Sheffield takes first pro win in style

18 Feb 2022

Sheffield takes first pro win in style

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Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol - Stage 3 » Lucena › Otura, 153.2km

Magnus Sheffield claimed the first professional victory of his career with a late breakaway win in Andalucia.

The 19-year-old American found himself at the head of the race as a select lead group entered the final kilometre. The Grenadier put his time trialing skills on full display as he powered clear, opening up a gap to win solo into Otura.

The opportunist move was a superb way to claim the win in his neo-pro season, with a strong finish made even better as fellow first-year pro Ben Turner sprinted to fourth.

The Grenadiers had ridden well on the run-in, placing numbers into the front selection as the race split. With 2.4km to go both Carlos Rodriguez and Jhonatan Narvaez were caught up in a crash. Both men were able to finish, and should retain their positions on GC due to the three kilometre rule.
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Reaction

- Magnus Sheffield

"It feels unbelievable to be able to get my first professional win this early in the season. 

"The team plan before the stage was to try put me in the best position in the final KM’s and to try see how I could sprint. However, the race blew apart on the last climb but we had five guys in the front group which played out perfectly. 

"I haven’t won a bike race since my first year as a junior and I haven’t had many opportunities to show the progression I’ve made the past couple years. It all happened so fast but I knew I couldn’t let up the last hundred metres. 

"This win makes all the hard work and sacrifices I’ve made the past couple years all worth it and I feel like I can use this as confidence going into the classics."