Magnus Cort Nielsen to hunt stage wins at Giro d'Italia and Tour de France - "I absolutely want to win a stage"

Magnus Cort Nielsen had discussed his goal of riding the Giro d'Italia next season, so as to try and complete a set of stage wins in each Grand Tour. Now, the Giro appears to not be his only goal, as the Dane is looking towards repeating his Tour de France success.

“I hope to do the Giro and the Tour again next year. I don't know if it really bothered me, but I absolutely want to win a stage. It's no secret. This is one of the thoughts for next year's Giro," Cort Nielsen said in a recent interview. He's won the stage into Megève this year, aswell as one back in 2018. He's won six stages at the Vuelta a Espana in recent years too. 

Looking to complete the treble, he'll be racing the Giro in 2023 in search of stage wins. Then, he's set to do the same at the Tour de France. Without the pressure of scoring UCI points and changes in the points system there will be more freedom for the American team, and manager Jonathan Vaughters had talked about how even Richard Carapaz may follow a similar set of goals.

"I can't wait for such a talented rider to join the team," Cort Nielsen said of the Ecuadorian who has joined the team in a three-year contract. The reigning Olympic Champion, Carapaz is also a Grand Tour specialist and should be riding the Tour-Vuelta double.

"It becomes even more fun if you have someone in the race with you who you think can win. I've already had a captain on the podium twice in a Grand Tour, so I know what it's like," the Dane concluded.