Lefevere confirms Magnier's imminent withdrawal and breaks down Giro sprints: "Cipollini would never have reached 42"

"Last year, we won four stages in the Giro; now we're at zero," Lefevere starts his column. "Let's face it: I don't see how things will be any different in Rome. It's a bummer, but our Giro was pretty much over when Mikel Landa crashed in the opening stage."

"Of course, we have sprinter Paul Magnier, but he realizes that the Giro is not the Star of Bessèges," Lefevere continues. "That is — don't get me wrong — absolutely no criticism. He is 21 years old and riding his first Grand Tour. You have a learning curve. Paul has also had his share of bad luck in this Giro. He crashed heavily in the stage to Naples. To then still manage to finish third: well done."

"Last year, he crashed badly in the Tour of Britain, where we slightly underestimated the impact and had to leave him in the hospital, partly out of necessity. That crash took its toll, but he has now put that episode behind him, judging by Naples. On Thursday, Paul was really disappointed. He was where he needed to be in the sprint, but then he hit a pothole, and his chain came off. He got it back on quickly and still finished eighth, so we really have to take our hats off to him again. But at the same time, it's obviously a missed opportunity."

"In this Giro, the opportunities for sprinters like Paul are scarce. If Mario Cipollini had been a rider today, he would have never achieved his 42 Giro victories. With a bit of luck, we had three flat stages. Otherwise, there is always some elevation, and then Mads Pedersen, who is in the form of his life, is unbeatable," Lefevere agrees.

"There is one more sprint opportunity in the final week, and on the final day in Rome, the fast men will also have their chance, but Paul won't be there to see it. In theory, he will leave the race on Monday, the rest day. At this point in his career, two weeks are more than enough."