To say Jordi Meeus had a profitable final weekend can be something however an exaggeration. On stage 6 of the Tour de Suisse on Friday, the Belgian sprinter took his first win since a stage of the Volta ao Algarve in February – after which promptly deserted, flying north to Denmark to participate within the first-ever version of the Copenhagen Dash race. Which the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgröhe racer additionally received.
Whereas the mix of two wins in three days in two WorldTour races 1,300km aside was strikingly spectacular, it additionally raised questions on whether or not Meeus was permitted to do it. On paper, in spite of everything, riders usually are not allowed to give up one race so as participate in one other.
Nevertheless, as Meeus defined, on this event at the very least, the excessive variety of riders at present on the Pink Bull harm roster helped him safe the thirteenth and 14th wins of his profession.
In consequence, the Belgian racer bought a waiver from the UCI to permit him to finish his Tour of Suisse early – the place there have been, in any case, no extra alternatives for sprinters within the levels after his win – after which transfer on to Denmark.
“We did not have sufficient riders to begin in Denmark,” Meeus, already a winner in Scandinavia within the Tour of Norway final yr, informed Nieuwsblad, “partially as a result of [teammate and fellow sprinter] Sam Welsford bought injured within the Antwerp Port Epic.
“So we requested for a go from the UCI to let me fly there, and you realize the remainder of the story. There have been no issues – I had a terrific weekend.”
Meeus’ close to back-to-back victories started with what he referred to as a “sensible” lead-out from teammate Danny van Poppel in Suisse on stage 6 at Neuhausen am Reinfall, after which was adopted by a solo bid for glory at Copenhagen.
“I knew that there was a headwind within the dash, so I saved myself within the wheel so long as doable. The pack opened up properly in order that I might escape on the best. Whereas my rivals have been slowing, I had an ‘additional gear’ up my sleeve,” he defined.
Subsequent cease would be the Belgian Nationals at Binche, the place – whether or not Meeus likes it or not – he’ll need to race as a one-man group. However in any case, in terms of going for what he calls a significant objective, the Belgian’s morale is boosted by his run of current success.
“It’s a powerful circuit, however I do higher in a dash if it is like that,” Meeus, a former winner on the Champs-Élysées within the Tour de France but in addition ninth in Gent-Wevelgem this spring, informed Nieuwsblad, naming Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) and Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease Bike) as potential contenders .
“As a one-man group, I must be a bit fortunate and use the opposite groups’ energy to attempt to have an opportunity.”
