Jasper Stuyven admits he dislikes lead-out role after helping Tim Merlier win Tour de France stage

Tim Merlier proved comfortably the fastest in the sprint to win Stage 7 of the Tour de France on Friday. After the finish, the Belgian sprinter thanked Soudal Quick-Step teammate Jasper Stuyven for his excellent work during the finale. Stuyven was delighted that the team had completed the job, although he admitted that his unfamiliar role in the sprint train is not one he particularly enjoys.

Merlier powered to victory in Bordeaux, giving Soudal Quick-Step good reason to celebrate. The Belgian had to contest the sprint without his regular lead-out rider, Bert Van Lerberghe, who abandoned the race on Thursday after crashing heavily during the finale of Stage 5. That forced Stuyven to step in as Merlier’s final lead-out rider. Although the experienced Classics specialist performed the job successfully, he revealed that the responsibility had made him nervous throughout the stage.

“We lost Bert, who is our most important lead-out man,” Stuyven said to Eurosport after the finish. “I had to take over that role, and it isn’t something I enjoy. I was nervous all day. I brought them into the finale, and I think we produced a perfect performance.”

Once Stuyven had positioned his teammate, Merlier made no mistake. His victory was hardly a surprise to Stuyven, who believes the Belgian champion is currently the fastest sprinter in professional cycling. “Tim is the fastest rider on the planet at the moment,” Stuyven said. “I’m very happy and emotional that he won. This is extremely important for the team.”

Stuyven may not enjoy acting as a lead-out rider, but he never considered refusing the task. The 2021 Milan-San Remo winner explained that clear instructions from Merlier helped him remain confident during the chaotic closing kilometres. “When it has to be done, I will do it, but it isn’t something I particularly enjoy,” he admitted. “As a climber, it isn’t much fun. Having Tim on my wheel and hearing him give me good instructions gives me a lot of confidence. I’m very happy.”

The victory was a welcome boost for Soudal Quick-Step after the team missed out during the Tour’s first sprint opportunity. “We lost Bert yesterday, but we fought back today,” Stuyven added. “I think every team wants to win a stage at the Tour. With UAE at the start, that is already difficult because half of the stages are almost gone. I’m very happy that we have taken our stage victory.”