Paul Magnier wins the opening stage of the Tour of Guangxi and overtakes Gaviria’s stage-win record

Paul Magnier has started the Tour of Guangxi 2026 exactly as he finished the last edition: winning. The French sprinter from Soudal Quick-Step claimed victory in the first stage, contested over 149.2 kilometers starting and finishing in Chongzuo, and now has six wins in the seven stages he has raced in this event. An extraordinary dominance that allows him to become the first leader of the last WorldTour event of the season.

Magnier extends his dominance in the Tour of Guangxi and now has six victories

The first day delivered the expected outcome, although the peloton had to work to control a breakaway formed by Neilson Powless, Patrick Gamper, and Fredrik Dversnes.

The three riders maintained a high pace for a good part of the stage, but the efforts of Soudal Quick-Step, Decathlon CMA CGM, and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe ultimately neutralized the break with just over eight kilometers to go.

There was still time for a final attempt by Jasha Sütterlin, who attacked five kilometers from the finish and was caught before the last two kilometers.

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With the peloton grouped, Magnier once again demonstrated that few sprinters can match his acceleration at this moment. Cees Bol set up the finish for Olav Kooij, but the Frenchman found the moment to launch his sprint and clearly surpassed Max Kanter and Sam Welsford, who completed the podium.

Kooij, one of his main rivals, finished outside the top ten after an apparent contact with Magnier that forced him to interrupt his final acceleration.

The victory has a special meaning for Magnier. After winning five of the six stages of Guangxi in 2025, the Frenchman now has six stage wins in the Chinese event, matching the historical record of Fernando Gaviria.

Additionally, he takes the lead in the general classification with a four-second advantage over Max Kanter and Fredrik Dversnes.

The Tour of Guangxi will continue this Wednesday with a second stage of 179.5 kilometers between Chongzuo and Jingxi. A day that includes a second-category climb in its final part and could complicate the options for the sprinters.

Results of the first stage of the Tour of Guangxi 2026

1. Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) – 3:00:23
2. Max Kanter (XDS Astana) – +00
3. Sam Welsford (Netcompany INEOS) – +00
4. Oded Kogut (NSN Cycling) – +00
5. Arvid de Kleijn (Tudor Pro Cycling) – +00