Tour de France Femmes – Stage 1 – Nikola Nosková Kicks Off the Tour with Panache

Very early on, Nikola Nosková chose to take the initiative. The Cofidis rider slipped into the day’s breakaway and set the pace for many kilometers. Although caught in the final stretch, the Czech rider was nonetheless rewarded for her aggressive riding with the Fierce Competitor Award. This honor recognizes her dedication and allows the Cofidis team to make its mark on the Tour de France Femmes podium right from the first stage of the 2026 edition. At the finish, Malwina Mul, competing in her first Tour, secured an impressive 22nd place in the stage.

Mélanie Briot:
"We got off to a strong start with Nikola Noskova in the breakaway. That allowed us to begin the Tour de France Femmes on a positive note. There’s a bit of frustration—I’m convinced we had the legs to go for the polka-dot jersey. Still, she fought hard to win the combativity award and make it onto the podium.  In the final stretch, the three girls (Ema Comte, Julie Bego, Malwina Mul) were right there, battling to tackle the final climb in the best possible position. Malwina, riding very solidly, finished in 22nd place. It was a solid first day that kicks off our Tour and gives us confidence for the upcoming stages."

Nikola Noskova:
"The goal was to get someone in front for the polka-dot jersey. After that, it wasn’t easy for me because I fell while riding with some very strong riders. I told myself I had to go as far as possible. I’ve just come back from a high-altitude training camp; it wasn’t an easy day, and I wanted to fight until the very end.
It was incredible throughout this stage. There were so many people. The last climb was very tough, but with all that energy, it really was a special atmosphere. I’m really happy to have been named the most aggressive rider—it’s great for the whole team—but I didn’t expect today to be this hard."