Cofidis on a winning streak in France

With new faces on the team, Cofidis are starting their year off right as they collect two consecutive wins in Etoile de Bessèges.

Benjamin Thomas won the third stage of the French stage-race with a brilliant solo move within the final 3 kilometers after making the race-winning move over the final climb. Now in the lead of the race, Thomas is certainly a favourite aswell to fight for the first place of the overall classification, but for the time being the French team are enjoying their success.

"When the opportunity was present at the top of the hill, he knew how to grab it and go for this great solo victory. We're on a positive spiral and we'll do everything to keep seizing it!" Said Alain Deloeuil, DS of the French team.

After Bryan Coquard broke an 18-month old period with no wins yesterday, the French time-trial national champion broke his 4 year and 7-month old dry spell in non-time trial races.

To L'Équipe, Thomas affirmed: "In Etoile de Bessèges I came to raise my arms in the air, the GC comes after. Tomorrow we'll have to resist, I'll be the man to beat."

Benjamin Thomas is leading the race 7 seconds ahead of Alberto Bettiol and 15 ahead of TotalEnergie's Mathieu Burgaudeau. Having survived the crosswind chaos and seizing the bad luck of some of his rivals, Thomas sees himself in a position he likely wasn't expecting to be in.