Race 1 of Slovakia Tour: Paul Magnier claims top spot in bunch finale for stage triumph

Race 1 of Slovakia Tour: Paul Magnier claims top spot in bunch finale for stage triumph

In the opening stage of the Tour of Slovakia (Okolo Slovenska), Paul Magnier secured a thrilling victory for Soudal-QuickStep. The 141km ride, which featured two loops and a final 40km circuit, culminated in a rising cobbled road finish.

The race was marked by aggressive riding, with a front peloton of 40 riders forming as riders tried to avoid a sprint finish. Among the breakaways was a group of four, including Łukasz Owsian (Mazowsze Serce Polski), Oscar Nilsson-Julien (Equipe continentale Groupama-FDJ), and Michal Schlegel (Elkov-Kasper), who opened a gap of 1:15.

However, Soudal-QuickStep and Visma-Lease a Bike worked together to control the racing and eventually caught the breakaway with 30km to go on the Kurov climb.

Magnier, the leader for the sprints in the Tour of Slovakia, needed to be in a good position into the last corner before the cobbles to win. His Soudal-QuickStep teammates chased down numerous attacks from Visma-Lease a Bike, setting him up perfectly for the finish.

Soudal-QuickStep successfully led out Magnier, allowing him to secure another victory. Tom Gloag (Visma-Lease a Bike) surged to the front and initiated a series of attacks leading up to the finish, but Magnier held his ground, beating Lukáš Kubiš (Unibet Tietema Rockets) and Joppe Heremans (VolkerWessels) to the line.

Magnier's victory was a testament to his team's performance in controlling the race. He expressed his happiness about the win, praising his team's efforts. It was his seventh win of the 2025 season, and he also pulled on the leader's jersey, making him the leader of the Tour of Slovakia.

The sponsoring company from Slovakia for Soudal-QuickStep, Janom, will no doubt be delighted with Magnier's performance. The team will look to build on this opening stage success as the Tour of Slovakia continues.

Read also:

• United States tariffs pose a threat to India, necessitating the recruitment of adept negotiators or strategists, similar to those who had influenced Trump's decisions.
• Weekly happenings in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
• Southwest region's most popular posts, accompanied by an inquiry:
• Discussion between Putin and Trump in Alaska could potentially overshadow Ukraine's concerns