Visma | Lease a Bike “did everything right,” but Kooij can’t finish the job against Merlier: “More pure speed”
CyclingThursday, 16 October 2025 at 13:20
Olav Kooij and Tim Merlier were the two big names for the bunch sprints at the Tour of Holland, and they lived up to expectations right from the first opportunity. In stage one, Merlier narrowly claimed victory for Soudal Quick-Step, securing the team’s 50th win of 2025. Visma | Lease a Bike, meanwhile, was left empty-handed.
“I’m happy to have delivered the 50th win of the season,” said Merlier afterward. The 32-year-old Belgian also celebrated his 16th individual victory of the year. “This was an incredible performance by the whole team, it says everything about our ambition and team spirit. We want to keep this motivation going through Sunday, both here and at the Tour of Guangxi.”
Merlier was referring, of course, to Paul Magnier, who continues to dominate in China with two stage wins and counting. The Wolfpack is flying in the final weeks of the year and beating Kooij, one of the fastest rivals around, made this victory even sweeter. “It was a tough sprint, but I had the right timing and the legs to finish it off,” Merlier said. “Let’s see what more we can do.”
Continue reading below the video
Kooij saw Merlier getting closer and closer
And Kooij? Naturally, there wasn’t much joy to be found. “We can’t blame ourselves today. We did everything right in the final,” the Dutchman said in his team’s post-race analysis. “I was in an excellent position, so I knew I was definitely going to be close to the win.”
“Tim was inching closer and eventually pulled up alongside me. In the final meters, he just had a bit more pure speed and managed to edge me out,” he continued. “We both gave it everything, which made it really exciting. Today, the stage win was absolutely the main goal for me and the team. After tomorrow’s time trial, we’ll see where things stand for us in the general classification.”
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Latest Comments
- Cracked the code lol. If it was that easy to 'crack the code' jonny Vegas would be charging up the Kwaremont giving Pog a dose of his medicine. Evenepoel can't match pog on a climb and neither can mvdp. Anything with a half difficult climb and Pog smashes the field. Even on flat(ish)parcours like Roubaix it came down to a mistake and crash by pog to definitively crown mvdp. MSR is the only one that Pog probably won't win.kevpt10-10-2025
- We've seen this movie before. I think Pogacar is doping.DeadBlow10-10-2025
- 👍Bea08-10-2025
- 👌🏻Bea08-10-2025
- What the data doesn't show is how much of an effect drafting had for evenepoel. Pogacar went with del toro at 100km whilst Evenepoel was still in the bunch. Despite the bike changes he still had a lot of assistance getting back to the bunch. Pogacar then rode 60km solo whilst evenepoel rode with Healy/Skjelmose until going solo in thd last 10-15km. Thats ~20% less power / energy requirements for 45-50km. Apples and oranges...kevpt30-09-2025
- 👏👏Bea24-09-2025
- Agreed! As we all know now, Juan Ayuso will be on another team. But it was sweet to see him win the stages at La Vuelta. I do love the drama of cycling admittedly but its clear to see the talent of winners of stages in a Grand Tourryhw2814fq921-09-2025
- Pogacar has no competition he has won everything, I cant imagine even being him in that position!! Crazy. I am sure he has some back up plan for how he wants to spend his retirement years at age 30 onward. Does he like beer? Plenty of innovation in brewing. And you don't have to be super social. Chapeau/Cheers whatever you like Tadej you will do.ryhw2814fq921-09-2025
- Plus its confirmed that the Philadelphia Cycling Classic up the Manayunk Wall is back for 2026! hooray for thatryhw2814fq918-09-2025
- This is a dumb question but still why doesn't the UCI consider a grand tour in the USA in the future. We have the desolate/scary back roads in Pennsylvania and Virginia, just like in France with loads of rural land and hills. Plus the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and the Cascade/Olympic Mountains in Washington State. I'm sure it'll never happen but honestly people in PA/NJ/NY/VT/NH would love it. We are already sports fans, what is another sport to learn. I am forever optimistic about cycling in the US.ryhw2814fq918-09-2025
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