Jamie Meehan rode in the four-man breakaway for over 100km, hunting for bonus seconds, then suffered a last ditch mechanical, forcing him into a franctic chase to protect his GC position (Photo: Xavier Pereyron)
Jamie Meehan (Cofidis) yesterday experienced a day of high drama on the opening stage of La Route d'Occitanie-CIC (2.1). He rode for over 100km in the breakaway before getting caught with about 40km to go, though the most stressful part of his day was still ahead of him.
He had won the two intermediate sprints while up the road, taking 6 bonus seconds and ensuring he'd be in the top three overall. But he told stickybottle when he was forced to change bikes just before the last climb with 10km to go, he was thrown into a frantic chase on his own, putting his body under extreme stress
"About 10km to go, my chain came off on a bumpy descent," he explained. "I tried reaching down to fix it, but I could see it was catching on the derailleur, and it had knotted. So, I had to go get a bike change just before the last climb.
Advertisement
"I was fighting to come back, and it was all splitting on that last climb, I had to pass everybody. And then there was another group in front so I couldn't use the cars - that group was off the back of the bunch, so I had to pass that.
"I was just riding on my own trying to get back to the front group knowing I had the extra seconds. And then with about 5k to go, I was able to get back in the cars, and I got onto the back of the bunch but about 2k to go."
🧊 Bidons + glaçons pour affronter cette chaleur 🥵
🧊 Bottles + ice cubes to beat the heat 🥵#RouteOccitanie 🎥 CAMEMB’R pic.twitter.com/sF5SHYO994
— Team Cofidis (@TeamCOFIDIS) June 18, 2026
Meenhan continued: "And with 1k to go we turned right and you're starting the uphill sprint, so it was pretty full gas. I had something like 200 average beats per minute for the last 15 minutes.
Related News
"It was just full gas. After such a hard day in the breakaway, to get a few extra seconds, I nearly lost it with the mechanical. But, luckily I came back. It was a pretty hard day in the heat."
Meehan said the team's goal was to have him or Simon Carr in the breakaway, in the hope they could pick up some time bonuses to boost their general classification position. That could give the team an extra option for the GC on Saturday's queen stage, to help Ion Izagirre.
"There was definitely a fight for the breakaway on the first climb,” Meehan said of the opening phase of yesterday’s stage, just after the start.
“But we went over the top would still know breakaway after all the attacks. But then two guys got away, and I saw a guy from Nice jumping, so I just went. They closed the door behind and that was it, the four of us got away about 10-15k in."
Meehan said his three breakaway companions knew he was there for the bonus seconds, so a deal was struck. He could take those seconds if he "wasn't going to fight them for the stage".
However, he was (sensibly) wary of the agreement. So when the first set of bonus seconds arrived on the route, at the bottom of a 3km climb, he went early to be sure he would secure them.
He also then secured the maximum seconds at the second sprint point, bringing his tally for the day to six seconds.
After riding in the breakaway for over 100km, the four leaders were caught as the second 45km finishing circuit was getting underway.
And though Meehan planned to try and keep a low profile from that point, it didn't exactly pan out that way, though the last gasp chase at least ended well.
The race was continuing today with a 200.5km stage from Cordes-sur-Ciel to Saint-Gaudens, featuring a series of modest climbs in the final 45km.
Meehan was 3rd overall starting out the day, just four seconds down on race leader, Thibaud Gruel (Groupama-FDJ United), who won yesterday in a bunch sprint.
