With Soudal Quick-Step going back to their roots, will Magnier become the new Boonen? 'No pressure, but a compliment'

Nineteen victories, what a year it has been for Paul Magnier. The 21-year-old Frenchman was one of the standout revelations of 2025, especially during the autumn months. With the departure of Remco Evenepoel, Soudal Quick-Step are expected to place even more hope in their powerful young sprinter. But how does Magnier deal with that added responsibility?

Soudal Quick-Step are undergoing a transformation and will return to a familiar formula in 2026: more focus on the Classics and more opportunities for the sprinters. That means Magnier, alongside Tim Merlier, will be one of the key pillars of the team. “It doesn’t really feel like extra pressure,” Magnier told Sporza. “The staff and the riders believe in me, and I believe in them. That allows me to keep growing in the best possible conditions.”

Magnier’s 2025 season started a little sluggishly, with just one win up until May. For a rider earmarked as a spring leader, that was somewhat underwhelming. He had built up too much muscle mass, which made the climbs more difficult. Once he returned to his ideal weight, however, he became unstoppable: from June onwards, he racked up no fewer than 18 victories - albeit often in smaller races.

That is something he wants to change next year. “I want to become stronger in the longer races,” the young Frenchman explained. “A sprint after 260 kilometres is not the same as a sprint after 10 kilometres. So I’m working on my resilience and endurance. I’m also trying to get faster and to tame the cobbled climbs better.”

The Wolfpack are counting on his abilities in the Classics, with the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix as the main objectives. “Those are indeed the races I dream of,” Magnier said. “But they are also very hard to win. I truly believe the team will help me become the best rider I can be. That’s why I extended my contract until 2029. It’s a great shared project with the team.”

A young sprinter with Classic-winning qualities as team leader at Quick-Step - where have we heard that before? Tom Boonen joined Patrick Lefevere’s team back in 2003 and went on to win the Tour of Flanders three times and Paris-Roubaix four times. The comparison with Magnier is easily made: tall, fast, powerful, and also strong on the cobbles and short climbs. Have Soudal Quick-Step struck gold once again?

Being compared to an icon like ‘Tornado Tom’ would make many young talents nervous. Not Magnier. “I actually like hearing people compare me to him,” the level-headed Frenchman said. “I don’t see it as pressure, but as a compliment. At the end of my career, we’ll see whether we can compare our palmarès.”

This year, Magnier made his Grand Tour debut at the Giro d'Italia. But if he truly wants to measure himself against Boonen, success at the Tour de France will also be required. The Belgian won six stages there and took the green jersey in 2007. Magnier is keen on the Tour as well. “But not this year - I’ll be riding the Giro again,” he said. “The Tour in the coming years? Why not? As a Frenchman, the Tour is extra special.”