Paul Magnier and Tim Merlier headed to the Tour together? "Worries for later"

Two sprint stages, two victories. Paul Magnier is currently the fastest man in the 109th Giro d'Italia. With the 22-year-old Frenchman, Soudal Quick-Step holds (sprint) gold, but within the team, there is of course also Tim Merlier. A luxury situation or the start of an internal rivalry?

While Magnier is focusing on the Giro d'Italia this year, Merlier will be deployed in the upcoming Tour de France. But what if the Frenchman also wants to prove himself in his home race in the coming years? “That is definitely the next step in his career,” team director Tom Steels responded in an interview with Sporza.

Together to the Tour? 
“Paul has all the qualities to excel in that race as well. If the route allows it, they could go to the Tour together. In certain sprints, you can play Merlier, and in other stages, Magnier. But those are concerns for later.”

For now, Steels mainly enjoys Magnier’s performances in the Giro d'Italia. The Frenchman is currently the undisputed sprint king, and that after a rather disappointing spring season. But this does not come as a surprise to Steels. “Paul already showed fantastic things last autumn. He just needed a stage win in a Grand Tour to really break through.”

Fresh breeze
“And he achieved that in an impressive way. [...] Paul simply never was in the flow you need to win the classics. During the Opening Weekend, he had two very annoying punctures. In Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, he managed to come back after a wild chase, but not in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.”

“The altitude training camp in the Sierra Nevada brought a fresh breeze to his mind. Paul got the boost he needed there. What gave him extra confidence was the team he took to the Giro. A sprint train he trusts 200 percent.”