Tim Merlier has reportedly completed a deal to join Quick Step Alphavinil starting in 2023.

The 29-year-old Merlier will replace Mark Cavendish on the team, but Cavendish has hired a new agent to extend his career elsewhere.

Quick Step Alfa Vinyl team boss Patrick Lefebvre has long expressed interest in Merlier, and in a recent interview with La Dernière Heure he said he would love to have the Belgian sprinter on the team.

Merlier's contract expires at the end of 2022, but WielerFlits (open in new tab) reports that the deal to move to Quick Step is done.

The Belgian outlet reported that UAE Team Emirates and Israel Premier Tech are interested in signing Mellier, while Alpecin Phoenix also wants him to join them as they aim for promotion to the World Tour next season.

In the end, however, Quick Step won out and a two-year deal was signed.11]

The move would see Mellier team up with Dutch sprinter Fabio Jacobsen.

Merlier won three races in 2022, including a stage win at Tirreno-Adriatico, and last year he won stages at the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France, respectively.

He was scheduled to return to the Giro this year, but missed the race due to an elbow injury sustained in Paris-Roubaix. He will race at the Tour this July alongside Mathieu Van der Pol and fellow sprinter Jasper Philipsen.

Mellier's signing removes a major name from the sprinter market for 2023.

Jacobsen, Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates), Giacomo Nizzolo (Israel Premier Tech), and Giro points leader Arnaud Demare (Groupama-FDJ) are signed through next season.

Caleb Yuan (Lot Soudal), Wout Van Art (Jumbo-Visma), Elia Viviani (Ineos Grenadiers), and Dylan Groenewegen (Bike Exchange-Jayco) are under contract until 2024.

Up-and-coming sprinters such as Olaf Kooij (Jumbo Visma) and Arnaud de Lier (Lotto Soudal) also have ongoing contracts.

Cavendish is therefore the most watched sprinter of the year, along with his former teammate Fernando Gaviria, whose contract expired at UAE Team Emirates.

Intermarche Classic leader Alexander Kristoff is also out of contract, as is young talent Kayden Groves (BikeExchange-Jayco) with Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorias) and Cees Bol (Team DSM) as well, are free to transfer.