A very uncertain and thrilling conclusion to the Route d'Occitanie 2026. The second stage was indeed decided by a matter of centimeters in favor of Noa Isidore (Decathlon CGA CGM) who, thanks to a decisive final effort, outsprinted his fellow countryman from Unibet Rose Rockets Ronan Augé at the finish line in Saint-Gaudens before being disqualified by the jury for an irregularity committed during the crucial phases of the sprint. The victory was therefore awarded to the representative of Bas Tietema's team, while Matteo Moschetti (Pinarello-Q 36.5) secured the second place overall, achieving his best result in nearly a month.

Fourth place, after being perfectly led by his teammates in the final for Gruel, went to the winner of yesterday's stage and current race leader Thibaud Gruel (Groupama-FDJ United) who, despite finishing with the same time as today's winner, maintained his first place in the standings on the eve of the final stage scheduled for tomorrow from Loures-Barousse to Loudenvielle.

THE RACE

Marked by the long breakaway of Cristian Damián Vélez (Team Sistecredito), Alexander Konijn and Laurens Huys (Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur), Théo Delacroix (St Michel - Preference Home - Auber93), Léandre Huck (Van Rysel Roubaix) and Alexis Pagaré (Victoria Sports Pro Cycling), the stage became intense in the final forty kilometers of the 172 kilometers scheduled.

At -39 km from the finish, with the main group making a strong comeback, Konijn and Huck remained alone at the front, dropping their other breakaway companions, but shortly the two-man effort turned into a solo attempt with the Van Rysel Roubaix rider opting to continue alone, extending his lead over the Dutchman.

Behind him, meanwhile, the pace set by Visma Lease a Bike ensured that, once entering the final circuit characterized by the Côte de La Serre de Nérous, his margin decreased significantly until it was completely erased ahead of the sprint with bonuses (won by Lukas Nerurkar over Davide Piganzoli) located 11 kilometers from the finish.

After recording the puncture of Madis Mihkels (EF Education-Easypost) at -10 km and the timid attack by Roberto Gonzalez (Solution Tech NIPPO Rali) at -9, they arrived at the final climb of the day where, due to a couple of unsuccessful attacks by the St Michel - Preference Home - Auber93 riders, the group stretched without breaking apart or thinning excessively.

At this point, a couple of ineffective sorties by the CIC Pro Cycling Academy riders and the crash of Daniel Cavia (Burgos Burpellet BH) at -2 km from the finish provided the only thrills before the inevitable conclusion in the sprint on the slightly uphill finish line in Saint-Gaudens where Isidore, taking advantage of the excellent work done by Groupama's men for Gruel, was able to launch his sprint with ease and achieve a decisive final effort for his first professional victory, which was later canceled by the jury for the foul he committed on the final straight. To celebrate the first major success was therefore Augé (sixth yesterday and fifth thirteen days ago at the Heylen Vastgoed Heistse Pijl), capable of fighting until the end for a victory then awarded to him at the desk.

FINISHING ORDER

1. Ronan Augé (Unibet Rose Rockets) 4:37:37

2. Matteo Moschetti (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) s.t.

3. Axel Zingle (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) s.t.

4. Thibaud Gruel (Groupama - FDJ United) s.t.

5. Javier Serrano (Team Polti VisitMalta) s.t.

6. Killian Théot (Van Rysel Roubaix) s.t.

7. Romain Cardis (St Michel - Preference Home - Auber93) s.t.

8. Louis Hardouin (Van Rysel Roubaix) s.t.

9. Valentin Retailleau (TotalEnergies) s.t.

10. Lukas Nerurkar (EF Education-Easypost) s.t.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Thibaud Gruel (Groupama-FDJ United) - 8:47:45

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

3. Jamie Meehan (Cofidis) at 0:04

4. Lukas Nerurkar (EF Education-EasyPost) at 0:07

5. Davide Piganzoli (Visma Lease a Bike) at 0:08

6. Javier Serrano (Polti-VisitMalta) at 0:10

7. Joseph Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) at 0:10

8. Lenaic Langella (CIC Pro Cycling Academy) at 0:10

9. Lorenzo Conforti (Bardiani CSF 7Saber) at 0:10

10. Edoardo Zamperini (Cofidis) at 0:10

OTHER CLASSIFICATIONS

Points classification: Thibaud Gruel (Groupama - FDJ United)

King of the Mountains classification: Théo Delacroix (St Michel - Preference Home - Auber93)

Best Young Rider classification: Thibaud Gruel (Groupama - FDJ United)