An early fourth place, but a setback Before Cassel
# Groupama-FDJ United Faces Setback in 4 Jours de Dunkerque
In an eventful start to the 2026 edition of the 4 Jours de Dunkerque, the Groupama-FDJ United cycling team saw an inspiring opening followed by a challenging day on the road. The week began positively for the squad on Wednesday in Laon, where Thibaud Gruel clinched a commendable fourth place during an uphill finish. However, the following stages presented difficulties that tested the resilience of the young team.
Thursday’s stage ended in disappointment for the sprinters as they were outpaced by an unexpected breakaway, which meant Groupama-FDJ United missed out on a potential sprint with their star Matteo. Team director Benoît Vaugrenard commented, “Obviously, we would have liked to sprint with Matteo, but he wasn’t the big favorite either, so it wasn’t entirely our responsibility. The breakaway pulled off a great ride and we came through the day without any issues.”
The real challenges arose on Friday as the team navigated the famed cobbles on the route to Wallers-Arenberg. With the pressure mounting, Thibaud Gruel suffered a puncture that altered the course of the race. “Unfortunately, Thibaud punctured, Titouan gave him his bike, Clément waited for him, Valentin was slightly behind, and only Bastien was still near the front of the peloton,” Benoît explained. As a result, the team found themselves without representation in a crucial breakaway, leading to a chase that proved futile.
Despite the challenges, the team managed to maintain a fighting spirit. Gruel and Bastien Tronchon ultimately finished in a chasing group, 23 seconds behind stage victor Rasmus Tiller. Thibaud now finds himself thirteenth in the overall standings heading into the decisive queen stage to Cassel, trailing the race leader Laurence Pithie by 35 seconds.
Looking ahead, Benoît remained optimistic. “There’s definitely a chance to move up in the overall standings tomorrow. Thibaud is going really well, but the race needs to be hard. The heat will once again be an important factor in Cassel, in a stage that could be tougher than usual. We’ll fight all the way to the finish.”
As the team prepares for the next challenge, Benoît encapsulated the need for resilience: “What happened today is truly a pity, but tomorrow we’ll have to roll up our sleeves, pick ourselves back up, and go back into the fight.”
