Tim Merlier conducted a risk assessment in the middle of the Tour de France sprint: ‘Then it's a bit like a casino’

After three stage wins for the Low Countries in the bunch sprints, a rider of a different nationality claimed victory for the first time on Wednesday: Uno-X’s Soren Waerenskjold of Norway. Top favorite Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) finished no higher than fifteenth and shared his thoughts with Sporza afterward.

Merlier's team did everything they could to force a sprint. However, once the breakaway was caught, the race slowed down again. “It’s always difficult when the pace drops and the speed slows down. No one took the initiative anymore.”

"Then it's a bit like a casino. I tried to make a move three or four times, but I had to hold back every time. I wasn't able to make my sprint, so you're left feeling frustrated," said Merlier, who held back in the very final stretch.

"I'd lost track of Jasper (Stuyven, ed.), and from there it's a gamble. The moment they picked up the pace, I knew it was going to be all or nothing." It didn't work out, since he couldn't find an opening to make his move.

"Everyone’s fighting for their spot, and then you have to decide whether you want to take the risk of pushing through and going down. You don’t want that either. So you hope you’ll get some space. If I’d gotten that, something definitely could have happened. I had to back off three or four times—I can’t really say much more than that,” he concluded.