Team Visma | Lease a Bike stays out of Tour of Guangxi sprint battle

# Team Visma | Lease a Bike Focuses on Strategic Positioning in Tour of Guangxi

In a vibrant stage of the **Tour of Guangxi**, the excitement was palpable as a group of four riders broke away early in the race. However, with three challenging climbs looming near the end, they never managed to break free of the peloton’s watchful eye. Team Visma | Lease a Bike maintained a vigilant presence at the forefront of the race under the sweltering sun of eastern China.

Despite the demanding climbs, the sprinter teams dominated the finale, leading to a high-speed showdown on the streets of Bama, where **Paul Magnier** of *Soudal Quick-Step* secured his third consecutive victory. Meanwhile, **Niklas Behrens**, who had aimed for a higher placement after finishing eleventh the previous day, found himself boxed in during the final sprint and missed the opportunity to finish strong.

Reflecting on the day’s race, sports director **Jesper Mørkøv** stated, “All our GC riders crossed the line safely.” He emphasized, “We got through the day well. It was a hot, tough day for the riders. The key was to stay well-positioned in the peloton, and we did that.” Mørkøv added, “In the finale, the pace went up and we had hoped for a different scenario than a sprint, but that didn’t work out. Then we shifted our focus to Niklas, but unfortunately he got a bit boxed in during the sprint.”

Highlighting the positives, Mørkøv noted, “Cian looked very strong again. Our main targets are later this week. We’re really looking forward to the final climb in the fifth stage. As a team, we’re still in a good position.”

### Tour of Guangxi Stage 3 Results

– **1st**: Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) – 04:50:06
– **2nd**: Jordi Meeus (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe) – +00:00:00
– **3rd**: Max Kanter (XDS Astana Team) – +00:00:00
– **29th**: Niklas Behrens (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:00:00
– **37th**: Jørgen Nordhagen (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:00:00
– **38th**: Cian Uijtdebroeks (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:00:00

As the team gears up for the upcoming stages, all eyes will be on their performance during the anticipated climb in the final weeks of the race.