Results Etoile de Besseges 2026 Stage 5 | Ewen Costiou rips up GC with stage-winning final time trial
Cycling
Ewen Costiou detonated the final day of the Etoile de Besseges, winning the stage 5 time trial and tearing up the general classification to claim overall victory in one decisive ride.
The 10.3-kilometre test to L’Hermitage proved decisive in a race that had remained tightly compressed through four stages. Costiou’s effort was not only enough to secure the stage win, but also to reshape the overall standings as several GC contenders faltered against the clock.
Costiou sets an untouchable benchmark
Starting later in the order, Costiou produced a commanding ride from start to finish, stopping the clock at 14:57 and immediately resetting expectations for the remainder of the afternoon. The margin was decisive rather than incremental, forcing every rider still to come to target the stage rather than defend position.
Paul Lapeira came closest to challenging the time, finishing just two seconds back, while Maxime Decomble also delivered a strong effort to place himself firmly into contention for the overall podium. No rider who followed was able to approach Costiou’s pace over the full distance.
GC battle turns against Kubis
Attention quickly shifted from the stage to the general classification as the final GC contenders reached the line. Race leader Lukas Kubis was unable to match the required pace, conceding significant time and slipping down the standings with a finishing time of 15:32.
That opening was ruthlessly exploited. Costiou’s ride vaulted him from outside the top ten into the overall lead, while Paul Lapeira and Maxime Decomble also moved ahead of Kubis on GC. Niklas Larsen remained close but could not gain enough time to challenge for the win.
Henri Uhlig and Louis Hardouin both lost ground on the final day, ending any remaining hopes of defending their podium positions.
Final general classification decided by the clock
When all times were confirmed, Costiou emerged as the overall winner of the Etoile de Besseges, completing a dramatic final day turnaround driven entirely by time trial performance rather than tactical racing.
The outcome underlined how finely balanced the race had been throughout the week. After four stages of tight margins and controlled racing, it was the clock alone that decided the final order.
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Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- A great route aswell. Col D'Arcy is a toughie
Rafionain-Glas03-11-2026 - Let Torito have a shot at itRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- A great route, much more exciting than the Tour de France. Monte Livata is an interesting one, because they experimented with it at the 2026 Baby Giro, and it was fantastic. 4 km at 10%, then 10 km at 6.5% made for a great spectacle. The stage 16 is horribleRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- I remember when Mark went through that. He was really experiencing lows and thought about quiting many times. It took him a long time to recover. I, like many others were overjoyed when he came back. I hope Lafay has been tested. I wish him the best.Paggss03-11-2026
- That sucks for him. I've always wondered what guys like him do after retiring from cycling - go back to uni? He's still a very young manCrashjames03-11-2026
- Good Point, I wonder if he's been testedmhfrvz03-11-2026
- A busy boy!Lozza03-11-2026
- I hope 2027 is his year.mij03-11-2026
- why does he have to? many GT riders from Froome to Contador to Indurain didn't do them.mij03-11-2026
- I think Jonas would have lost the TDF by 4+ minutes (at the least) and might not have even been in the top 3. Too much talent in the younger riders to say anyone not named Pogačar would have been top 3md197503-11-2026
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