Published on : 07/16/2026
After Nevers, the Cofidis team was hoping to finish strong once again in Chalon-sur-Saône. In a hard-fought and exciting stage that went down to the wire, Milan Fretin secured an impressive fifth-place finish.
In Chalon-sur-Saône, it was once again a sprint that brought the 12th stage of the Tour de France to a close. On Thursday, July 16, 2026, the stage was nonetheless eventful, as evidenced by the attacks in the final 30 kilometers. While Alex Kirsch stayed alert for the Northern team and played his role to perfection, everything ultimately fell into place as the riders approached the finish line. Well supported by his teammates, Milan Fretin secured another top finish in this Tour, coming in 5th.
Tomorrow, the route will climb toward Belfort. The attackers will be looking to make their mark, and among them, the Cofidis riders will be eager to play their part.
The reaction
Milan Fretin : "I’m happy with the result. We knew today wasn’t going to be an easy day, with all those attacks. The team put me in an excellent position, and from there, I just followed along and took advantage of the other teams’ work. In the last kilometer, I saw Alpecin–Premier Tech closing in; I was right on their wheel and thought to myself, “If I’m feeling good today, I’ve got to have the guts to launch my sprint before Jasper Philipsen. ” In the end, I think we went at the same time. It was a long, neck-and-neck sprint. A close one, but in the last 50 meters, they came flying up from behind.
I don’t think I have any regrets today. I took a chance, and at least I still managed to finish in the top 5, so I can be happy. Today might have been my last chance on the Tour. Maybe we’ll have another opportunity on Stage 17."