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Faun-Ardèche Classic and Faun-Drôme Classic share organization, they take place on the same weekend, they have similar routes and they are held very close to each other, so the teams present veery similar line-ups. Furthermore, as far as Cycling Fantasy is concerned, these two sister races are important, as they will kick off the new France 1.Pro competition.

Faun-Ardèche Classic, route and favorites

As usual, Guilherand-Granges hosts the start and finish of the Faun-Ardèche Classic, which features a route with more than 3,000 meters of positive slope. The summit of Saint-Romain de Lerps (6.1 km at 7.2%) is located 21 kilometers from the finish line and can make a big selection. The last climb, Val d'Enfer (1.4 km at 10.8%), is situated at 6.5 km from home and will undoubtedly be decisive for the final outcome. The race is ideal for climbers and puncheurs: Julian Alaphilippe (1200), Primož Roglič (1200), Nairo Quintana (600), Brandon McNulty (800) and Jonas Vingegaard (800) are some of the main favorites.

Faun-Drôme Classic, route and favorites

The Faun-Drôme Classic also has departure and arrival in the same town, in this case in Étoile-sur-Rhône, but the route is not as hard as the one from Faun-Ardèche. 2,377 meters of positive elevation gain and a constant up and down are characteristic of the race, which make it ideal for puncheurs and classic riders. The two main favorites are also Julian Alaphilippe (1200) and Primož Roglič (1200), but it is race more open to surprises, and riders such as Diego Ulissi (1000), Andrea Bagioli (400), Lennard Kämna (400), Clément Champoussin (400), Guillaume Martin (800), Benoit Cosnefroy (400) or Warren Barguil (400) can also go for the win.