1: MAIDEN WIN!
Olav Kooij wins in the Tour de France… at the first attempt! By proving the fastest on the streets of Pau this Wednesday, the 24-year-old Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale rider follows in the footsteps of Mexican Isaac del Toro, who also claimed victory on his Tour debut in stage 2 at Barcelona. Kooij also delivers the Netherlands its 171st stage win in Tour de France history.
4: ANOTHER GRAND TOUR WIN
His collection of Grand Tour victories continues to grow. In addition to his success in Pau, Olav Kooij has now claimed four Grand Tour stage wins: one in the Tour de France and three in the Giro d'Italia. The Dutchman first triumphed in Naples in 2024 before adding victories in Viadana and Rome the following year.
22: A LONG WAIT
It is a sight that had not been seen for 22 years. In 2003, at Wasquehal, Jean-Patrick Nazon claimed what remained, until Olav Kooij's victory, the last bunch sprint success in the Tour de France for the AG2R team, now known as Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale. On that day, the Frenchman got the better of Erik Zabel. Kooij therefore ends a lengthy drought for the French squad, which also records the 23rd Tour de France stage victory in its history, drawing level with INEOS Grenadiers.
7: KOOIJ FOLLOWS IN VAN DER POEL'S FOOTSTEPS
For the seventh time in 64 stage finishes, the Netherlands has conquered Pau. In this historic Tour de France city, Olav Kooij joins fellow Dutch winners Theo Middelkamp (1938), Henk Lubberding (1978), Gerrie Knetemann (1980), Erik Breukink (1987), Adrie Van der Poel (1988) and Leon Van Bon (1998). Even so, with seven victories, the Dutch remain behind France (18) and Italy (12), the two most successful nations in the city of Henry IV.
16: GERMANY REMAINS A KEY PLAYER IN THE SPRINTS
At 28 years old, Max Kanter continues Germany's sprinting tradition. By finishing runner-up in the bunch sprint in Pau, the XDS Astana Team rider secured his country's 16th podium in a Tour de France bunch sprint since 2017, the year Marcel Kittel claimed Germany's last victory in such a finish. Since then, German sprinters have recorded five second places and ten third places.
1992: THE SPRINTERS FINALLY HAD THEIR CHANCE
After a hilly opening to the race followed by the mountains of the Pyrenees, the sprinters finally had their opportunity this Wednesday with the first bunch sprint of this edition at the end of stage 5. One has to go back to the 1992 Tour de France to find such a long wait before the first mass sprint. That year, thanks to successful breakaways on flat stages and three individual time trials, the fast men had to wait until stage 10. Another Dutchman, Jean-Paul Van Poppel, seized his opportunity in Strasbourg, beating Djamolidine Abdoujaparov.
144: ALL ALONE
A fearless attacker renowned for his long-range breakaways, Baptiste Veistroffer once again ventured off alone between Lannemezan and Pau. The Lotto rider spent 144 kilometres at the front, battling the wind with the peloton in pursuit. He narrowly surpassed the 141-kilometre solo effort produced by Jonas Abrahamsen between Semur-en-Auxois and Colombey-les-Deux-Églises during stage 8 of the 2024 Tour. However, his performance was not enough to emulate Christophe Agnolutto, the last rider to complete a successful solo breakaway of more than 100 kilometres. In 2000, the Frenchman resisted the chasing peloton after 120 kilometres alone to claim victory in Limoges.
