Published on : 08/19/2026
The Deutschland Tour got underway this Wednesday with a 2.6 km prologue through the streets of Bad Orb. On a short and technical course made slippery by the rain, Benjamin Thomas put in a strong ride to take an excellent 6th place.
A Top 10 to get things started
To kick off this edition of the Deutschland Tour, the riders faced a short and intense 2.6 km effort. Raced on traditional road bikes by the entire peloton, the course featured a climb as well as several technical sections.
Rain also made an appearance in Bad Orb, leaving the roads wet and slippery and requiring the riders to remain particularly cautious.
In these conditions, Benjamin Thomas produced a strong performance to finish 6th in the prologue, giving Cofidis its first Top 10 of the Deutschland Tour.
Reaction:
Sébastien Hinault, Sports Director:
“A great 6th place for Benjamin Thomas, just a few seconds off the podium. We expected him to put in a good performance and we’re where we wanted to be. The guys ahead are strong riders! It’s also worth highlighting a very good prologue from our trainee Lorenzo De Longhi.
Tomorrow, we have the longest stage of the Deutschland Tour, with 215 kilometres. It won’t be an easy day, with a fairly punchy course.”