Olav Kooij wins fifth Tour stage in bunch sprint from Lannemezan to Pau

Already on Thursday, the first serious mountain stage of this Tour follows in the Pyrenees, with the first of a total of five mountain finishes. The program then includes 4,100 meters of climbing, including the legendary Col du Tourmalet, which is among the myth-shrouded ascents of the race.

Weather Conditions and Route Profile

In the general classification, the Norwegian continues to lead by 28 seconds ahead of the American Sean Quinn, according to available data. The leading duo of the race so far thus also remained unchanged in the bunch sprint, as the favorites crossed the finish line together with the peloton.

Top favorites Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard sit in fourth and fifth place, 7:53 minutes behind, according to the results. The gap to the leader documents the expected margin before the upcoming mountain block.

Standings in the General Classification

After the finish, the official results list named the Norwegian as the stage winner ahead of the Tour debutant from Brandenburg and Belgium's Tim Merlier in third. Only the Dutchman Olav Kooij was faster than the German newcomer after 158.3 kilometers between Lannemezan and Pau.

Behind the podium places, other sprinters completed the classification of the lead group: Belgium's Tim Merlier finished fourth, Belgium's Jasper Philipsen sixth, Belgium's Milan Fretin ninth, and France's Anthony Turgis tenth. In between, the Norwegian Sören Waerenskjold slotted into 21st place and Belgium's Remco Evenepoel into 23rd.

From the circle of favorites, the Dane Jonas Vingegaard in 54th place and the Frenchman Paul Seixas in 53rd reached the finish in the main field. The Austrian Marco Haller was classified in position 122 with a time of 1:21:28 hours. The Austrian Felix Großschartner took 122nd place.

Placements of Favorites and Other Riders

Also in the main field, the Norwegian Torstein Träen crossed the finish line in 62nd place, while the Eritrean Biniam Girmay took seventh and the Dane Mads Pedersen eighth. The listed placements result from the official results list.

The Dutchman Kooij thus entered his name on the winners' list right away at his first Tour de France. Team Decathlon AG2R had prepared the sprint and optimally positioned the 23-year-old in the finale, so that he was able to convert his lead-out men's setup into a stage victory.

For the sprint classification, the success in Pau is another milestone, after tempo riders had already dominated the field the day before on a rolling stage. With the bunch sprint victory, the Dutchman underscored his ambitions for the Green Jersey, without the general classification being affected.

After the rest day on Monday and the heat battle on Tuesday, the fifth stage offered sprinters the last flat chance before the high mountains. Those who still want to gain time in a bunch sprint in the coming days will have to be patient after the Pyrenees finishes or hope for a second flat stretch.

Outlook on the Pyrenees Stage

Overall, it remains to be noted that, sporting-wise, the fifth stage belonged to the sprinters and had no impact on the top places of the general classification. The favorites lost no time and go unchanged into the first serious mountain stage.

On Thursday, the picture of the general classification is expected to change when the favorites around Pogacar and Vingegaard fight for seconds in the high mountains. The 4,100 meters of climbing and the Col du Tourmalet form the first major test of this race.

With Olav Kooij's stage victory, a day ends on which the field got through safely despite sultry heat and the final sprint provided excitement. The coming mountain stages are likely to shape the course of the Tour more than the flat stages have so far.

Reception in the Media

The news of the Dutchman's victory was broadcast on 08.07.2026 on the Deutschlandfunk program. The success thus immediately entered the sports coverage of the German-language media.

The Dutchman Kooij will remember the day in Pau, even though his main focus is likely already on the first serious mountain stage on Thursday. With a view to the coming stages, it is about using further sprint opportunities for him.

Overall, the fifth stage exemplifies how flat stages in a grand tour remain reserved for the sprinters, while the favorites conserve their strength undisturbed for the high mountains. This dynamic has shaped the Tour de France for decades and continues in the 113th edition.