# Gianni Meersman

Gianni Meersman (born 5 December 1985) is a Belgian former professional track and road bicycle racer, who rode professionally between 2007 and 2016 for the Discovery Channel, FDJ, Lotto–Belisol and Etixx–Quick-Step teams. He currently works as a directeur sportif for the Pauwels Sauzen–Bingoal team.
After stage 3 of the 2007 Tour de Georgia, Meersman was forced to abandon the race due to a severe case of patella tendinitis. He treated the riders of the Grand Peloton, a charity fundraiser ride, to his presence as the Peloton Captain of the "Blue Peloton". Meersman finally came to Grand Tour prominence, after 10 years as a professional racer, at the 2016 Vuelta a España winning two stages in bunch sprints. During the race, Fortuneo–Vital Concept announced that Meersman had agreed a one-year contract with the team for 2017. However, a diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmia and scar tissue on his heart forced Meersman to announce his retirement on 30 December 2016. On 11 October 2017, Meersman was confirmed as the new sporting director for cyclo-cross team Marlux–Napoleon Games.

## Major results
### 2002

    2nd Time trial, National Junior Road Championships

### 2004

    1st Circuit de Wallonie
    10th Grand Prix Criquielion

### 2005

    1st Stage 1 Ronde de l'Isard
    3rd Flèche Ardennaise
    7th Road race, UCI Under-23 Road World Championships
    8th Overall Le Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux

### 2006

    2nd Zellik–Galmaarden
    6th Overall Circuit des Ardennes

### 2007

    1st Stage 5 Tour of Austria
    1st Stage 3 Tour de Georgia
    7th Overall Tour of Belgium
    8th Overall Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen

### 2008

    1st Stage 4 Tour de Wallonie
    2nd Overall Étoile de Bessèges
    3rd Trophée des Grimpeurs
    3rd Grand Prix de Plumelec-Morbihan
    6th Overall Four Days of Dunkirk
    9th Overall Circuit de Lorraine

### 2010

    2nd Overall Paris–Corrèze

### 2011

    1st Overall Circuit des Ardennes
       1st Points classification
       1st Stage 2
    2nd Road race, National Road Championships
    2nd Paris–Troyes
    2nd Route Adélie
    3rd Halle–Ingooigem
    4th Flèche d'Emeraude
    7th Overall Settimana Internazionale di Coppi e Bartali
    8th Brabantse Pijl
    10th Overall Ster ZLM Toer

### 2012

    1st Stage 4 Paris–Nice
    2nd Overall Tour de Wallonie
    3rd Clásica de San Sebastián
    10th Overall Volta ao Algarve
       1st Stage 1

### 2013

    Volta a Catalunya
       1st Stages 1 & 2
    Tour de Romandie
       1st Stages 1 & 3
    1st Prologue Tour de l'Ain
    1st Points classification, Critérium du Dauphiné
    2nd Road race, National Road Championships
    6th Les Boucles du Sud Ardèche
    6th Eschborn-Frankfurt City Loop
    7th Trofeo Platja de Muro

### 2014

    1st Overall Tour de Wallonie
       1st Points classification
       1st Stage 5
    1st Trofeo Muro-Port d'Alcúdia
    Tour de l'Ain
       1st Prologue & Stage 2
    3rd Overall Ster ZLM Toer
    3rd Trofeo Ses Salines
    3rd La Drôme Classic
    4th Overall Tour de Picardie
    4th Trofeo Palma
    6th Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
    7th Grand Prix Impanis-Van Petegem
    9th Classic Sud-Ardèche

### 2015

    1st Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
    1st Handzame Classic
    1st Stage 1 Volta ao Algarve
    2nd Le Samyn
    6th Down Under Classic

### 2016

    Vuelta a España
       1st Stages 2 & 5
       Held after Stages 2 & 5–9
    2nd Overall Tour de Wallonie
    3rd Handzame Classic
    8th Münsterland Giro

### Grand Tour general classification results timeline

| Grand Tour | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
| Giro d'Italia | — | — | — | — | DNF | — | — | DNF | — |
| Tour de France | — | — | — | 77 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Vuelta a España | DNF | — | 98 | — | 57 | 58 | — | — | 111 |
Legend :
| — | Did not compete |
| DNF | Did not finish |