Published on : 07/10/2026
The Belgian sprinter had another chance to shine after his 8th-place finish in Pau two days ago. But this time, despite his teammates’ best efforts, Milan Fretin was unable to contend for the stage win. He still finished 13th, however, and knows he’ll have another chance to make his mark tomorrow in Bergerac.
The Tour is ruthless everywhere, whether it’s tackling the mountain peaks or ending in a mass sprint. It’s ruthless because there’s always only one rider left at the end, on the finish line, after a fierce battle among the world’s best sprinters. Milan Fretin wanted to give it another shot after his encouraging 8th-place finish in Pau last Wednesday. And the Cofidis team was determined to give it their all today.
Tomorrow, a new opportunity
We saw the team’s commitment as they moved to the front about forty kilometers from the finish. The lead-out train then formed, anticipating hazards and turns before the long straight stretch to the finish. We saw Piet Allegaert catch up to Milan, then Alex Kirsch set a blistering pace to ensure he was well-positioned. But the sprint is anything but an exact science; every little bit of positioning is worth its weight in gold, and it takes a subtle alchemy to win. Milan Fretin was unable to get into the mix in the final meters. He ultimately finished in 13th place and thus continues to learn the ropes of sprinting in the world’s most competitive race.
Now, on to the next stage: the beauty of the Tour de France is that it offers a new chance every day. The stage between Périgueux and Bergerac presents no major difficulties, aside from two small climbs (4th category) and the oppressive heat that has become the norm. At the end of 180.4 km, there will be another sprint finish. And the Cofidis team will do everything it can to try its luck again.
The reaction
Milan Fretin: “It was a particularly tense and very fast finish. I’m still not quite sure what happened. The team gave it their all, but we were a bit too far back at the end. Piet (Allegaert) got me back into position on the bridge, and Alex (Kirsch) did everything he could to help me maintain my speed, but I never had a chance to get back to the front of the race. In the end, I wasn’t able to sprint today. But tomorrow is another day. We know we’ll have other chances, and we’ll approach them with the same seriousness and determination.”