Paul Magnier won the opening stage of the 2026 Giro d’Italia on Friday in a bunch sprint, after a late crash left most of the peloton out of contention. The Frenchman Magnier pipped Tobias Lund Andresen in a frantic finish after 147km of largely flat racing from Nessebar to Burgas, in the first of the three opening stages in Bulgaria. He was one of a handful of riders ahead of a crash 600m from the line, with the rest of the field rolling home knowing they would not lose time due to the proximity of the accident to the finish. Magnier, 22, claimed his first ever Grand Tour win and also became the first Frenchman to wear the pink jersey for the overall lead since Bruno Armirail three years ago. The peloton ride during the opening stage of this year’s Giro. Photograph: Luca Bettini/AFP/Getty Images “I’m so proud of the team and I’m so happy to be starting the Giro in such good form,” said Magnier. “The finale was chaotic after an easy day for everyone, on a narrow road.…