Tour of Guangxi: Frits Biesterbos surprises favourites on stage 2 for Picnic PostNL's first WorldTour victory of the season
Dutch fast man takes first pro win ahead of Paul Magnier and Olav Kooij in Jingxi
Frits Biesterbos surprised the favourites on stage 2 of the Tour of Guangxi to bring Picnic PostNL their first WorldTour victory of 2026 at one of the final opportunities.
As the WorldTour racing season draws nearer to a close in China, the Dutch team looked set to see out a full season as the only of 18 top-division teams without a win at the highest level. Biesterbos has not only spared their blushes, but with just the team's third victory of any level this season, he's landed them vital UCI points.
Race leader and stage 1 winner Paul Magnier (Soudal-QuickStep) finished second at the line in Jingxi, opening up the sprint with the Dutchman waiting to launch from his wheel, with Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM) charging from a long way back to finish third.
Magnier retains the red jersey heading into the third stage, with Biesterbos six seconds down, and Netcompany Ineos' Sam Welsford staying in third, despite getting boxed out of the final sprint.
Racing on day two in southwest China was focused on the National Road climb (8.5km at 3.4%), which arrived with 35km to go. Two riders from the early breakaway of four survived onto the uphill section: Martin Tjøtta (Uno-X Mobility) and Dries De Bondt (Jayco AlUla), and the attacks started coming from behind.
Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Javier Romo (Movistar) bridged across to make it four riders in front, but the new lead group was well controlled by the likes of Soudal-QuickStep and Tudor, trying to keep it together for a sprint.
With that attempt reeled back in 1.5km before the summit, the bunch was calmer, but still active, especially as the race headed towards the intermediate sprint in Huadong. Here, Narváez, Pau Miquel (Bahrain Victorious), and Tom Pidcock (Pinarello Q36.5) landed the three, two, and one bonus seconds on offer.
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A few late attacks were attempted, but they couldn't hold off the now-charging peloton on the flatter run to the line, with Groupama-FDJ United and Decathlon dominating the lead-out into the last 2km. They were overhauled before the finale, though, with Magnier being piloted well into the final corner, but losing out to Biesterbos after hitting the front too early on the drag to the finish.
Racing resumed in China on Thursday on stage 3, with an undulating 212.3km route from Jingxi to Bama, where the likes of Pidcock and Narváez should come to the fore as they look to gain an early advantage in the race for the red jersey.
Results
Position |
Rider (Country) Team |
Time Gap |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Frits Biesterbos (Ned) Picnic PostNL |
3:45:19 |
2 |
Paul Magnier (Fra) Soudal-QuickStep |
+0:00:00 |
3 |
Olav Kooij (Ned) Decathlon CMA CGM Team |
+0:00:00 |
4 |
Max Kanter (Ger) XDS Astana Team |
+0:00:00 |
5 |
Robin Froidevaux (Swi) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
+0:00:00 |
6 |
Jordi Meeus (Bel) Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
+0:00:00 |
7 |
