Mass Sprint at the Head of the Peloton, 2021

Merlier wins the first mass sprint of his first Grand Tour

9 May will always be the day Wouter Weylandt died after crashing on the descent of the Passo del Bocco during the 2011 Giro. His race number, 108, was removed from the start list, hence Tejay Van Garderen wearing dossard 109 here. As Tim Merlier crossed the finish line to win the first sprint finish in the first Grand Tour of his career, he made the tragically familiar “W” sign with his hands and pointed to the sky. Water-based Oil on watercolour paper