Not San Remo, but Flemish classics are Paul Magnier's main focus: "We have a squad for that"

No, Soudal Quick-Step, without a true GC contender or top sprinter, is not the most visible team in Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico. But after Jasper Stuyven’s third place in Paris-Nice, rising star Paul Magnier is also gaining confidence for the classics with a fourth place in the sprint finish. According to team director Wilfried Peeters, the 21-year-old talent is on track.

"You always try to win a stage in the lead-up to the classics, but that’s not easy," Peeters explains to WielerFlits. "Paul lost his lead-outs in the final kilometers and had to come from too far back. We gave it a shot and he came on strong, but positioning and timing were crucial. The pieces of the puzzle just didn’t fall into place."

After an Opening Weekend where Magnier didn’t feature prominently, that fourth place was a nice boost. Although it must be noted that the Frenchman twice had a flat tire at a bad moment, which prevented him from fully defending his chances. "We’ve had bad luck, but more importantly, we feel like we’ve built a team again and the Wolfpack spirit is slowly coming back. That’s important heading into the Flemish block."

According to Peeters, their chances in those kinds of races are bigger than in Milan-San Remo. "Paul is certainly not the big favorite for Milan-San Remo," he explains. "Experience is very important in La Primavera and this is only his first time racing there. It’s about looking to the future and gaining confidence. If Pogacar and Van der Poel start, you know it’s going to be tough. They’ve proven that the last two years on the Cipressa."

So everything focused on the Flemish races? "That’s definitely what we are working towards," Peeters makes clear. "Paul is a rider who can handle quite a lot of races, but experience is also very important in those races. Fortunately, we’ve brought in Dylan van Baarle and Jasper Stuyven to pass on that experience to him. Let’s hope those three form a strong trio."

After Milan-San Remo, Magnier’s race program isn’t fully set yet. It’s quite likely, though, that he will start in In Flanders Fields (the former Gent-Wevelgem), Dwars door Vlaanderen, and the Tour of Flanders. After the classics, the Giro d’Italia awaits.