Published on : 07/07/2026
The rider from Luxembourg and the Spaniard were among the day’s breakaway riders. A group of 34 riders managed to break away during a stage contested under the scorching sun between Carcassonne and Foix. Alex Kirsch spent a long time at the front, and Ion Izagirre hung on until the final climb before finishing 20th. Tomorrow, Milan Fretin takes the stage with the mass sprint in Pau in his sights!
It makes you wonder just how high the temperature will climb. The Tour de France has thus returned to the sweltering heat of July, and the team’s vigilance has been ramped up a notch with an abundance of water bottles, water bottles, and ice cubes. Each rider will have consumed at least two water bottles per hour, which speaks volumes about the ambient heat.
Another Fierce Battle
But on the Tour de France, heat waves aren’t always caused by the sun alone. The race itself also contributes to them, as the intensity remains as relentless as ever. No one has forgotten yesterday’s incredible battle—those 70 km of fighting like madmen before being swallowed up by the UAE train. Today, hostilities resumed right from the starting gun. The race was so captivating that we ended up forgetting the setting—the start in Carcassonne, a regular on the Tour de France circuit (11 starts, 9 finishes).
In this new battle, the Cofidis team played a major role. Alex Kirsch was the first to make his move. Behind him, Ion Izagirre also took his chance. Mission accomplished about twenty kilometers later: 34 riders made up the day’s breakaway, with Alex and Ion among them. But because nothing is ever set in stone at the Tour de France, they had to work hard—again. Alex Kirsch didn’t take it easy: he caught up to a leading trio and stayed with them until the final climb.
Milan Fretin, First Attempt
The Col de Montségur loomed ahead of the breakaway group, and it was back to square one. Alex and his fellow escapees were caught; others tried their luck. Ion Izagirre hung on for a long time before letting the day’s strongest riders pull away. At the finish, the Basque rider finished 20th in the stage.
All the riders quickly boarded the team bus to recover properly. Tomorrow, another challenge awaits, and the Cofidis riders are eagerly anticipating it. The 158.3 km route runs from Lannemezan to Pau; there are no notable climbs, and all signs point to the stage ending in a bunch sprint. This is the first opportunity for Milan Fretin, who will be teaming up with Piet Allegaert, Jenthe Biermans, and Alex Kirsch. His other teammates—Ion Izagirre, Alex Aranburu, Benjamin Thomas, and Hugo Page—are determined to lend him a hand. Can’t wait for tomorrow!
The reaction
Ion Izagirre: “It was another very tough day. I managed to get into the breakaway, but it was very tense from start to finish. We were lucky to have two riders in the breakaway—Alex Kirsch and me—and we did everything we could to stay in contention until the finish. I gave it everything I had, but at the end of the climb, I couldn’t keep up anymore. We’re seeing that we’re capable of making it into breakaways, just like Alex (Aranburu) did yesterday and the two of us did today. There will be other opportunities to try our luck in this Tour de France. I have confidence in the team!”