Paul Magnier claims Tour d’Allemagne revenge in Heilbronn

Paul Magnier finally secured his Tour d’Allemagne win in Heilbronn, turning earlier disappointments into victory for Soudal-Quick Step. The French sprinter had been beaten by Isaac del Toro in the prologue and by Alessio Magagnotti on Friday’s second stage, but finished the race with the strongest sprint.

Magnier was led into the final 300 metres before producing his decisive effort. Danny van Poppel finished second and Tim Torn Teutenberg took third. Del Toro stayed clear of the sprinters until the closing metres, but could not hold them off at the finish.

The race had been shaped by repeated attacks before the peloton regrouped. A six-man breakaway gained as much as three minutes, with Ian King, Ben Felix Jochum and Miguel Heidemann the last riders caught. Their move ended 15 kilometres from the finish. Louis Barré then attacked, and Mathias Vacek joined him, but both were brought back with fewer than seven kilometres remaining.

Del Toro’s late resistance did not cost him the overall title. The Mexican rider finished first in the general classification, ahead of Barré and Marc Hirschi, while Magnier’s stage success gave Soudal-Quick Step its reward after two near-misses earlier in the event.