After 39 top-10 finishes, Bryan Coquard finally gets his Grand Tour victory: 'Very, very proud'

Bryan Coquard is a name that cycling fans have known for a long time and have seen at the front of sprints for years. However, the Frenchman rarely wins at the highest level. In the eighth stage of the Vuelta a España, the Cofidis sprinter finally got his chance, breaking a notable streak in the process.

In the flash interview, Coquard is reminded that he had to wait twelve years for his first stage win in a Grand Tour. “Thirteen years, I think,” he replies with a mischievous look. “It took a lot of work; I’ve finished second in a Grand Tour many times, but I’m very, very proud and happy.” In Xeraco, he beat Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) in a photo finish.

Cofidis has won a stage in a Grand Tour for the first time since the 2024 Giro d'Italia. “My team did a perfect job. We don’t have many good lead-out men, but I had Alexis today. All the climbers tried to get me into a good position five kilometers from the finish. After that, I followed Alexis, and at 500 meters, I kept an eye on Jordi Meeus. I knew he’s fast on finishes like this.”

It was a chaotic day with many crashes, in which Tadej Pogacar was also involved and had to withdraw. In the final kilometer, Coquard narrowly avoided a serious crash and then timed his move perfectly. “I waited and waited. I knew there was a headwind, and I made my move at just the right moment. I’m very proud and happy. I’ve waited a long time for this victory, and I’ve worked really hard for it. It’s a great day.”

After finishing outside the top ten twice, this victory was especially sweet. “I wasn’t very confident. There was some pressure, because if you don’t sprint well, you lose another chance. There aren’t many opportunities for sprinters in this Vuelta. I wasn’t in a good position in the first two sprints, but I knew from yesterday’s breakaway that my legs were back in good shape. And now I’m fast again.”

Coquard claimed his first WorldTour victory at the 2023 Tour Down Under, after having already won 48 times at lower levels. And in Grand Tours, he had another remarkable statistic: he had finished in the top ten 39 times without ever claiming a victory. That statistic is now a thing of the past. Wilco Kelderman still holds the record with 54 top-ten finishes. Time for a change!