No luck for Paul Magnier Wednesday afternoon.
The second stage of the CRO Race was the shortest of this edition, only 114.5 kilometers from Biograd na Moru to Novalja, and despite the presence of two classified climbs on the parcours – one not far from the finish – everyone knew it was going to be another battle between the sprinters for the victory.
Soudal Quick-Step once again took over the pace setting in the peloton as soon as a breakaway formed and worked tirelessly to bring things back together before the last hurdle of the day. After the escapees were caught, other riders tried to go clear on that small bump that came with 15 kilometers to go, but our team neutralized those moves while keeping Paul Magnier well placed.
In the sprint, Dries Van Gestel guided the Frenchman through the bunch, but the best young rider of the race couldn’t find the space to launch his effort, as he was blocked on the left side of the road, and ended up outside the top ten.