The peloton almost embarrassed themselves on Sunday during the final stage of the Giro d’Italia’s Bulgarian Grande Partenza. A stubborn three-man breakaway nearly stole the transition stage into Sofia, surviving until a panicked chase neutralized them with 500 meters remaining. As the race hit the wide boulevards and a cobbled drag to the finish line, the established fast men desperately scrambled to organize their heavy-hitting lead-outs. But 22-year-old French phenom Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) proved that his Stage 1 victory was absolutely not a fluke. Magnier brilliantly surfed the chaos, letting his rivals burn their matches before launching an acceleration in the final 150 meters. He edged out Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) right at the line, securing his second stage win of the weekend and firmly locking down the cyclamen points jersey. The peloton now mercifully boards a flight to Italy for the first rest day, desperately hoping they can leave Magnier’s sprinting form behind in Eastern Europe.
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