Results Tour of Slovakia 2026 Stage 2 - Paul Magnier takes second stage win in a row as he takes bunch sprint victory
CyclingThursday, 17 September 2026 at 17:35
Paul Magnier won stage two of the 2026 Tour of Slovakia, dominating a bunch sprint to the line as the Soudal Quick-Step rider made it two wins from the opening two stages in a definitive show of strength as he holds on to the race leader's jersey into Friday's stage 3.
Thursday's stage 2 saw 186 kilometres on the menu including two category 2 and one category 1 climb before a largely downhill and flat final third of the stage. Although the climbs were over six and eight kilometres in length, all three featured average gradients of less than five percent.
It was a relatively calm opening half to the stage as three riders managed to get away from the bunch. Carl Kagevi, Martin Barta and Zsomber Palumby formed a steady trio at the front as they carved out a lead.
It floated around three minutes for much of the middle portion of the race, and as they approached the foothills before the day's final climb with 80 kilometres left to go, they boasted a three minute lead over the peloton behind.
Paul Magnier, Soudal Quick-Step star.
Magnier and Soudal control for bunch sprint
With manageable climbs to deal with, Paul Magnier appeared best suited to chase a second stage victory after his opening stage win on Wednesday.
On the climb to Strbska Pleso, that gap shrank further to two minutes as the peloton ensured that they would stay within range with a gradual descent on the agenda.
As the race then soared back down the slopes, and Kagevi having taken 20 KOM points to control the jersey heading into stage 3, the breakaway's lead stood at just one minute with 45 kilometres to go. However, the pace behind slowed and they re-built it to almost two minutes with 30 kilometres to go.
Breakaway caught as sprint looms
But Magnier's Soudal Quick-Step team weren't messing around as they quickly turned up the heat, they caught the break with 16 kilometres left to go as they looked to lock down a bunch sprint.
It all stayed together heading into the final kilometre as Groupama FDJ-United pushed hard for their sprinter Matteo Milan. But Magnier was right onto his wheel as it approached the line.
Magnier finished it off as Milan dropped off in the finale. Thomas Capra and Simon Vanicek completed the podium but it's the Frenchman's day as he makes it two from two in Slovakia.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- What was funny was that Red Bull's official news website didn't state how long the contract is for
Rafionain-Glas17-09-2026 - Michael Goolaerts (RIP), Briastre: in 2018 he suffered a cardiac arrest and crashed.,which was sadly fatal. Johan Museeuw, Arenberg: suffered a serious fractured kneecap in 1998 which threatened his career Davide Ballerini: Fractures of the hamate and trapezium bones in the left wrist in 2025. Ayco Bastiaens also sustained a left collarbone fractured, while Stefan Küng sustained facial and knee injuries and Silvan Dillier fractured his right hand, still completing his work for van der Poel.Rafionain-Glas17-09-2026
- luke and tom on Race Communique podcast talk about the race and the way it was ridden and how it frazzled the leaders more than normal-- super interesting segment I thoughtjad2917-09-2026
- I'm surpised we havn't seen any articles about that outburst, it was one of his best! He was screaming so loud you could hear it through the footage, full on psycho mode.jad2917-09-2026
- PogiFanBoy peaking through the window to get his photofrieders317-09-2026
- Since these insiders thought doping was the right thing to do, maybe outsiders wouldn't be such a bad thing. I still scratch my head over Hincapie running a pro team. He used just as much as Armstrong.
ScottG17-09-2026 - He won't, neither Seixas nor Del Toro are better climbers or time trialists than him, he is about to be at his physical peak in age.awp17-09-2026
- Well, that's not true, he podiumed in the Tour twice and won the Vuelta. He's by far the third best climber in the world, all the climb records where he has raced show this to be true.awp17-09-2026
- He could have, he has been injury free and seen good form, which he usually has.awp17-09-2026
- Remco did not improve much in 2026 so far, he has just had an injury free run up to the Tour, he has had serious crashes in the last few years, so much so that he had to abandon the Tour last year.awp17-09-2026
Loading
Write a comment