For the 2026 season, Cofidis is betting on Yaël Joalland. Coming from the Continental CIC - U - Nantes team, the 25-year-old native of Loire had fractured four vertebrae after a violent fall during the Grand Prix de la Marseillaise last year, which had slowed down his career. This season, Yaël has returned to racing consistently and has distinguished himself by finishing seventh overall in the Route d'Occitanie, won by Prodhomme ahead of Piganzoli.

Now the doors to the World Tour are opening for the young French climber, and he wants to take full advantage to continue growing professionally. "After 4 years in the Continental category, I naturally wanted to aim higher. I'm a pure climber, I love challenging races and tough routes. I want to discover new competitions, especially stage races like Paris-Nice, the Critérium du Dauphiné, and the Tour of the Basque Country. I can't wait to support leaders and climbers whenever necessary, I'll try to give my maximum and learn from my teammates, but I also want to thank all my loved ones and everyone who is close to me during this important moment in my career."