Matteo Moschetti (Ita) Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
+0:00:00 |
8 |
Erlend Blikra (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
+0:00:00 |
9 |
Lionel Taminiaux (Bel) Lotto Intermarché |
+0:00:00 |
10 |
Oded Kogut (Isr) NSN Cycling Team |
+0:00:00 |
11 |
Itamar Einhorn (Isr) NSN Cycling Team |
+0:00:00 |
12 |
Matevž Govekar (Slo) Bahrain - Victorious |
+0:00:00 |
13 |
Sean Flynn (GBr) Team Picnic PostNL |
+0:00:00 |
14 |
Zhicheng Liu (Chn) China |
+0:00:00 |
15 |
Matteo Milan (Ita) Groupama - FDJ United |
+0:00:00 |
16 |
Fabio Jakobsen (Ned) Team Visma | Lease a Bike |
+0:00:00 |
17 |
Joshua Giddings (GBr) Lotto Intermarché |
+0:00:00 |
18 |
Nadav Raisberg (Isr) NSN Cycling Team |
+0:00:00 |
19 |
Sam Welsford (Aus) Netcompany INEOS |
+0:00:00 |
20 |
Manlio Moro (Ita) Movistar Team |
+0:00:00 |
21 |
Rui Oliveira (Por) UAE Team Emirates - XRG |
+0:00:00 |
22 |
Henrik Pedersen (Den) Uno-X Mobility |
+0:00:00 |
23 |
Joseph Pidcock (GBr) Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
+0:00:00 |
24 |
Tobias Bayer (Aut) Alpecin - Premier Tech |
+0:00:00 |
25 |
Robert Donaldson (GBr) Team Jayco AlUla |
+0:00:00 |
26 |
Camille Charret (Fra) Cofidis |
+0:00:00 |
27 |
Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Team Jayco AlUla |
+0:00:00 |
28 |
Dillon Corkery (Irl) Team Picnic PostNL |
+0:00:00 |
29 |
Pavel Novák (Cze) Movistar Team |
+0:00:00 |
30 |
Mattia Agostinacchio (Ita) EF Education - EasyPost |
+0:00:00 |
31 |
Louis Barré (Fra) Team Visma | Lease a Bike |
+0:00:00 |
32 |
Rudy Porter (Aus) Team Jayco AlUla |
+0:00:00 |
33 |
Michel Heßmann (Ger) Movistar Team |
+0:00:00 |
34 |
Clément Champoussin (Fra) XDS Astana Team |
+0:00:00 |
35 |
Niklas Behrens (Ger) Team Visma | Lease a Bike |
+0:00:00 |
36 |
Luke Lamperti (USA) EF Education - EasyPost |
+0:00:00 |
37 |
Edward Planckaert (Bel) Alpecin - Premier Tech |
+0:00:00 |
38 |
Tom Pidcock (GBr) Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
+0:00:00 |
39 |
Arne Marit (Bel) Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
+0:00:00 |
40 |
Léo Bisiaux (Fra) Decathlon CMA CGM Team |
+0:00:00 |
41 |
Rotem Tene (Isr) NSN Cycling Team |
+0:00:00 |
42 |
Paul Double (GBr) Team Jayco AlUla |
+0:00:00 |
43 |
Jan Maas (Ned) Cofidis |
+0:00:00 |
44 |
Sebastian Kolze Changizi (Den) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
+0:00:00 |
45 |
Tijmen Graat (Ned) Team Visma | Lease a Bike |
+0:00:00 |
46 |
Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step |
+0:00:00 |
47 |
Emīls Liepiņš (Lat) Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
+0:00:00 |
48 |
Robbe Dhondt (Bel) Team Picnic PostNL |
+0:00:00 |
49 |
Bjorn Koerdt (GBr) Team Picnic PostNL |
+0:00:00 |
50 |
Mikkel Frølich Honoré (Den) EF Education - EasyPost |
+0:00:00 |
51 |
Pelayo Sánchez (Spa) Movistar Team |
+0:00:00 |
52 |
Pau Miquel (Spa) Bahrain - Victorious |
+0:00:00 |
53 |
Alessandro Pinarello (Ita) NSN Cycling Team |
+0:00:00 |
54 |
Kévin Vauquelin (Fra) Netcompany INEOS |
+0:00:00 |
55 |
Maxim Van Gils (Bel) Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
+0:00:00 |
56 |
Marco Brenner (Ger) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
+0:00:00 |
57 |
Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education - EasyPost |
+0:00:00 |
58 |
