The 21-year-old was our best placed rider at the Belgian Classic for the second season in a row, on a day with rain, wind and low temperatures.
Paul Magnier and the entire Soudal Quick-Step team entered Omloop Het Nieuwsblad with big ambitions, but unfortunately those took a hit in the final 60 kilometers. A touch of wheels with another rider led to two bike changes for the Frenchman – runner-up at last year’s edition – who was then helped by several of his teammates, including Yves Lampaert and Casper Pedersen – to make up ground.
At the front, the race quickly exploded, leaving only a couple of riders in the lead, all this while the Soudal Quick-Step guys were emptying themselves in the hope of bringing Paul back in contention. With the help of his incredible teammates, and some fantastic determination, Magnier managed to bridge across to what was left of the peloton just in time for the Muur-Kapelmuur and the Bosberg.
The 21-year-old rode impressively there and stayed with the others, as a strong chasing group emerged over those last climbs. Their chances of a podium were slim, but they kept pushing on the flat roads to Ninove, and in the end, Paul finished in 11th place in what was the first of his two outings this weekend.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
