SCHILTIGHEIM - The laugh on his face was back. Eddy Merckx had a bad night after yesterday evening, he said, after the Belgian had lost his match against Sung-Won Choi on the first day (50-45). He could finally smile again this afternoon, after he defeated Dani Sánchez in the losers round 50-45 in 29 innings.
 
,,I must say that it felt like a release'', he said. ,,The recent weeks were not that good for my mind: my sponsors in France (Clichy) and Belgium (Zele) told me that they stop next season and in the Netherlands it was uncertain until some weeks ago. I'm concerned, of course, but I trust that everything will be alright again.''
 
And then there was that moment, yesterday against Choi, were he couldn't stop talking about. ,,It never happened before in my life, that I passed the timeframe'', he repeated.

Today he found himself and his rhythm again, in a solid match against Dani Sánchez, with small runs (two times six, on time five), against Sánchez only one time a six.

The match however was in balance until 43-43 in 26 innings, then Merckx finished with 5, 1 and 1.

Tomorrow he plays for the places five and six, Sánchez for seventh and eighth place.