Stage 2 of the 2026 Tour of Guangxi covers 179.7 km from Chongzuo to Jingxi over a hilly profile that concludes with a flat finish — the classic setup that rewards punchy riders capable of surviving the lumpy parcours before contesting a reduced sprint or making a late move. The Guangxi terrain has historically produced small-group finishes where hills specialists with a strong kick hold the edge over pure climbers and pure sprinters alike. At 2.UWT level, the quality of the startlist ensures an aggressive race with multiple teams willing to animate the parcours.
★★★★
Top Favorite
Paul Magnier stands alone at the top of this preview. His six wins in similar hilly-with-flat-finish races — spanning the Deutschland Tour, Cyclassics Hamburg, CRO Race, and Tour de Slovaquie — mark him as the most dangerous rider in this field for exactly this type of stage. His explosiveness in the final kilometre after surviving the hills is unmatched in this startlist.
Soudal Quick-Step
Soudal Quick-Step
Paul Magnier has been the standout performer in similar-profile races over the past 90 days, taking six wins including stage 1 of the Cyclassics Hamburg, stage 5 of the Deutschland Tour, and stages in the Tour de Slovaquie and CRO Race. His explosiveness on hilly terrain with a flat finish makes him the clear favorite for this Jingxi stage.
★★★
Strong Contenders
Louis Barré and Tom Pidcock form a strong second tier. Barré has won twice in recent similar conditions and looks to be approaching peak form, while Pidcock's hills ability and tactical intelligence give him multiple routes to the podium. Both are capable of dictating the race rather than simply reacting to it.
Visma - Lease a Bike
Visma - Lease a Bike
Louis Barré has shown strong form in similar conditions, winning stage 2 of the Deutschland Tour and stage 6 of the Tour de Pologne, and recording four top-5 finishes recently. His hills profile suits this Chongzuo–Jingxi stage well and he arrives as one of Visma's most in-form options.
Pinarello-Q36.5
Pinarello-Q36.5
Tom Pidcock is among the top hills riders in this field and has been active in similar-profile events recently, picking up a win in stage 1 of the GP Industria & Artigianato and four top-3 finishes. His all-round ability and capacity to animate a race on undulating terrain make him a genuine threat.
★★
Dark Horses
Olav Kooij, Kévin Vauquelin, and Daniel Felipe Martínez each bring a recent win in similar-profile races and the consistency to suggest they can compete here. Kooij is the pure sprint option if the bunch stays together; Vauquelin and Martínez have shown they can time their effort on punchy finishes to great effect.
Red Bull - BORA
Red Bull - BORA
Daniel Felipe Martínez took a convincing win in stage 4 of the CRO Race recently, demonstrating his capacity to perform on punchy terrain. He is among the more complete hills riders in this Red Bull – BORA squad and should be capable of contesting a stage finish of this profile.
INEOS Grenadiers
INEOS Grenadiers
Kévin Vauquelin claimed victory in stage 4 of the Giro d'Abruzzo in similar conditions and has shown consistent top-10 form in hills races recently. His all-round profile — strong in both hills and time trial — makes him a versatile threat for INEOS.
Decathlon CMA CGM
Decathlon CMA CGM
Olav Kooij has won twice in similar-profile races — stage 1 of the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro and stage 1 of the Grand Prix d'Isbergues — showing he can handle hilly courses with flat finishes. His elite sprint gives him a lethal edge if the reduced bunch arrives together in Jingxi.
★
Ones to Watch
Maxim Van Gils, Jarno Widar, Marco Brenner, and Jordi Meeus round out the selection as riders with credible form without quite the recent-win pedigree of those above. Widar's Tre Valli Varesine win is an intriguing signal of upward trajectory, while Brenner's repeated top-10 finishes suggest he has the profile for this stage even if the win has eluded him lately.
Lotto Intermarché
Lotto Intermarché
Jarno Widar won stage 1 of the Tre Valli Varesine recently, showing he can punch above his weight on hilly profiles, and has added further top-5 finishes since. Still young and sometimes unpredictable, but his form and hills suitability make him a genuine outsider.
Red Bull - BORA
Red Bull - BORA
Jordi Meeus brings four top-3 finishes in similar-profile races without a win, suggesting he can survive the hills and challenge in the sprint. If a larger bunch makes it to the flat finish in Jingxi, he has the finishing kick to capitalize.
Tudor Pro Cycling
Tudor Pro Cycling
Marco Brenner has collected two top-3 finishes and five top-10s in similar-profile races recently, establishing himself as a consistent performer on terrain like this without yet taking the win. He is worth watching as a dark-horse threat from Tudor Pro Cycling.
Red Bull - BORA
Red Bull - BORA
Maxim Van Gils has the hills profile to compete here and has registered top-10 and top-5 finishes in similar races recently, though he is yet to convert into a win. He represents one of Red Bull – BORA's most versatile cards on this type of terrain.
Verdict
Paul Magnier enters as the commanding favorite following a remarkable run of six wins in similar conditions, including multiple stage victories across the Deutschland Tour, CRO Race, and Tour de Slovaquie; Louis Barré and Tom Pidcock are his most dangerous rivals if the race comes down to a small-group finish.