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, , and  teams. He currently works as a directeur sportif for the 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, 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.

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 Jersey yellow.svg Overall Circuit des Ardennes
 * 1st Jersey green.svg 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 Jersey green.svg 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 Jersey yellow.svg 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 Jersey green.svg after Stages 2 & 5–9
 * 2nd Overall Tour de Wallonie
 * 3rd Handzame Classic
 * 8th Münsterland Giro