On the second day of racing and at his first race of 2026, Olav Kooij immediately savors the sweet taste of victory by winning the first stage of the Boucles de la Mayenne 2026. Sidelined for the entire first part of the season due to a debilitating virus that kept him off the bike until late April, the Dutch sprinter from Decathlon CMA CGM imposed himself in the sprint at the finish line in Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne (the finish of a 172-kilometer stage starting from Saint-Berthevin) ahead of an excellent Alessio Magagnotti (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe Rookies), achieving his best-ever result in a .Pro event, and Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies).

No luck for two of the pre-race favorites like Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) and Matthew Brennan (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) who could only manage seventh and eleventh place respectively in a sprint that saw another Italian, Alessio Delle Vedove (XDS Astana), stand out by finishing in fourth place.

No problems for the overall leader Julius Johansen (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) who, after winning yesterday's prologue by one second over Jakob Söderqvist (Lidl - Trek), finished safely in the main group and maintained his first place in the general classification ahead of a stage, the Aron-Pré-en-Pail-Saint-Samson of 215 kilometers, which is much more undulating and potentially more exciting than today's.

STAGE RESULTS

1. Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) 3:48:49

2. Alessio Magagnotti (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe Rookies) s.t.

3. Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies) s.t.

4. Alessio Delle Vedove (XDS Astana Team) s.t.

5. Juan Sebastián Molano (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) s.t.

6. Mads Pedersen (NSN Cycling Team) s.t.

7. Brady Gilmore (Lidl - Trek) s.t.

8. Vito Braet (Lotto Intermarché) s.t.

9. Ronan Augé (Unibet Rose Rockets) s.t.

10. Clément Venturini (Unibet Rose Rockets) s.t.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Julius Johansen (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) 3:55:25

2. Jakob Söderqvist (Lidl - Trek) +0:01

3. Oscar Chamberlain (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) +0:06

4. Benoît Cosnefroy (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) +0:06

5. Thibaud Gruel (Groupama - FDJ United) +0:06

6. Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) +0:07

7. Søren Kragh Andersen (Lidl - Trek) +0:08

8. Héctor Álvarez (Lidl - Trek) +0:09

9. Maxime Decomble (Groupama - FDJ United) +0:10

10. Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step) +0:10

OTHER CLASSIFICATIONS

Points Classification: Olav Kooij (Decathlon CMA CGM Team)

King of the Mountains Classification: Tom Mainguenaud (Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur)

Best Young Rider Classification: Oscar Chamberlain (Decathlon CMA CGM Team)