Paul Magnier has done it again. The French rider claimed his second victory in just three stages of the Giro, showcasing a clever sprint to finish ahead of Jonathan Milan and Dylan Groenewegen in Sofia.
The stage, the last in Bulgaria before the race moves to Italy, connected Plovdiv, the country’s second-largest city, with the capital Sofia. As in the previous day, the Polti-VisitMalta team played an active role in the breakaway, with Diego Pablo Sevilla leading the charge once more. He was joined by teammates Alessandro Tonelli and Manuele Tarozzi, who briefly became the virtual race leader in the pink jersey.
Mid-stage, during the climb of the Borovets Pass (9.2 km at an average gradient of 5.3%), the UAE-Team Emirates faced difficulties after losing three riders, including their leader Adam Yates, following a tough crash the day before. Arnaud De Lie, supported by two teammates, struggled on the slopes of this second-category climb but managed to rejoin the peloton after the descent.
The trio of escapees held on until the RedBull KM sprint, which Tarozzi won ahead of Sevilla, who strengthened his blue jersey as best climber by crossing the summit first. The three pushed hard on the wide avenue leading to the finish, but the fast-moving peloton caught them with just 600 meters to go.
In the decisive sprint, Dylan Groenewegen initially seemed well-positioned, but it was Jonathan Milan who unleashed his power on the urban cobblestones. Following the Italian’s wheel, Paul Magnier waited for the perfect moment to strike. He launched his attack in the final corner, powering up the middle of the road. Unstoppable, he sealed his second stage win in three days, reinforcing his hold on the pink jersey. Uruguayan Guillermo Silva continues to lead the general classification.
Key mentions: Paul Magnier, Jonathan Milan, Dylan Groenewegen, Diego Pablo Sevilla, Manuele Tarozzi, Alessandro Tonelli.
