Dutch cyclist Olav Kooij of Decathlon CMA CGM has emerged victorious in stage five of the Tour de France, clinching the first sprint finish of the 2026 race in Pau. The 24-year-old rider, a teammate to Paul Seixas, comfortably outpaced Germany's Max Kanter from XDA Astana, despite a challenging start to his season due to illness.
Kooij's win comes after a period of recovery, with the rider admitting to feeling fatigued for the initial two months of the year. He stated that his participation in the Tour was a 'race against the clock' as he worked to regain fitness, having previously secured three stage wins in last year's Tour of Britain.
Despite a late crash that briefly delayed race leader Torstein Træen (Lotto-Intermarché), the Norwegian rider maintained his overall lead and will wear the yellow jersey into stage six. Træen, who successfully battled testicular cancer in 2022, expressed his enjoyment of his first day in yellow, highlighting his gratitude for competing at such a high level after his health struggles. The stage also saw a notable solo breakaway from Tour debutant Baptiste Veistroffer, who rode alone for nearly 140km before being reabsorbed by the peloton.
Looking ahead, Thursday's stage to Gavarnie-Gèdre presents a significant challenge with the return to the Tourmalet. This iconic, steep climb holds particular significance for Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), who notoriously abandoned the Tour on this very ascent in 2025. The double Olympic gold medallist has had a solid start to this year's race and remains a strong contender, despite questions surrounding his dynamic with teammate Florian Lipowitz.
While many expect the general classification favourites to conserve energy on the Tourmalet, especially without a major solo attack from Tadej Pogacar, Træen remains cautious. He acknowledged the unpredictable nature of the race, stating, "Tadej is Tadej. If he goes full gas on the Tourmalet, then maybe I will be behind. Then you don't know how much you might lose, so we'll just have to see." The climb is set to be a crucial test for all contenders, potentially reshaping the race's landscape.