News

As every year, the small Breton town of Plouay hosts two top-tier cycling races this weekend. The Classic Lorient Agglomération - Trophée CERATIZIT, part of the UCI Women's WorldTour, takes place this Saturday, while Sunday will see the Bretagne Classic - Ouest France, a race within the UCI Men's WorldTour. Two great races for a small town with a population of less than 6,000.

Courses

The Classic Lorient Agglomération - Trophée CERATIZIT features a 159-kilometer route with 2,100 meters of elevation gain and 11 categorized climbs. A demanding course where cyclists such as Misha Bredewold (800) (2023), Mavi Garcia (800) (2022), or Elisa Longo Borghini (1200) (2021) have shone in recent years.

On the other hand, the men's Bretagne Classic - Ouest France covers a monumental distance of 261 kilometers with 3,500 meters of elevation gain. Like in the women's race, the profile is a constant up and down. Valentin Madouas (600) (2023), Wout Van Aert (1000) (2022), and Benoît Cosnefroy (400) (2021) are the last three winners of the race.

Women's Race Favorites

For Saturday's race, cyclists such as Elisa Longo Borghini (1200), Mischa Bredewold (800), Liane Lippert (1000), Marlen Reusser (1000), Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (800), Soraya Paladin (800), Arlenis Sierra (600), Kristen Faulkner (400), Chloe Dygert (600), or Cedrine Kerbaol (400) are among the favorites. Sprinters like Elisa Balsamo (1000) or Charlotte Kool (1000) will likely find it challenging to reach the front group to contest the finish.

Men's Race Favorites

For the men's race, cyclists like Marc Hirschi (600), Valentin Madouas (600), Arnaud De Lie (800), Thomas Pidcock (800), Michael Mathews (800), Julian Alaphilippe (600), Magnus Cort (600), Christophe Laporte (600), Maxim Van Gils (600), Diego Ulissi (600), or Thibaut Nys (400) are among the favorites.

Photo: © 4 Jours CIC de Plouay