Magnier confident as other sprinters refuse to give up on stage 12 sprint

The central question is simple: can the fast men survive the hills?

For several of them, the answer on the start line was yes. Or at least, yes with conditions attached.

Paul Magnier, already the dominant sprinting reference of this Giro, sounded like a rider who knows the opportunity is real. Soudal Quick-Step have every reason to control the stage, not only because of Magnier’s speed, but also because of the points classification. The Frenchman admitted the middle part of the stage would be difficult, yet the finale clearly caught his eye.

“When I look at the final kilometres, I get very happy,” Magnier said. “The middle will be hard, but as a team we will try to control. It depends on the objectives of the other teams whether I can survive the climb, but I have full confidence.”

Magnier’s confidence is relevant because Soudal Quick-Step may be one of the few teams willing to take responsibility. If they commit early, others may follow. If they hesitate, the breakaway could quickly build a lead that becomes difficult to control.

Dylan Groenewegen also wants a sprint, although his tone was more measured. The Unibet Rose Rockets rider knows Milan and Rome look more obvious on paper, but he is not ruling out Novi Ligure.

“We have several plans for today,” Groenewegen said. “I still feel reasonably fresh. Milan and Rome are bigger chances, but hopefully I can take my chance today as well.”

Ethan Vernon framed the stage as a tactical fork in the road for NSN Cycling Team. With Jake Stewart out and illness moving through the peloton, the team’s sprint structure is not what it was. Still, they have options. Vernon would prefer a bunch sprint, while Corbin Strong would likely welcome a more selective race.

“Today is the first stage where we do not know in advance who we are riding for,” Vernon said. “It will depend on the race situation whether Corbin or I can go for it. I hope it is a bunch sprint and Corbin hopes for a reduced sprint, but we have good cards for both scenarios.”

Pascal Ackermann was perhaps the most realistic of the sprinters. Jayco AlUla are still primarily focused on Ben O’Connor’s general classification campaign, which means Ackermann may have to fend for himself if the race comes back together.

“It is a special stage, because we have very little influence on how it ends for us,” he said. “On the final climb it will go hard and some sprinters may be dropped. If I can sprint, we have to see who is still in the group.”

Ackermann also pointed to the changing profile of modern sprinters. The pure fast man is no longer enough on days like this. “Almost all sprinters can climb very well now,” he said. “Paul Magnier has been on another level so far.”

Casper van Uden, meanwhile, sounded like one of the most confident riders in the grey area between sprinter and survivor. The Picnic PostNL rider believes he has climbed better than most of his rivals in this Giro and sees no need for his team to take full responsibility, unless the race situation demands it.

“I expect Movistar to make it hard on the climb,” Van Uden said. “But if a lot of riders are dropped and I am still there, then we will help. I expect the same from NSN.”

Tobias Lund Andresen expects a sprint, though not necessarily a full one. The Decathlon CMA CGM rider has been ill and admitted he does not feel at 100 percent, which weakens one of the key teams that might otherwise have driven the race hard.

“I think we will sprint today,” he said. “Maybe from a reduced group, but I expect a sprint. If I get over the top with Milan, I will be satisfied.”

That could be the crucial alliance. If Movistar, Soudal Quick-Step, NSN, Picnic PostNL and Decathlon CMA CGM all believe their sprinter can survive, the breakaway will face a difficult task. But if one or two of those teams lose faith, control may collapse quickly.

So the conclusion might be that Stage 12 is not a sprint stage. Not quite. It is not a breakaway stage either. Not fully. It is a day where the sprinters must earn the right to sprint.