A morale-boosting result for the young Frenchman after a hard day in the saddle.
The city of Paolo Sorrentino and of the current Serie A leaders, Napoli first hosted a stage finish in 1909. It was the inaugural edition of the race, the once mighty Ottoman Empire was more than a decade away from dissolving, and Giovanni Rossignoli emerged as the fastest from a small group after 242 kilometers and four climbs.
On Thursday, the peloton returned there at the end of this year’s longest stage – 227 kilometers – and this time it was a bunch sprint, which was won by Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck). It was the last day before the race’s first summit finish, and for that reason, the peloton took it easy behind the small breakaway animating the stage that comprised four climbs, the last of which came around 80 kilometers from the finish.
The race wasn’t quiet, on the contrary; due to the rain and the slippery roads, a huge crash took place with 70 kilometers to go, taking out of the race a couple of riders. Soudal Quick-Step’s Josef Cerny, Gianmarco Garofoli and Paul Magnier were involved in that pile-up that prompted the organisers to briefly neutralize the stage, but fortunately continued and concluded the race. Despite this important setback, Magnier still featured in the finale and showed a strong turn of speed in the last 300 meters, sprinting to third for his first Grand Tour podium – a result from which the Frenchman will take a lot of heart.
“It was a complicated stage with that crash that changed how the finale was raced, because the GC guys weren’t there in the end and the peloton was significantly reduced. The last kilometers were really fast, as we pulled hard to catch the breakaway. Together with Luke, we did a good job and I could sprint – despite being boxed in – and get my first top three, which makes me happy and motivates me a lot to fight for a victory in the next flat stages. I am feeling better and better and I hope to get some more nice results at this race with the team”, said Paul after racking up his sixth podium of the year.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
