The Giro d'Italia's kid is a privileged student who dazzles with his precocity. The Soudal Quick-Step team nurtures the Frenchman Paul Magnier, the youngest in the Corsa Rosa, a sprinter who at 21 years and 30 days has already written six chapters in his palmares and boasts tutors with pedigree.
The youngster, who surprised on Tuesday with a seventh-place finish in the Lecce sprint, captivates the Belgian team's technicians with his boldness. In 2024, he debuted as a professional and won five stages, three of them in the Tour of Great Britain, where he had Remco Evenepoel and Julian Alaphilippe as lead-out men. Both protected a classics apprentice who made an impact that year with victories in the Trofeo Les Salines (his first elite race) and the Tour of Oman. In the U23 category, he claimed two wins in the Giro Baby and another in the Peace Race. In the current season, he has won a stage in the Etoile de Besseges.
Magnier was born in Laredo, Texas, but holds French nationality. At the age of 13, he started competing at his father's insistence. "At first, cycling didn't interest me, but my father bought me a mountain bike to have fun. He took me to some races, and I got hooked," he told Vélo magazine. He joined the Soudal Quick-Step feeder team after winning bronze medals at the U23 European Road Championships and the junior Mountain Bike World Championships in 2022. Paul is fortunate to share a team with his idol: "When I watched races on TV, I always focused on Julian Alaphilippe. I was fascinated by what he did, winning with style and making cycling fun and spectacular."
In the Belgian team, he has also crossed paths with Mikel Landa, who has been discharged from the hospital in Albania and has already started his recovery at home after a fall on Friday.
Patrick Lefevere, general manager of Soudal-Quick Step, values the youngster's versatility: "He has a lot of talent, as evidenced by his remarkable results in various disciplines." This confidence has been confirmed by his presence in significant races this season: Giro, Tirreno-Adriatico, Tour of Flanders, A Travers de Flandes, Gent-Wevelgem, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. "My favorite race is the Tour of Flanders; I dream of winning it, crossing the finish line alone," he said on his team's website. The Frenchman is passionate about the tradition of the cobblestone classics. Last April, he made his debut in Flanders with a 62nd place. "They are very tough races, with great battles for position before the climbs and in harsh weather conditions, with rain, wind, and low temperatures. At the same time, they are incredibly beautiful," he explained.
This passion for the cobbles fills the Belgian team with pride. His teammate, Yves Lampaert, predicts a splendid future for him: "He can be compared to Tom Boonen. He is very explosive and has a lot of endurance. We expect a lot from him; he can be a great champion. He's not a pure sprinter, but he's very fast. In Gent-Wevelgem or even in Paris-Roubaix, if he manages to reach the finish, he may have opportunities." The sports director, Tom Steels, also highlights the young cyclist in Vélo: "In Paul, we see great potential. He already impressed in his first season. He is tall and very fast, resembling Boonen."
At 21 years old, he already has six victories and knows how ruthless cycling can be. Last year, when he was fighting for his fourth victory in the Tour of Great Britain, he suffered a fall that caused him a injury to his left leg and elbow and a concussion that kept him immobilized in bed for two weeks.
The Giro's kid, who dreams of cobblestones, knows how to endure.