Olav Kooij of Decathlon CMA CGM claimed victory in stage five of the Tour de France in Pau, marking the first sprint finish of the 2026 race. Kooij, a teammate of Paul Seixas, won comfortably ahead of Max Kanter of XDA Astana. This win comes after Kooij, who secured three stages in the Tour of Britain last year, faced uncertainty about starting the Tour due to a prolonged illness earlier in the year.
Kooij described his recovery as a “race against the clock,” having been tired for the initial two months of the year and needing to adjust many plans. His performance in Pau demonstrated his return to form, despite the challenges he faced leading up to the event.
Sprint Finale Challenges
The stage was characterised by intense competition for positioning, leading to crashes in the final kilometres. These incidents affected several riders, including race leader Torstein Træen, though the Norwegian rider maintained his overall lead. Træen, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2022 and returned to action after successful surgery, expressed his enjoyment of his first day in the yellow jersey despite the mishap.
One notable incident involved Tim Merlier of Soudal Quick-Step, a strong contender in sprints. His team’s leadout train was disrupted by a crash with 5.6km remaining, affecting key riders Jasper Stuyven and Bert van Lerberghe. Stuyven sustained injuries, tearing his skinsuit and grazing his left leg and elbow.
Tom Steels, Soudal Quick-Step‘s lead sports director, acknowledged the negative impact of the crash on Merlier’s chances, calling the final corner “a bit of a disaster.” Merlier, despite a valiant solo effort, finished third behind Kooij. He expressed disappointment, stating, “I don’t like to be third – I want to win. And even more in the Tour.”
Merlier believed the absence of Stuyven and Van Lerberghe hindered his ability to get into a good position. He attempted to gamble and hang onto other lead-out trains but preferred to work with his own teammates. Steels shared Merlier’s frustration, confident that with a full leadout train, Merlier would have secured the victory.
Looking Ahead to the Tourmalet
Thursday’s stage to Gavarnie-Gèdre will see a return to the Tourmalet, a challenging climb that was the site of Remco Evenepoel‘s abandonment from the Tour in 2025. Evenepoel, a double Olympic gold medallist, has had a solid start to this year’s race and is considered a strong contender for a podium finish in Paris, having previously finished third overall and won the Vuelta a España.
Now 26, Evenepoel leads the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team alongside Florian Lipowitz, who finished third overall in 2025. There have been questions regarding the collaboration between Evenepoel and Lipowitz, with their team manager, Ralph Denk, stating they are on “equal footing” in terms of sporting performance and “will have to fight it out between themselves on the road.”
However, any direct competition between the favourites, including Tadej Pogacar, is expected to be on hold for the Tourmalet climb, unless Pogacar initiates one of his solo attacks. Race leader Træen, however, remained cautious, acknowledging Pogacar’s unpredictable nature and the potential for significant time losses on the climb.
Meanwhile, Merlier, despite his knee injury earlier in the spring, has shown strong form, winning a stage at the Tour of Belgium and three at the Tour of Hungary. His next opportunity for a sprint stage win is anticipated on Friday in Bordeaux.
The fifth stage also saw Baptiste Veistroffer of Lotto-Intermarché as the sole aggressor, undertaking a solitary break for almost 140km over the Côte de Baleix before being absorbed by the peloton with 14km remaining.
The next sprint opportunity for Merlier is scheduled for Friday in Bordeaux.
Leo Ashworth is a Sports News Writer at Latest News UK. He cut his teeth on regional sport before specialising in fast breaking-news writing. He focuses on rugby union, golf and boxing and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Central Lancashire and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Newcastle, he follows the European Tour and boxes at an amateur gym. “Get it right first, then tell readers why it matters.”