Published on : 08/16/2026
The Cyclassics Hamburg marked the return to racing for our riders who competed in the Tour de France. It proved to be an encouraging comeback, with Benjamin Thomas in the breakaway and Milan Fretin finishing just outside the podium.
Three weeks after the Champs-Élysées, it was time for Milan Fretin, Alex Kirsch, Jenthe Biermans and Benjamin Thomas to pin on a race number again. In Hamburg, the course often suits the peloton’s fast men, although last year a lone breakaway rider managed to hold off the sprinters and claim a narrow victory.
The objective was therefore clear: be active in the race while keeping our chances alive for the sprint. That was how our Olympic omnium champion, Benjamin Thomas, found himself in the breakaway relatively early on. Alongside five other riders, Benjamin gave it everything and the group quickly built a four-minute advantage.
It was only once the race entered the finishing circuit, with the repeated climbs of Waseberg (700 metres at an average gradient of 9.4%), that some of the big names decided to shake things up in the peloton. Driven by Cosnefroy, the gap quickly came down. With 70 kilometers to go, it was down to just 1'50".
The six leaders showed remarkable resilience as the sprint teams began to organize the chase. With 25 kilometers remaining, they still had more than a minute in hand. Behind, Alex Kirsch and Jenthe Biermans were doing the work for Milan Fretin, the team’s designated sprinter for the finale.
The final ascent of Waseberg, 15 kilometers from the finish, eventually brought the breakaway containing Benjamin Thomas to an end. This year, a bunch sprint now seemed inevitable. The team continued to work around our Belgian sprinter, boosted by his top-10 finishes at the Tour de France.
But sprinting remains an unpredictable art, requiring good legs, the ability to pick the right wheels in the final few hundred meters, and perfect timing to launch the effort.
Milan Fretin finished 6th. Another strong result on a classic designed for the fast men—and one that suggests more good results could be just around the corner.
Sébastien Demarbaix:
“The race started at a fast pace, with a breakaway forming quickly. Up front, we had Benjamin Thomas, who followed the briefing instructions perfectly. We knew it was important to have someone in the lead group today, given the nature of the finale and what we’ve seen in previous editions. Ben’ rode a superb race and was probably one of the strongest riders in the peloton. They had a lead of up to 4’30”, before the sprint teams started to take control. The race then unfolded as we expected on the finishing circuit.
The guys were in good shape, because there were only 50 riders left in the peloton and we still had five riders in the group. We went for the sprint with Milan (Fretin) and Alexis (Renard). Milan finished 6th—we were hoping for a podium, and perhaps it was within reach. Alexis got boxed in. Given the form the guys were in, we probably deserved a little more.
But what we have to take away from today is that the team put in a five-star performance, and we can head into the next races with confidence.”