Victor Lafay lifts 15-year Cofidis curse

Frenchman finally ends drought in San Sebastian

- Tom Davidson 

The day of glory finally arrived for Cofidis on stage two of the Tour de France, when Victor Lafay ended a 15-year dry spell for the team at their home race. The Frenchman, a stage winner at the 2021 Giro d’Italia, caught the peloton off-guard in the run in to San Sebastián, springing a surprise attack under the flamme rouge, and remaining in front to the finish line.

“This is liberating for the whole team,” Lafay said in a press conference afterwards. “The first 500m were euphoric, and in the last 500m, the toxins took over. I saw I had a little gap, but I didn’t know how fast they were coming behind. I thought to myself how much I wanted to win. I saw the signs, 400m, 300m, 200m and I gave everything I had. It was such a release. It’s incredible.”