Published on : 08/28/2026
Having already won three days ago, the Belgian sprinter did it again on the final stage of the Tour Poitou-Charentes. He clinched a hard-fought victory, taking the green jersey as the best sprinter and securing the 11th win of the season for Team Cofidis. Behind him, Ion Izagirre took third place, which saw him finish seventh in the general classification.
Milan Fretin is one of those riders who is never satisfied with a single victory for long. Three days ago, having won the first stage at Dompierre-sur-Mer, the Belgian was already eagerly looking ahead to what was to come. Frustrated by the following day’s stage (in which he finished second), Milan made up for it this Friday at the end of the final stage of the Tour Poitou-Charentes.
Milan, still in top form!
Wearing the green jersey as the best sprinter, he fought his way to victory from a group of four riders who managed to maintain a three-second lead over the rest of the peloton. Also in this group was Ion Izagirre, who battled right to the end and secured another ‘top 10’ finish in the general classification.
Milan Fretin, for his part, is proving that he remains in excellent form day after day, a form already evident in Hamburg (at the ADAC Cyclassics) in mid-August. He can now look forward to the rest of the season with enthusiasm, as he is set to compete in the Bretagne Classic CIC in two days’ time. And Milan intends to continue giving his all to fly the flag for Cofidis!
Reactions:
Milan Fretin:
“I’m absolutely delighted. What’s really great is that we stuck to the plan we’d set ourselves to the letter, and it worked. We came here this week to win stage victories, and we’ve won two. We can be proud of the way we raced. I’m happy for myself, but also for Ion and for everything the team has done. I was lucky enough to benefit from a very good lead-out and to be in the perfect position in the final stretch this afternoon. Everyone did a brilliant job and the best thing I could do was to bring home the victory for them. As a sprinter, the most important thing is to win races. I’m on a roll and I want it to continue!”
Evaldas Šiškevičius, sporting director:
“It was a race much like the previous three stages; there was a lot of tension, especially as there was a chance the breakaway might hold on to the end. We’d planned for every possible scenario. We knew there was that slight uphill section in the final stretch that could make all the difference. That’s where Ion Izagirre attacked, which allowed the rest of the team to focus on supporting Milan. And in the final stretch, Milan held on right to the end. It’s clear that our riders who competed in the Tour de France have that little bit extra, and Milan has simply confirmed that. It’s absolutely brilliant to finish this Tour Poitou-Charentes just as we started it: with a victory!”
