The win tally is officially open! This Sunday, Ewen Costiou claimed the first two victories of the 2026 season for the Groupama-FDJ United cycling team. The 23-year-old Breton dominated the closing time trial of the Étoile de Bessèges, while also securing the overall classification of the race. Maxime Decomble, an excellent second in the time trial, stood alongside him on the final podium in third place, which made for a perfect ending.
There were just 10 kilometers left to shake things up. This Sunday, as the final act, the Étoile de Bessèges-Tour du Gard featured its traditional time trial around Alès, with the decisive climb of the Ermitage. Before their scheduled start just before 3:30 p.m., Ewen Costiou and Maxime Decomble were 20 and 27 seconds behind the overall leader. “We certainly were a bit behind Kubis, and also Lapeira, but we were really confident with the physical condition of our leaders,” said Benoît Vaugrenard. “Since things didn’t explode as much as we hoped on the Bessèges stage, it all came down to this time trial for us. We knew our strengths, and we prepared really well for this day.” “The time trial was slightly shorter than in previous years, but there was rain today,” added David Han, one of the team’s coaches. “Objectively speaking, it was a course that suited our two leaders well, and they also aren’t afraid of the rain.”
“It’s amazing!”– Ewen Costiou
Before the two strong men from Groupama-FDJ United set off, Victor Loulergue made his mark again by posting the second-best provisional time at his arrival. Then, it was time for the battle for the overall. “The plan was to have a good start but not overcommit, and then gradually increase the pace during the time trial,” explained David. “We had a progressive strategy, and despite that, the guys still were among the best times at the bottom of the final climb.” After 7,500 metres, Ewen Costiou was in second place, just 3 seconds behind the best time, and Maxime Decomble was in fifth, 6 seconds behind. But they still had to face the final 2.8 kilometers of ascent at 5.3%, with some sections reaching over 9%. “That’s where the biggest gaps were made,” said David. “The steep gradients were really tough, and the guys had already shown they were among the top 3-4 in the climbs a couple of days ago. That was confirmed again today.” It was Maxime Decomble who made the first impression, improving the best time by 13 seconds at his arrival.
With a time of 15:02, the young rider claimed the “hot seat,” but only briefly, as his teammate Ewen Costiou quickly overtook him with a time of 14:57. With just 10 riders still on the course, Groupama-FDJ United held the top two positions, and only Paul Lapeira came close to threatening them, but he couldn’t surpass them for the stage win. Ewen Costiou could then celebrate his first victory, but the icing on the cake came shortly after when Lukas Kubis crossed the line with a 35-second deficit. This was more than enough to secure the overall victory for the young Breton! “I knew that if I was having a good day, this course was ideal for me,” Ewen said. “It’s amazing! The plan worked perfectly. We had two cards for the overall, and we both finished on the final podium. We were a little frustrated after the third stage, and I was worried about having a bad day in the time trial. But in the end, I felt great this morning, just like all week, and I put in a great time trial. I’m happy.”
“It boosts the team’s morale,”– Benoît Vaugrenard
In his first stage race and his first time trial with his new team, Ewen Costiou pulled off the perfect double. “Anthony [Bouillod] did a great job working with Ewen on his position, first in Calpe, then in the wind tunnel before the altitude camp,” David added. “The position was well optimized, and we also did some specific work during the camp, with what we call ‘Bessèges simulations.’ In any case, this will boost his confidence for the future. The team knows it can count on him, both for achieving results and supporting the leaders. It’s important for him to come into the team and win two races straight away, seizing the opportunity given to him. It will further solidify his status, and I think he’s looking forward to what comes next.” “I’m really happy with my preparation and my integration,” Ewen said. “The goal wasn’t to be 100% at the start of the season, but to be good enough to win at Bessèges, and that’s exactly what happened!”
Most importantly, the young rider secured Groupama-FDJ United’s first two wins of the year, while Maxime Decomble took third place on the final podium and claimed the white jersey for the best young rider. “Victories are hard to achieve today, given the current level of competition, so winning two races straight away really boosts the team’s morale, and it’s especially important for working in a calm environment,” concluded Benoît. “It’s very promising from Ewen and Maxime, and it will also boost their confidence. We know their qualities, but it’s never easy to step up when the moment comes. I also want to highlight the collective effort, which was excellent this week.”
