Is Paul Magnier the top favorite for the Omloop? "That's just you guys thinking"
Paul Magnier impressed again on Saturday in the Volta ao Algarve by winning another bunch sprint. A week before the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, it naturally raises the question: isn’t the Frenchman the top favorite to win the Omloop? However, at Soudal Quick-Step, they are not ready to admit that yet.
Afterwards, Magnier spoke about his second stage victory in the Algarve. The Frenchman described the last twenty kilometers as “very hectic.” “It was important to be near the front at the final roundabout, and luckily I had two teammates there to lead me onto the final straight. I’m happy with it, and for me, it’s important to already have confidence.”
Next week, the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is already on the calendar. With these two wins, Magnier heads there as one of the favorites. How does he see that himself? “The Omloop is a very different race, it’s a classic. Of course, having confidence is important; I especially hope we have Jasper back with us next week.”
Teammate Dries Van Gestel also didn’t want to label Magnier as a favorite after the race. “No, that’s just you lot making a fuss. We just do our best every week, and then we see where it takes us,” said the Belgian. “No one has ever won a race before it’s even been raced.”
“But of course, it’s nice to win today. We know Paul’s peak power values, and they are definitely impressive. I’m not exactly surprised by him; last year, he already managed to win nineteen races.”
