Paul Magnier, just 19 years old, achieved his second victory of the season in the 3rd stage of the Tour of Oman, which saw the route shortened due to heavy rain in the country. Magnier proved to be the fastest in an uphill sprint.
His teammate Luke Lamperti came second and thanks to bonus seconds he took over the Tour lead. Bryan Coquard took third place in this stage.
The third stage of the Tour of Oman ended up being significantly shortened by the organizers due to bad weather conditions. The peloton covered just 76 kilometers from Naseem Garden to the finish in Al Bustan. The last kilometer presented a challenging incline, however, the change in route made the stage more suitable for more robust sprinters.
Four cyclists on the day’s trail
Four cyclists tried their luck on the day’s escape. BORA-hansgrohe’s Anton Palzer started early in the stage with David Delgado (Burgos-BH), Ariya Phounsavath (Roojai Insurance) and local rider Mohammed Al-Wahibi (Cycle KOM). The quartet took a lead of just over a minute, however, it was quickly nullified, making it obvious that the stage would end in a massive contest.
Victory for Paul Magnier
Paul Magnier, who also won the Trofeo Ses Salines-Felanitx in January, was fastest in the massive contest. His teammate, American Luke Lamperti, finished second and now leads the Tour of Oman thanks to bonus seconds.
Soudal Quick-Step has reason to celebrate the performances of its two young talents, Paul Magnier and Luke Lamperti, as they are both in their first year as professionals and are demonstrating that they can compete with the best sprinters in the world.