Third podium in as many days for Soudal Quick-Step.
Paul Magnier made it to the finish of the selective Tour of Britain stage 3 together with the reduced bunch, from where he sprinted to second, a result that moved him closer to the lead in the points classification. The first rider to wear the green jersey at this edition, the 20-year-old punched above his weight on a hilly day with some inclement weather – nagging rain and crosswinds – that was more suited to the puncheurs, and even moved up two places in the standings, where he is now seventh.
The French neo-pro benefited throughout the day by a solid effort from the work of his Soudal Quick-Step teammates, including Julian Alaphilippe and Remco Evenepoel, while at the front of the race, Gil Gelders was putting pressure on the peloton, part of a strong seven-man breakaway. Gil attacked several times in the finale, trying to complicate the task of those behind, but despite his spirited effort, the escapees were reeled in just five kilometers from home.
In the uphill sprint that took place on the streets of Barnsley, Paul managed to finish runner-up despite being boxed in at one point, concluding behind Stephen Williams (Israel-PremierTech) for his sixth top-three result in the Soudal Quick-Step jersey.
“Today was a very hard stage from the start all the way to the finish, and the rain and wind made it even more complicated. On the other hand, I felt good and had a strong team around me, who made sure to bring me to the front before each climb so I could save energy. A was boxed in a bit in the sprint, but second is still a good result, even though I would have preferred a victory instead. I will focus now on the three flat stages left, hoping they will come down to a bunch sprint”, Paul explained after the stage.
Photo credit: ©SWpix
Paul Magnier 