Published on : 09/12/2026
The Cofidis team leader held his nerve to claim a powerful victory on the roads of the Memorial Marco Pantani. At 37, he once again showcased his impressive current form, with the Spaniard set to retire at the end of the season. Ion has played his part in Cofidis’s incredible momentum, with this victory marking the team’s 14th of the season!
Ion Izagirre has such a deep understanding of cycling that he knows how to avoid the traps and find a way to raise his arms at the end of a race. His victory on the Italian roads this Saturday afternoon says a lot about his experience and race craft. But before he could celebrate, he had to fight hard and respond to every twist and turn of the race. Every Cofidis rider played his part, anticipating moves, covering attacks and making sure the team was always at the heart of the action.
The reward for an incredible season
In the end, everything came down to the final kilometre between the remaining riders in the group, including Ion. He patiently waited for the right moment before making his move and powering to a superb victory. The Basque rider continues an outstanding season, which has included 7th overall at Paris-Nice in March, victory at the Grand Prix Miguel Indurain and 4th overall at the Tour of the Basque Country. After competing in his final Tour de France, he returned to racing at the beginning of August and has continued to build his form ever since.
Ion adds another victory to Cofidis’ tally, bringing the team’s total to 14 wins. It is already the sixth victory since the end of the Tour de France, demonstrating the team’s ability to manage its riders well and keep everyone motivated at every race. For Ion, this is the 20th victory of his career, and it will undoubtedly have a special meaning after he announced that this would be his final season as a professional. But before bringing his career to a close, the Basque rider is determined to keep giving everything he has to make the Cofidis colours shine right to the very end!
Reactions:
Ion Izagirre:
“It is obviously very special to win again during my final season and to still have the legs to do it. But I owe it to my teammates, who were there from start to finish and put me in the best possible position to win. We were present at every key moment of the race. In the finale, I knew I had good legs and that I had to wait for the right moment to launch my sprint. I would like to thank my teammates and everyone who has supported me. And it’s Benjamin Thomas’s birthday, so we couldn’t have found a better present!”
Benjamin Giraud, Sports Director:
“It’s fantastic because this was a real team victory and the riders followed the plan exactly! They managed to anticipate every move in the race: we always had a rider in the breakaway, with others ready to counter the attacks… Clément, Alex, Valentin, Benjamin, Edoardo and Sam all played their part. Ion was having another extraordinary day and he finished the job off perfectly. It is impressive to see that, even in the final races of his career, he is still able to perform at this level. He is a great champion and a great athlete!”
