"I don't know what Axel Zingle was thinking... We'll ask for explanations" - Cofidis boss slams his own rider for going into business for himself at Tour de France

At the 2024 Tour de France, Axel Zingle was planned to have a very important role in the final sprint for Bryan Coquard and Cofidis. According to the team's boss, Cedric Vasseur however, the Frenchman went into business for himself on stage 6.

On stage 6, there was a hush over the peloton, with no breakaway having formed. At the first categorised climb of the day however, polka-dot jersey, Jonas Abrahamsen showed his face at the front, riding clear of the bunch to take the one King of the Mountains point on offer. Strangely though, Cofids' Zingle also attacked, joining Abrahamsen and encouraging the Uno-X Mobility rider to continue working and form a two man breakaway.

According to Cofidis boss Vasseur however, this was not the plan. "I don't know what Axel was thinking," the French manager fumed in conversation with RMC Sport shortly after the stage's finish. "We hadn't planned to send a rider into the breakaway. It's stupid to attack when you have a sprinter like Bryan Coquard in your team. I would have preferred to see Zingle help Bryan in the finale, but that wasn't the case. We'll ask him for explanations."

Notably, in the final sprint won by Team Jayco AlUla's Dutch national champion, Dylan Groenewegen, Coquard crossed the line in 12th (later bumped up to 11th by Jasper Philipsen's relegation ed.), behind even his own teammate, Piet Allegaert. "We are here to work as a team," Vasseur continues. "So far, however, we have not seen much from Axel. You have to be correct when you think in terms of a selection for the Tour. Our sprinter is Coquard, also by virtue of what he has done in his career, compared to what Zingle has done. We have seen what Astana has been able to do for Mark Cavendish, I hope that we too will be able to find the right cohesion."

Zingle's time at Cofidis is already numbered, with the Frenchman widely reported to be on the way to Team Visma | Lease a Bike at the expiry of his contract when this season ends. "I don't regret having decided to bring Zingle to the Tour, not at all," concludes the Cofidis manager. "He has the right skills to help Coquard take the sprints well."