"In some races that can cost him the win" - Tim Merlier worries about teammate Paul Magnier's sprinting success due to one detail

Sprinting is not all about the power. Aerodynamics, positioning, experience and willingness to take risks are all key parts of one of professional cycling's most thrilling moments but if one does not rule them all, it's not easy to succeed. Tim Merlier worries that his teammates Paul Magnier may lack one of them, and that it may affect him in the future.

The two are teammates since Soudal - Quick-Step signed the Frenchman back in 2024, and the 22-year old's progression has been stupendous. He took 19 pro wins in 2025, but most of them in smaller races. This confirmed he had the power, but perhaps not the perfect sprinting technique dialed in, which would have him struggle in the highly contested bunch sprints. Dialing it back 12 months, Magnier's best result at the 2025 Giro d'Italia was only a third place; whilst he finished in the Top10 only two other times.

This year however, the Frenchman has managed to improve on his consistency. Whilst a classics-focused spring perhaps saw him miss out on a few potential results, he won two stages at the Volta ao Algarve and is currently also the main favourite to win the maglia ciclamino at the Giro d'Italia after winning both sprint stages in Bulgaria.

However Magnier is an interesting case, as Merlier details. "Frederik (Broché, his coach, ed.) told me he is impressed by the wattages Paul Magnier has to push in the final five kilometres of the Giro, just to get to the sprint". Whilst impressive, those power numbers also reveal that Magnier's way of riding means he spends more energy before a sprint.

"But Paul also makes mistakes in that lead-up that we are going to have to sit down and talk about," Merlier said in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad. "Well, mistakes is maybe a big word. He sprints very well, but in his preparation, he tries very hard to play it safe. In some races that can cost him the win."

Whilst at the Giro it hasn't looked like a major barrier for the Frenchman, Merlier talks from a place of experience, as a multiple-time Tour de France stage winner (as well as in other sprinter goals such as the UAE Tour, Scheldeprijs, and many others).

Magnier is battling the likes of Jonathan Milan and Dylan Groenewegen at the Giro, however there are plenty other top men who he will be facing in the future, alongside their leadouts such as Jasper Philipsen an Matthew Brennan; but overall pelotons where there are more contenders. The two continue to split calendars successfully for Quick-Step, who is looking for a third top sprinter into the 2026 season - Jordi Meeus, Arnaud de Lie and Ben Turner have all been linked to the team, although it has been previously reported that only the latter will be making the move.