"I can be among the best sprinters in the world" - Paul Magnier confirms Giro d'Italia breakthrough with maglia ciclamino triumph
Cycling
Paul Magnier has reached the status that he had the potential for throughout the last few years, at last. The Soudal - Quick-Step sprinter has been crowned the Giro d'Italia's new maglia ciclamino after a spotless race in which he was by far the most successful sprinter.
Magnier without a doubt one of the best in the world
The Frenchman, at a fresh 22 years of age, already has 29 pro wins. Last season he was the second rider to win the most out of the male professionals in the peloton, only behind Tadej Pogacar. Much of that was late in the year on smaller races, however his consistency was beyond any expectations. It could be argued that he was still lacking the quality victories, but he has turned last fall's confidence into results this spring.
“Yeah, it’s true that I think I’ve shown I can be among the best sprinters in the world," Magnier said in Rome this Sunday. After a promising two stage victories at the Volta ao Algarve early in the year, the Frenchman put in the display of a lifetime to win three stages at the Giro d'Italia, where he frequently had to battle the likes of Jonathan Milan and Dylan Groenewegen; whilst also managing the threat of Jhonatan Narváez for the jersey he seeked.
In Rome he was not successful, but he had already achieved more than what the most optimistic forecast could've predicted. "I’d also like to thank the team, who did an exceptional job. I think I had one of the best lead-outs on this stage, and my legs were feeling really strong too,”
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French national championships the next big goal
A pillar to his success was his leadout, and the team has reached perfection much due to the signing of Jasper Stuyven who was Magnier's key guide throughout the past three weeks. He will continue aiding the team's sprinting ambitions elsewhere now.
“I think Jasper will now focus on the Tour de France with Tim Merlier. I wish them all the best. I think Tim is truly the fastest sprinter in the world, and I hope he’ll be able to shine at the Tour de France. As for me, I’m going to try to rest up to have a strong end to the season," he adds.
In his schedule is the Circuit Franco-Belge and the Muur Classic Geraardsbergen already in the upcoming weeks, races that have been programmed as he looks to maintain his racing rhythm ahead of his next big goal: “I think the main focus will be the French Championships, followed by the end of the season with the Tour de Pologne".
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- She deviated from her line - end of
leedorney10-11-2026 - If I was Lucinda Brand, I'd refuse to wear the jersey. Is there a rule that she "has to" wear it, as the winner? It would certainly feel like stolen valor.wrsty10-11-2026
- but don't let your socks be too long or handlebars be a cm too narrow.mij10-11-2026
- Saw a casual interview with Geraint Thomas and him a few years ago. Seems like a nice laid guy and I wish him well.GregT10-11-2026
- Ernesto Maggioni - The president of the commissaires Mafia. It is getting evident that this guy is basically "Iamalwaysrightandyouarestupidsoiwontlistentoyou" kind of guy. So fire him so that he can be always right in his homeabstractengineer10-11-2026
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- 🐐❤️Lozza09-11-2026
- This is such a black eye to women's professional cyclocross if this result remains. Marie Schreiber won this race fairly. This finish is not unlike others in cyclocross. Lots of moving around to get to the finish not to cut anyone off , but to generate a sprint on soft wide tires caked with mud and sand. This is not nearly the same as a road race between two riders sprinting to the finish on faster bikes and thinner firmer tires. The powers in charge need to use some common sense, reverse this result and remember this is Cyclocross not Road racing. Unbelievable. . .Zencycle09-11-2026
- Tis beyond your comprehension fine sir so best not to look on with blind eyes to THE GOATS greatness.
Brucegel09-11-2026 - McNulty winning was beneficial in ensuring the rainbow jersey would not remain winless
Front24209-11-2026
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