Slovakia Tour: Paul Magnier delivers another impressive performance following a flawless sprint assistance from Soudal-QuickStep during stage 3
In a thrilling third stage of the Tour of Slovakia, Soudal-QuickStep's Paul Magnier clinched his third consecutive win, extending his overall race lead.
The breakaway group, consisting of three riders, formed with 125km remaining in the 191km race from Kežmarok to Banská Bystrica. However, Thomas Gloag of Visma-Lease a Bike led the race for a significant portion of the stage.
Gloag was eventually caught by the peloton before the final intermediate sprint, where Magnier gained bonus seconds, further strengthening his position.
The final 10km of the race was a flat stretch, setting the stage for an exciting sprint finish. Magnier's victory was a result of a perfectly-executed sprint lead out from his team, with Dries Van Gestel taking over in the final kilometre to position Magnier for the sprint.
Matthew Walls finished in third place, while Lukáš Kubiš took second. Niklas Behrens of Visma-Lease a Bike attempted a long sprint but acted as a guide in the final kilometre.
Oscar Nilsson-Julien of Equipe continentale Groupama-FDJ and Rick Ottema of Diftar Continental Cyclingteam created another attack, but they were unable to shake off the determined Magnier. Josef Černý controlled the race at a steep climb, and later attacks were also controlled by the Soudal-QuickStep team.
Paul Magnier has now won a total of 14 races, with nine wins in 2025 alone. His latest victory marks the third time he has won three stages in a row, having done so in the Tour of Britain the previous year.
Looking ahead, the final stage of the Tour of Slovakia is expected to be hard and hectic. If Magnier achieves a fourth stage win on Saturday, the rider from a competing team who would be most affected or separated would depend on the race standings and specific competitors on that day. Exact details of which rider and team this would be are not yet clear.
Magnier expressed his gratitude for his team's efforts, stating, "It's super nice for me and the team. Soudal-QuickStep did an amazing job."
As the Tour of Slovakia continues, all eyes will be on Magnier to see if he can maintain his impressive form and secure yet another victory.
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