Cofidis fast man Bryan Coquard has long been viewed as a dangerous sprinter. Incredibly though, the Frenchman's sprint win on stage 2 of the 2024 Tour de Suisse was just the second ever World Tour level win for the 32-year-old.
“The biggest victory of my career! It was a difficult stage, with a tough climb at the end. I got a great opportunity today, as the stage ended in a sprint with a somewhat smaller group," reflected an emotional yet delighted Coquard in his post-stage interview. "I am a good sprinter, but it is difficult against the real top sprinters. Today everything went as planned. I rode the perfect final and also rode a perfect sprint.”
With 52 professional wins to his name, Coquard has hardly been starved of success over his career, but when it comes to wins at the very top level of the sport, the Frenchman has always managed to just come up a little short. “I have finished second so many times," the Cofidis sprinter admits. "For example in the Tour de France. I once found myself stranded in Limoges within millimetres of Marcel Kittel.”
Coquard opened things up in the final sprint and although Arnaud De Lie was perfectly positioned on the Frenchman's wheel, an untimely mechanical saw the Cofidis sprinter power to victory ahead of Michael Matthews. “I am very happy with this victory. It's really great," Coquard concludes, growing in confidence ahead of the seventh Tour de France appearance of his career later on this month. "I have been at altitude for the past three weeks for the Tour de France (June 29-July 21, ed.). It is great that it is already paying off."
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