1 hour ago
Olav Kooij, teammate to Paul Seixas astatine Decathlon CMA CGM, emerged retired of nan power haze successful Pau to triumph shape 5 successful nan Place de Verdun. The first sprint decorativeness successful nan 2026 Tour de France saw Kooij, who won 3 stages successful past year’s Tour of Britain, triumph pinch easiness from Max Kanter of XDA Astana.
“After a mates [of] difficult days already, we had to hold to coming to get this first chance to sprint successful nan Tour, and to instantly triumph is unbelievable,” nan Dutch rider said. “It intends rather a lot. I had a beautiful reliable spring, and I deliberation conscionable to get backmost to this level and to support believing successful yourself – and conscionable a fewer group who judge successful you arsenic good – is each you need.”
In 1 of nan fewer sprint stages successful this year’s race, nan conflict for positioning was aggravated pinch crashes successful nan last kilometres delaying title leader, Torsten Træen. Despite his mishap, location was nary alteration to nan Norwegian rider’s wide lead.
On an different long, basking afternoon, characterised by crystal vests, crystal socks and plentifulness of water-cooled helmets, Baptiste Veistroffer was nan sole aggressor. For nan Tour debutant it was a baptism of fire, pinch nan Breton ploughing a solitary furrow complete nan basking tarmac for almost 140km.
His lone break came to an extremity soon aft he had hauled himself complete nan day’s only climb, nan Cote de Baleix, and nan peloton swallowed him up, pinch conscionable 14km to race.
For nan Olympic roadworthy title champion, Remco Evenepoel, Thursday’s shape to Gavanie-Gedre marks a return to nan Tourmalet, nan long, steep climb that was nan segment of his humiliating wantonness from nan Tour successful 2025. The double golden medallist has made a coagulated commencement to nan Tour but has not yet been discussed successful nan aforesaid breathless position arsenic Seixas aliases Isaac del Toro.
Yet arsenic a erstwhile 3rd spot finisher and victor of nan Vuelta a Espana, he remains a beardown contender for a podium spot successful Paris. The Belgian has mislaid 4 kilos while preparing for nan Tour and expects a different result for his return to nan Tourmalet.
Now 26, Evenepoel, maestro of nan punchy soundbite, leads nan Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe squad alongside his softly spoken German teammate Florian Lipowitz, who vanished 3rd wide successful 2025.
It is simply a large money collaboration that has grounded to group nan athletics connected fire. Questions complete whether he and Lipowitz tin successful truth activity together person brought a prickly consequence from nan often outspoken Evenepoel.
after newsletter promotion
“I cognize wherever you want to go,” he said successful consequence to 1 question. “You want to perceive maine opportunity I want to beryllium connected nan podium and perceive Florian opportunity he wants to beryllium connected nan podium. Of people we want to beryllium connected nan podium, but if we do it successful a bully measurement without this antagonistic energy, it’s bully for some of america and for nan team.”
Still, moreover his squad doesn’t look clear connected activity duties. “Remco is still nan squad leader and Florian Lipowitz is simply a spot of nan 2nd man but successful position of sporting performance, they are connected adjacent footing,” Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe squad head Ralph Denk said, earlier adding that “they will person to conflict it retired betwixt themselves connected nan road.”
With Træen safely ensconced successful nan yellowish jersey, immoderate “fighting it out” looks to beryllium connected hold, astatine slightest for now. But nan anticipation is that, unless Tadej Pogacar is plotting different of his solo attacks connected nan slopes of nan Tourmalet, nan favourites will beryllium happy to support their powder barren connected nan 17km climb
