Olav Kooij delivered his first Tour de France victory with a sharp sprint win in Pau on Wednesday.
The Dutch sprinter justified Decathlon CMA-CGM’s faith after a spring disrupted by illness. Kooij missed racing through much of the season with a virus and only returned at the end of May.
His selection had drawn scrutiny because Decathlon CMA-CGM also carries French general classification hopes through Paul Seixas. Kooij answered those questions at the first clear bunch sprint opportunity of his debut Tour.
He beat Max Kanter of XDS Astana and Tim Merlier of Soudal Quick-Step to the line. The result marked a significant turnaround for the 24-year-old after a difficult build-up.
Kooij said the win was “unbelievable” after waiting through several hard days for a sprint chance. He also pointed to a “really tough spring” before returning to top form.
Olav Kooij survives late chaos
The finale changed sharply when a large crash split the peloton with 5.4km remaining. The incident reduced the front group before the race entered the city-center finish in Pau.
Uno-X Mobility had several riders in the front split and drove the group toward the finish. Despite the disruption, the major sprint names remained in contention.
Merlier, Jasper Philipsen, Biniam Girmay, and Mads Pedersen all made the decisive front group. Kooij, however, had to handle the final kilometers largely alone.
He said he found the right wheel in the run-in and focused only on earning a sprint chance. Once he saw the line, he launched at full effort.
The victory gave Kooij an immediate return on Decathlon CMA-CGM’s roster decision. It also gave the team a Tour stage win on a day built for sprinters.
No GC time losses after crash
Yellow jersey Torstein Træen of Uno-X Mobility was among the riders caught by the late crash. He crossed the line with a damaged bike and visible scuffs.
Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard also finished behind the split. Small gaps appeared between some overall contenders at the line.
Race officials awarded no time differences among the favorites. The general classification therefore remained unchanged before Thursday’s trip over the Col du Tourmalet.
The stage had started in calmer fashion despite another day of intense heat. At 158km, with only minor climbs, the route offered relative recovery for most riders.
The main exception was Baptiste Veistroffer of Lotto-Intermarché. He attacked immediately after the flag dropped and spent most of the day alone.
Veistroffer appeared to expect company, but no meaningful breakaway formed around him. Behind, Alpecin-Premier Tech controlled the gap without urgency.
His solo move lasted more than 140km and over three hours. The peloton finally reeled him in with around 15km remaining.
Tour heads toward the mountains
The Tour changes tone again on Thursday with a high-mountain test. The route includes the Col d’Aspin and the Col du Tourmalet.
Both climbs hold major places in Tour de France history. Still, their placement may limit their impact on the overall race.
The Tourmalet comes 40km from the finish, before a long descent. Riders then face a 19km false-flat uphill run to Gavarnie-Gèdre.
That profile may encourage attacks, but it also leaves room for regrouping. After Kooij’s sprint success, the focus now turns back to the climbers.