Maxime Decomble just misses out on the podium

# Maxime Decomble Narrowly Misses Podium in Étoile de Bessèges–Tour du Gard Opener

The Étoile de Bessèges–Tour du Gard kicked off this Wednesday, showcasing a promising performance from the Groupama-FDJ United Cycling Team. Despite challenging weather and a tense atmosphere, 20-year-old Maxime Decomble stole the spotlight by finishing just shy of the podium in fourth place, a mere two seconds behind the stage winner.

This race marks France’s first stage event of the season, following closely after the Grand Prix Cycliste de Marseille–La Marseillaise. The 56th edition of the Étoile de Bessèges–Tour du Gard commenced with its traditional explosive finish in Bellegarde, spanning a total of 150 kilometers. Rain played a significant role, complicating matters for the peloton as it pursued a four-man breakaway. Benoît Vaugrenard commented, “We know this stage well and we’re always wary of it. You can lose everything very quickly, so we had to stay vigilant on wet roads and with such a high level of tension. These are stressful days, but the team was strong, united, and fully focused on the day’s objective.” His teammate Ewen Costiou added, “It was very nervous today, we had to fight for position all day long, and the pace was really high in the final.”

In the last thirty kilometers, the peloton faced a robust opposition from the breakaway group, which managed to fend off the chase until just 500 meters from the finish line. Positioned well by their teammates at the base of the Côte de la Méditerranée (700 m at 8%), Decomble and Costiou could not quite hold the pace of Tom Crabbe and Lukas Kubis in the final sprint, yet they finished strongly in the first chasing group.

“I’m really happy because the goal was not to lose any time,” Decomble shared. “The whole team was protecting Ewen and me, so this result is a way of thanking them for the work they did. It was really great, and I even surprised myself on a personal level.” Vaugrenard added, “The job is done. We had to be well positioned at the foot of the climb, and once we were there, we knew we could also fight for the bonus seconds. It was very close, but it’s still a pretty successful day for us.” Costiou finished eleventh, as a significant gap began to form beyond thirteenth place.

Vaugrenard concluded on a hopeful note, stating, “Starting well is obviously good for the group’s confidence. That said, we can’t afford to relax. There are still hard stages to come, and the weather could be just as challenging. Our priority remains protecting our two leaders, but if the course and stage profile allow it, we may try to go for the sprint tomorrow.”