The pre-race calendar pencilled in a short individual time trial as the GC-deciding stage, but the 2026 edition was actually contested over four in-line road stages with no time trial. The second of those, 153.6 km from La Garnache to the Atlantic finish at Les Sables-d'Olonne, was another day for the sprinters.

With the wind a constant factor on the exposed coastal roads, the bunch came together for a second straight mass gallop. Ethan Vernon (NSN Cycling Team) again proved the fastest, beating Erlend Blikra — runner-up for the second day running — with veteran Sam Bennett third, Jason Tesson fourth and Enrico Zanoncello fifth.

Vernon's double extended his hold on the race lead, but with another flat stage producing no GC separation beyond bonuses, the overall remained wide open heading into the decisive hilly final two days.

Ethan Vernon retains the leader's jersey after a second consecutive stage win, building his bonus-second buffer. Because the stage ended in a bunch sprint, the GC contenders all finished together and the overall stayed compressed — the time trial that pre-race plans expected to reshuffle the standings never took place, so the race would instead be decided on the punchy closing stages.