Marijn Van Den Berg (Ned) EF Education - EasyPost |
+0:00:00 |
59 |
Jhonatan Narváez (Ecu) UAE Team Emirates - XRG |
+0:00:00 |
60 |
Yutao Shen (Chn) China |
+0:00:00 |
61 |
Arjen Livyns (Bel) XDS Astana Team |
+0:00:00 |
62 |
Steff Cras (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step |
+0:00:00 |
63 |
Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) NSN Cycling Team |
+0:00:00 |
64 |
Matthew Fox (Aus) Lotto Intermarché |
+0:00:00 |
65 |
Will Barta (USA) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
+0:00:00 |
66 |
Andrew August (USA) Netcompany INEOS |
+0:00:00 |
67 |
Juan Ayuso (Spa) Lidl - Trek |
+0:00:00 |
68 |
Timo De Jong (Ned) Team Picnic PostNL |
+0:00:00 |
69 |
Harold Martín López (Ecu) XDS Astana Team |
+0:00:00 |
70 |
Martin Tjøtta (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
+0:00:00 |
71 |
Ilan Van Wilder (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step |
+0:00:00 |
72 |
Haoyu Su (Chn) XDS Astana Team |
+0:00:00 |
73 |
Javier Romo (Spa) Movistar Team |
+0:00:00 |
74 |
Torstein Træen (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
+0:00:00 |
75 |
Cees Bol (Ned) Decathlon CMA CGM Team |
+0:00:00 |
76 |
Owain Doull (GBr) Team Visma | Lease a Bike |
+0:00:00 |
77 |
Loe Van Belle (Ned) Team Visma | Lease a Bike |
+0:00:00 |
78 |
Clément Braz Afonso (Fra) Groupama - FDJ United |
+0:00:00 |
79 |
Peter Øxenberg (Den) Netcompany INEOS |
+0:00:00 |
80 |
Victor Langellotti (Mon) XDS Astana Team |
+0:00:00 |
81 |
Fredrik Lavik Dversnes (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
+0:00:00 |
82 |
Milan Vader (Ned) Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
+0:00:00 |
83 |
Adrien Boichis (Fra) Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
+0:00:00 |
84 |
Óscar Rodríguez (Spa) Netcompany INEOS |
+0:00:00 |
85 |
Sébastien Grignard (Bel) Lotto Intermarché |
+0:00:00 |
86 |
Afonso Eulálio (Por) Bahrain - Victorious |
+0:00:00 |
87 |
Jarno Widar (Bel) Lotto Intermarché |
+0:00:00 |
88 |
Diego Pescador (Col) Movistar Team |
+0:00:00 |
89 |
Rune Herregodts (Bel) UAE Team Emirates - XRG |
+0:00:00 |
90 |
Reuben Thompson (NZl) Lotto Intermarché |
+0:00:00 |
91 |
Lennard Kämna (Ger) Lidl - Trek |
+0:00:00 |
92 |
Max Walker (GBr) EF Education - EasyPost |
+0:00:00 |
93 |
Jamie Meehan (Irl) Cofidis |
+0:00:00 |
94 |
Emil Herzog (Ger) Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
+0:00:00 |
95 |
Cyril Barthe (Fra) Groupama - FDJ United |
+0:00:00 |
96 |
Enzo Paleni (Fra) Groupama - FDJ United |
+0:00:00 |
97 |
Daniel Felipe Martínez (Col) Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
+0:00:00 |
98 |
Tobias Svarre (Den) Uno-X Mobility |
+0:00:00 |
99 |
Brent Van Moer (Bel) Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
+0:00:00 |
100 |
Brandon Smith Rivera (Col) Netcompany INEOS |
+0:00:00 |
101 |
Baptiste Veistroffer (Fra) Lotto Intermarché |
+0:00:00 |
102 |
Marc Soler (Spa) UAE Team Emirates - XRG |
+0:00:00 |
103 |
Max Van Der Meulen (Ned) Bahrain - Victorious |
+0:00:00 |
104 |
Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Cofidis |
+0:00:00 |
105 |
Mathias Sunekær Norsgaard (Den) Lidl - Trek |
+0:00:00 |
106 |
Nickolas Zukowsky (Can) Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
+0:00:00 |
107 |
Julius Johansen (Den) UAE Team Emirates - XRG |
