Paul Loiseau wins Stage 2 of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec
by La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec 28 May 19:56 BST
13 May - 7 June 2026
After an intense and particularly demanding leg, Paul Loiseau (Région Bretagne - CMB Espoir) claimed victory this Thursday in Stage 2 of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, raced between Vigo and Pornichet.
It was a landmark win that also moves him up to fourth place in the provisional overall standings following a dramatic finale. Tom Dolan (Kingspan), fifth in Pornichet, retains the overall lead, while Nicolas Lunven (PRB) and Alexis Thomas (Wings of The Ocean), who finished second and third respectively in Pornichet, move onto the provisional overall podium after two stages.
After a tight finish against Nicolas Lunven (PRB), Paul Loiseau (Région Bretagne - CMB Espoir) crossed the line with a lead of 5 minutes and 44 seconds, bringing to an end a thrilling duel that had lasted since early morning. Alexis Thomas aboard Wings of The Ocean completed the impressive podium.
The young skipper showed remarkable composure during the final hours of racing despite complex conditions and unstable weather.
"Even in my wildest dreams, I never imagined I could do this. It's absolutely crazy — I still can't quite believe it. The first stage was already great, but adding a stage win on top of that is beyond anything I expected," said the sailor at the finish.
With this strategic and controlled victory, Paul Loiseau confirms his excellent level of performance and now establishes himself as one of the leading contenders in this edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec.
"The end of the race was insane. I only really started believing in the win quite late — during the night, actually — because the fleet was so spread out that I didn't even know where my competitors were anymore, I had lost AIS. I just saw in last night's rankings that I was third, without knowing where the others were. That's when I thought things weren't looking too bad.
Then the Match Race at the finish was incredible, especially under spinnaker. And in the end, the wind dropped and Nicolas came back at me. I thought I wasn't going to make it — it was horrible. But it's unbelievable. I've just arrived on the circuit and I'm immediately battling with sailors like Nicolas, who already has several victories to his name," concluded Paul Loiseau.
Nicolas Lunven reflected on his race upon arriving at the dock: "I could still see that I was generally leading my group because after Cape Finisterre, the fleet split into two or even three groups. I was mostly leading the offshore group, but it was all very uncertain. I don't think anyone really knew how things were going to unfold.
I felt pretty in sync with the boat and with what was happening on the water. It wasn't easy, and I certainly didn't understand everything either. It was all a bit chaotic out there.
Then it was a pleasant surprise to see our routes converge with Paul's. I don't know exactly what it will mean overall, but it's definitely a good result, so I'm very happy."
Third on the stage, Alexis Thomas was understandably delighted: "It's true that until now I'd become a bit used to finishing just off the podium, so it feels great to finally secure one. I think I really earned this podium finish — I sailed well from the start.
There were a lot of twists and turns, and I wasn't in the right group at one stage, but I managed to stay patient, remain opportunistic, and make the right choices and tactical options.
I think this year I've unlocked something mentally. Last year, we saw that I had three very strong starts to stages and great first 24 hours, but then I completely collapsed afterwards. This time, I managed to hold on all the way to the finish, just like in the previous stage. I'm happy — it's finally coming together," joked the skipper.
New provisional standings before jury decisions
Throughout the afternoon, the finishers continued to arrive, bringing frustration for some and joy for others, but everyone agreed on one thing: this sprint between Vigo and Pornichet was one of the toughest in recent years.
Irish sailor Tom Dolan, winner of the opening stage, managed to retain the overall lead despite finishing fifth. However, his advantage is now down to just 3 minutes and 38 seconds over Nicolas Lunven, who climbs to second place overall. The pressure is now firmly on the Irishman.
Alexis Thomas also delivered a strong performance to move into third overall, 24 minutes and 59 seconds behind Tom Dolan and 8 minutes and 12 seconds behind Nicolas Lunven. Meanwhile, Paul Loiseau sits just off the podium, 33 minutes and 11 seconds adrift.
Nothing is settled yet and the gaps remain extremely small. The final stage promises, without doubt, to be fiercely contested between the leading protagonists. Will they shadow each other, play defensively, or simply continue to attack as they always do?
Whatever happens, Tom Dolan's comeback after the disappointment of 2025 is already paying off. The Irish sailor remains a formidable opponent and, if all goes well, is heading toward a second title. But before any predictions can be made, the priority now is recovery — maximising rest and energy before throwing themselves fully into the final leg of this 57th edition of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec.