Merlier wins Brugge-De Panne sprint
The race is known as a kind of unofficial world sprinters' championships and is the first big race of the season in Belgium.
Merlier had been among the pre-race favourites, along with veteran Mark Cavendish. But in the final stretch the Briton sat up early.
In the crash-marred dash for the line Dutch fast-man Dylan Groenwegen came closest finishing second and Frenchman Nacer Bouhanni took third.
Merlier won a stage at the Tirreno-Adriatico in March and was also a stage winner at both the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France last season.
This 46th edition of the race was run over narrow roads over 207km from Brugge to De Panne on a bright day through flat, green fields.