Tim Merlier may have racked up 16 sprint wins in 2025, taking the title of Cyclingnews‘ top sprinter of the year in the process, but the Belgian has named an unexpected result as his best of the season just gone.
The 33-year-old, who won two stages of the Tour de France and Scheldeprijs last season, told former racer Jan Bakelants that his second place at Classic Gent-Wevelgem was his top result of the year.
“It was a reckoning with doubts that had lingered until then – whether Gent-Wevelgem was truly for a pure sprinter like me against all those Classics specialists. Look, four days after my crash in the Classic Brugge-De Panne, I actually considered withdrawing.
Merlier’s result, ahead of Jonathan Milan and Biniam Girmay but 49 seconds down on solo winner Mads Pedersen, was one of 20 podium spots scored during the 2025 season, a massive percentage of which – 80 – were wins.
As well as two Tour wins, in Dunkerque and Châteauroux ahead of Milan, Merlier also won six other times at WorldTour level, taking two stages apiece at the UAE Tour, Paris-Nice, and the Renewi Tour. He remained modest, however, saying that he’s not labelling himself as the best sprinter in the world.
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