Published on : 10/15/2026
The Belgian sprinter claimed victory in Thursday’s bunch sprint. Having been unable to contest the sprint yesterday, he made up for it in the best possible way. It was his fourth win of the season, his first on the UCI WorldTour and Cofidis’ 17th victory of the season!
As he crossed the finish line, he tapped his helmet, delighted to have seen it through and turned the race in his favour. Milan Fretin had just claimed his first UCI WorldTour victory, and it had taken an exceptional effort. On the wide streets of Bama, the finish of stage three of the Tour of Guangxi, he came surging up the right-hand side before unleashing an incredibly powerful sprint. He won by the narrowest of margins, ahead of yesterday’s winner, Frits Biesterbos, and sprint specialists Jordi Meeus and Fabio Jakobsen.
Already 17 wins this season
Above all, Milan Fretin has shown his ability to bounce back. He had made no secret of his disappointment at being unable to fight for the win in Hong Kong on Sunday or yesterday. Milan is establishing himself as one of the rising stars of world sprinting. This was his fourth win of the season, having already enjoyed success at the Tour of Andalusia in February and claimed two victories at the Tour de Nouvelle-Aquitaine last August.
His progress has also been evident at the Tour de France, where he came close to victory in Nevers (fourth) and Chalon-sur-Saône (fifth), and even in Paris, where he finished ninth. Milan has therefore secured Cofidis’ 17th victory of the season. With three stages still to come, the team has just as many more opportunities to shine, having been consistently impressive from start to finish this season.
Reactions
Milan Fretin: “
It’s an incredible win! It means a lot because things haven’t been easy over the past few weeks, particularly after my crash at Isbergues. I needed time for my body to recover and to get back to feeling good on the bike. It’s my first UCI WorldTour victory, so it’s bound to be particularly special. I really felt that I’d come back stronger and taken a step forward after the Tour de France, and I was determined to prove it. I’ve got my good sensations back… And we’ve still got three stages left to shine as a team!”
Benjamin Giraud, Sports Director:
“It was the longest stage of the week at the Tour of Guangxi. We knew it would end in a bunch sprint. All our riders did a great job. They all managed to regroup after a more difficult start to the week. The team responded really well, and Milan secured a great win against a very strong field. We’re absolutely delighted for him and for all the riders. And we’ll give it everything we’ve got right to the end!”