second stage, who should smile at a man who knows how to pass the bumps and holds a good speed of speed (with two 3rd category coasts and one of 4th located in the last 30 kilometers).
A arrival profile which should correspond wonderfully to a Wout Van Aert. Especially since the man of Herentals has rebuilded on the Giro. From Visma yellow to that of the Tour leader, there is only a slight change in tone that Van Aert can dream. Unless Thibau Nys, to whom the stages of this beginning of the round also seem to be suitable, comes to thwart WVA plans. His coach Paul van den Bosch did not hide the ambitions of his foal. “If he announces that it is his day, it will be his day. After Liège, he entrusted us with the steps he was aiming on the Tour: the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th.” The hypothesis of seeing Nys or Van Aert take the yellow jersey in Boulogne-sur-Mer and then keeping it to the time in Caen does not seem incongruous.
Remco Evenepoel winner of the time and new yellow jersey of the Dauphiné: “I dream of doing the same thing on the Tour de France in Caen!”
Remco Evenepoel to Hautacam and more if affinities
A time on which the identity of the winner is hardly in doubt. If it is in good shape, few will be those who will be able to deprive Remco from victory to Caen, during the 5th stage. “”It is true that there is a great and good opportunity to take the yellow jersey after this first time trial. However, I will be wary of Ganna, if he is indeed at the start, which could focus on this mission. It would be a dream to realize the same double blow to Caen as on this runner -up. I will not hide that this is a goal for the team and for me to try to take the yellow jersey with Tim Merlier during the 1st stage then with me on this time trial “said the world champion for the financial year, who had put 21 seconds that day in the view of Vingegaard and 49 in Pogacar on a time of just over 17 terminals.
That of the 5th stage of the Tour will be almost twice as long as that of the Dauphiné (33 km). Enough to take a small mattress in advance until arrival at the top in Hautacam, during the 12th stage, which will be the first of very high mountains, land on which Jonas Vingegaard and especially Tadej Pogacar have proven that they were, for the moment, better armed than the Brabançon. The general leader’s armchair could then come to walked between the Slovenian glutton and the Danish feather during the 2nd part of a steepers, unless Remco lets them wait a little.
