Published on : 07/09/2026
The day after Thursday's brutal stage marked by the climb of the Tourmalet, the riders will face a more classic profile tomorrow, with a sprint finish expected. The stage between Hagetmau and Bordeaux will be another opportunity for Milan Fretin to shine. 8th yesterday in Pau, well assisted by a highly effective Cofidis lead-out train, he will do everything to raise his arms in victory.
It was a stage just the way we like them on the Tour de France. A day with a rising road, a massive crowd out in force, legendary climbs (Aspin, Tourmalet) and quite a scenario. The early breakaway was quickly brought under control, and the leaders' teams soon set the pace before the favorites showed their hand.
Milan Fretin, another attempt on the horizon
Since the start of the Tour de France, the Cofidis team has made clear it has no particular ambitions in the general classification. The objective is clear: win a stage. Alex Aranburu and Ion Izagirre have already tried their luck by joining breakaways, on stages 2 and 4 respectively. Yesterday, the whole team got to try its luck in the sprint through the streets of Pau. The way the Cofidis train formed up, and its ability to stay well positioned in the final kilometers, drew praise from observers. It was a team-wide effort that almost paid off: Milan Fretin had been put in the best possible position. Though he may have opened his sprint a touch too early, the young Belgian took 8th place in his first Tour de France sprint.
This Friday brings another chance to shine. There will be 175.1 km to cover between Hagetmau and Bordeaux. Once the race reaches downtown Bordeaux, the team will need to reform the train and pay attention to positioning down to the smallest detail. The finish line will be located on the quays, at the end of a long straight. One thing is certain: the Cofidis team will be back in the fight!
Reaction:
Hugo Page:
"The idea today was to save ourselves, to use as little energy as possible, let's say, and just survive the day. It was a tricky stage, the start was fast and, like most of the riders, I really felt the heat. The goal was to find a good gruppetto with the sprinters' group, and that's what we managed to do. The whole team got through the day, so that's great. I've had a look at tomorrow's route, especially to see if there are a lot of corners in the final kilometer. Right now though, I'm mostly thinking about the massage!"