This page contains the stage podium, the race story, GC implications after the stage, and per-rider performance. Read no further if you intend to watch this stage unspoiled.
Paul Magnier doubled up with his second Giro sprint win in three days, beating Jonathan Milan and Dylan Groenewegen in Sofia to close the Bulgarian Grande Partenza. The lone cat-2 climb (Borovets Pass) was never going to disturb the sprinter scenario; Magnier kept the pink jersey for the rest day transfer to Italy.
175 km from Plovdiv to Sofia. Flat opening, one cat-2 climb (Borovets Pass, 9.2 km at 5.3%), descent and run-in to Sofia. The break formed early and was caught with kilometres to spare; the GC contenders stayed safe in the front of the bunch through to the sprint.
Bonus seconds on the stage win and intermediate sprint keep Soudal's young sprinter in pink across the rest day transfer to Italy.
Doubled up in Sofia, taking his second bunch sprint in three days to close out the Bulgarian opening before the transfer to Italy. Back-to-back wins established Magnier and Soudal Quick-Step as the dominant sprint force of week one and put him firmly into the maglia ciclamino fight.
Second on the Sofia sprint. Magnier's lead-out was cleaner; Milan's Lidl-Trek train still working through early-Giro chemistry.