No one in the picture! A very powerful Tim Merlier scores a hat-trick in Nokere Koerse after an incident-filled final

In a chaotic final, one thing was clear: Tim Merlier was by a wide margin the fastest in the group today. The Soudal-Quick Step leader blasted everything and everyone off his wheel onto the cobblestones of Nokereberg. Fabio Jacobsen (2nd) and Jasper Philipsen (3rd) were not in the photo, but were allowed on stage.

In the past fifteen years, only Ludovic Robet has managed to avoid the speed race in Nocker-Querres. By modifying the course slightly – the final cobblestone section was placed closer to the finish – the organization hoped for a more exciting battle between attackers and runners.

The latter category was well represented, with subsequent podium finishes not only for Tim Merlier – Fabio Jacobsen – Jasper Philipsen, but also Gerben Thyjsen, Pascal Ackermann, Milan Menten and Elia Viviani.

Team UAE and Groupama-FDJ were the only two teams without a major feud. They did whatever they could on the climbs and cobblestones to break things up, in service to Tim Wellens and Stefan Kung.

But after a few seconds no effort was made. Wellens himself had the best cartridge with a late surge on the Huisepontweg cobblestones, although he still looked empty.

Running again, although falling still plays a role. In the final kilometre, a questionable maneuver by Pascal Ackermann ended any hope for anyone beyond tenth place.

Merlier himself also appears to have been ruled out of victory due to a chain issue. Until he regained control of his bike just in time and began a stunning attack from the background into a stream on the Nokereberg cobblestones. A wonderful win, his third in a row.