+0:00:00 |
108 |
Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Lidl - Trek |
+0:00:00 |
109 |
Carlos Verona (Spa) Lidl - Trek |
+0:00:00 |
110 |
Tom Donnenwirth (Fra) Groupama - FDJ United |
+0:00:00 |
111 |
Patrick Gamper (Aut) Team Jayco AlUla |
+0:00:00 |
112 |
Samuele Battistella (Ita) EF Education - EasyPost |
+0:00:00 |
113 |
Daan Hoole (Ned) Decathlon CMA CGM Team |
+0:00:00 |
114 |
Martin Bugge Urianstad (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
+0:00:00 |
115 |
Simon Carr (GBr) Cofidis |
+0:00:00 |
116 |
Andrea Bagioli (Ita) Lidl - Trek |
+0:00:00 |
117 |
Rémy Rochas (Fra) Groupama - FDJ United |
+0:00:00 |
118 |
Davide Formolo (Ita) Movistar Team |
+0:00:00 |
119 |
Laurenz Rex (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step |
+0:00:00 |
120 |
Artem Shmidt (USA) Netcompany INEOS |
+0:00:00 |
121 |
Tord Gudmestad (Nor) Decathlon CMA CGM Team |
+0:00:26 |
122 |
Dries De Pooter (Bel) Team Jayco AlUla |
+0:00:30 |
123 |
Warre Vangheluwe (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step |
+0:01:11 |
124 |
Titouan Fontaine (Fra) Groupama - FDJ United |
+0:01:11 |
125 |
Robbe Ghys (Bel) Decathlon CMA CGM Team |
+0:01:19 |
126 |
Stan Dewulf (Bel) Decathlon CMA CGM Team |
+0:01:28 |
127 |
Vlad Van Mechelen (Bel) Bahrain - Victorious |
+0:01:32 |
128 |
Oliver Peace (GBr) Team Picnic PostNL |
+0:02:24 |
129 |
Milan Fretin (Bel) Cofidis |
+0:02:41 |
130 |
Anton Schiffer (Ger) Team Visma | Lease a Bike |
+0:05:40 |
131 |
Arvid De Kleijn (Ned) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
+0:08:27 |
132 |
Binyan Ma (Chn) China |
+0:08:27 |
133 |
Florian Vermeersch (Bel) UAE Team Emirates - XRG |
+0:08:27 |
134 |
Juan Sebastián Molano (Col) UAE Team Emirates - XRG |
+0:08:27 |
135 |
Arthur Kluckers (Lux) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
+0:08:27 |
136 |
Jonas Rickaert (Bel) Alpecin - Premier Tech |
+0:10:52 |
137 |
Kaden Groves (Aus) Alpecin - Premier Tech |
+0:10:52 |
138 |
Žak Eržen (Slo) Bahrain - Victorious |
+0:10:52 |
139 |
Daniel Skerl (Ita) Bahrain - Victorious |
+0:10:52 |
140 |
Ruidong Wang (Chn) China |
+0:10:52 |
141 |
Oscar Riesebeek (Ned) Alpecin - Premier Tech |
+0:10:52 |
142 |
Chenlu Zhao (Chn) China |
+0:10:52 |
143 |
Brady Gilmore (Aus) NSN Cycling Team |
+0:10:52 |
144 |
Jarrad Drizners (Aus) Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
+0:10:52 |
145 |
Ayco Bastiaens (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step |
+0:10:52 |
146 |
Chenglu Liu (Chn) China |
+0:12:49 |
147 |
Haijie Hu (Chn) China |
+0:12:49 |
148 |
Dries De Bondt (Bel) Team Jayco AlUla |
+0:15:23 |
James Moultrie is a gold-standard NCTJ journalist who joined Cyclingnews as a News Writer in 2023 after originally contributing as a freelancer for eight months, during which time he also wrote for Eurosport, Rouleur and Cycling Weekly. Prior to joining the team he reported on races such as Paris-Roubaix and the Giro d’Italia Donne for Eurosport and has interviewed some of the sport’s top riders in Chloé Dygert, Lizzie Deignan and Wout van Aert. Outside of cycling, he spends the majority of his time watching other sports – rugby, football, cricket, and American Football to name a few.
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