page_title: Gianni Meersman
section_title: Major results
hierarchical_section_title: Gianni Meersman / Major results
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Reportage réalisé le vendredi 20 mars à l'occasion de l'arrivée de la Handzame Classic 2015 à Bredene (Kortemark), Belgique. Nederlands: Aankomst, vrijdag 20 maart, Handzame Classic 2015, Handzame (Kortemark), België. Depicted people: Antoine Demoitié, Gianni Meersman and Tiesj Benoot Depicted team: Wallonie-Bruxelles, Etixx-Quick Step, Lotto-Soudal
context_page_description: Gianni Meersman 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.
context_section_description: 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
caption: Meersman (centre) on the podium after winning the 2015 Handzame Classic. Also pictured are Antoine Demoitié (left) and Tiesj Benoot (right).
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