Dutch sprinter Olav Kooij won the sprint finish of Stage 5 [1] during the 2026 [2] Tour de France.
This victory marks the first successful sprint finish of the 113th [3] edition of the race. As the first designated sprint stage of the competition, it provided the primary opportunity for the peloton's fastest riders to contest a win before the race moves deeper into the mountains.
The stage ran from Lannemezan to Pau in the French Pyrenees [1]. The route concluded in Pau, where Kooij outpaced the competition to secure the stage win. Highlights of the finish were broadcast by NBC Sports [1].
While the day belonged to the sprinters, the stage also featured key general classification contenders. Jonas Vingegaard was among the riders featured in the stage highlights, though the focus of the day remained on the high-speed battle for the finish line, a stark contrast to the climbing stages that typically define the Pyrenean region.
Kooij's win establishes him as a dominant force in the sprint categories for this year's race. The transition from Lannemezan to Pau allowed the sprinters to showcase their speed before the Tour enters more grueling terrain. The 113th [3] edition continues to balance these flat transitions with the steep ascents of the French countryside.
“Dutch sprinter Olav Kooij won the sprint finish of Stage 5”
Kooij's victory in the first sprint stage of the 113th Tour de France secures an early win for the Dutch contingent and sets the hierarchy for the race's fast finishers. Because this stage served as a primary opportunity for sprinters before the race intensifies in the Pyrenees, the result defines the competitive landscape for the remaining flat stages of the 2026 event.
