Paul Magnier scored Soudal Quick-Step’s 45th win of the season.
Another day, another Paul Magnier victory at the CRO Race, which on Thursday travelled from Gospic to Rijeka, the third-largest city in the country and a stage finish for the first time here. The Frenchman became the first rider to take three wins at a single edition since the race was created a decade ago and increased his buffer at the top of the general classification ahead of the week’s hardest day.
Unlike the previous two stages, this time it was a tight finish between Soudal Quick-Step’s 21-year-old and Ben Turner (Ineos Grenadiers), and the former prevailed for half a wheel after a sensational burst of speed in the last 200 meters. It was Paul’s 13th victory of what is a truly remarkable second season in the pro ranks and one that cemented his status as the most successful French rider in the peloton.
“It was close today, but I’m happy I had that something extra needed to clinch the win. I want to say a big thank you to both Josef Cerny and Antoine Huby, because they controlled the stage today and made my life easier. It’s another success that wouldn’t have been possible without the help of the whole team, as they reeled in all the attacks that came on the descent and once again put me in a perfect position for the sprint.”
“Friday’s stage should be too hard for me, but that doesn’t mean we won’t try to get a good result, as we have some really strong guys in the squad. It’s great to have three wins under the belt and I hope to get another chance to go for a victory by Sunday, when the race concludes”, Paul said after his hat-trick.
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