Published on : 07/04/2026
That’s it, the 2026 Tour de France is underway! A 19.6 km time trial through the streets of Barcelona kicked off this year’s edition. It was a chance to assess the form, soak in the atmosphere and get a first taste of the Grande Boucle. Tomorrow, with an intense battle expected, Team Cofidis will be ready to play its part.
Everything feels the same, yet everything feels different. As the riders headed to the team time trial start in the sports directors’ cars earlier in the day, they were reconnecting with what they know so well — competition — and with something unlike anything else in the season: the Tour de France. Two days after the team presentation in the shadow of the Sagrada Familia, the route wound its way through the Catalan capital. The passion along the roadsides was already immense, reminiscent of the huge crowds seen a year ago at the Grand Départ in Lille, just a short distance from Cofidis’ home base.
Seriousness and cohesion all the way
From the reconnaissance ride, and even more during the race itself, the Cofidis riders could feel the unique thrill of the Tour de France. Thousands of spectators were already lining the barriers, with an incredible roar in the background — a sound that will follow the peloton throughout the month.
Temperatures were close to 30°C, but that was not enough to dampen the enthusiasm of either the riders or the spectators. At Cofidis, every rider wanted to approach the effort with focus and discipline, and that is exactly what they delivered. “We want to do well,” Hugo Page simply said just before the start.
At 5:35 p.m., the riders rolled down the start ramp wearing the now-famous striped helmets from partner Uvex. The team stayed united, even when Alex Aranburu had to change bikes. It was Ion Izagirre, the team leader, who led the group into the final section.
Cofidis finished 19th on the stage, but as sports director Bingen Fernandez pointed out, what stands out most is the team’s “seriousness and cohesion.”
Now, all eyes turn to tomorrow’s stage. It will be the first road stage of this Tour de France, between Barcelona and Tarragona. The riders will need to stay sharp, especially with the climb to Montjuïc Castle featuring three times in the finale. More to come!
They said
Ion Izagirre :
“It’s never easy to feel great in a time trial. We tried to give our best, even though we had to deal with the small mechanical issue Alex (Aranburu) had. What matters most is having good cohesion between all of us. We worked really well together, and we need to keep going because the Tour de France has only just begun!”
Bingen Fernandez, sports director :
“We had a strong second half of the time trial. However, we were less efficient in the first part with the headwind, and that’s where we lost some time. Still, the riders showed seriousness and cohesion, and that will matter going forward. Tomorrow should be very spectacular with a tough final circuit featuring the climb to Montjuïc Castle. Even with strong competition, we’ll try to be among the key players in the race!”