"There's no other positive outcome" - Romain Grégoire won't settle for less than a stage win at 2026 Tour de France
CyclingSaturday, 04 July 2026 at 03:00
Romain Grégoire has been crowned the successor to Dorian Godon as French national champion - one of the most prestigious special jerseys out there. Carrying this momentum, the 23-year-old hopes to find success at the upcoming Tour de France with eyes set on a potential stage win.
"I feel incredibly lucky. This is a special moment, a rare one in a career," Grégoire confided to Cyclism'Actu about the opportunity to wear the French tricolor this summer. "Wearing this jersey on the roads of the Tour is something else entirely. I'm trying to make the most of it and make it shine. I hope these colors will also push me forward and give me strength thanks to the fans."
It is again after three years that Groupama - FDJ United holds the home title. However the drought of the French WorldTour formation, when it comes to Tour de France stage wins, stretches even further back - to 2019 when Thibaut Pinot triumphed atop Col du Tourmalet.
"A successful Tour means a stage win," Grégoire outlines. "There's no other positive outcome for us. It's been far too long since we won a stage on the Tour as a team. We need to get back to winning ways. Whether it's me or another rider, that's our absolute objective."
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Yellow jersey..?
Groupama - FDJ United don't present the most outstanding selection for such a specific event that is a team time trial, but the goal remains to rank high, with a chance at the yellow jersey in mind.
"We'll try to do well in the team time trial; it's crucial for a good start to the Tour and for getting into a good position."
Romain Gregoire wins stage 2 at the 2026 Tour de Suisse
Breakaways will be crucial
Grégoire himself could compete already for the second stage win in Barcelona, but a yellow jersey might be a bit too far out of his reach after the team time trial, he admits.
Likewise, the medium mountain stage 3 seems to soon for Grégoire. But his (or of a teammate) chance will come, he believes. For that purpose, a good launching pad that is a strong team time trial will prove important.
"I don't think it will be on Sunday, but perhaps Monday or a little later in Foix: there could be a yellow jersey awarded to a breakaway. In that situation, it would be really advantageous to have riders from the team well-positioned to be able to contend for that jersey."
Groupama - FDJ United is situated in a far from comfortable position in the UCI rankings after halfway mark of the 2026 season. 19th at the moment, the French team is looking to bounce back off their home Grand Tour, despite a risky decision to keep David Gaudu at home.
"We feel the Tour is coming at the right time. The start of the season wasn't easy, but since the beginning of June, everything has fallen into place. We've been on a good run since the Dauphiné, the Tour de Suisse, and the Route d'Occitanie. We also won the French National Championships. We need to take advantage of this period to capitalize on it at the Tour."
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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