"I didn't even know if I had crossed the line first!" - Benjamin Thomas reacts to his grotesque fall at KoM sprint
Cycling
The opening stage of Tour de France had an unusually sizeable breakaway which included Benjamin Thomas. The all-rounder of Cofidis had his eyes set on the polka dot jersey and, despite some complications along the way, eventually secured his spot on podium in Lille.
"I'm really happy, because that's what we had decided in the team briefing. I was free to break away. Once I took the first point, I needed a second to secure the polka dot jersey, and it all came down to Mont Cassel. It's a place I know well because we often ride there during the 4 Jours de Dunkerque," Thomas explains in post-race interview.
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But the Cofidis rider still made a mistake: "I attacked too early, Matteo came back and we had to sprint. On the cobbles, you always sprint sitting down, but when I threw the bike forward, I lost my balance, my front wheel came off and we fell. I didn't even know if I had crossed the line first!" he laughs.
No excuses. Thomas knows that he may only blame himself for such naive fall. Thankfully, both men were able to continue the stage with just some bruises here and tehre. "It was entirely my fault, so I went to apologise to him and luckily he's fine. I'm a bit sore and I'll be aching for two or three days, but nothing too serious."
To secure the first lead in the mountain's classification already makes the Tour slightly more successful for Cofidis. The French team has brought some of their biggest guns, but can't really think of winning multiple stages or riding a good GC. Such small accomplished will be therefore highly appreciated. And it's of course a big day for Thomas who intends to hold on to the jersey for as long as possible:
"It's my first climber's jersey, in any race, so I'm really happy. And of course, the one in the Tour is legendary. We'll see tomorrow if it's worth trying to break away, but I'd like to keep it."
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
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- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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