Bretagne Classic

The Bretagne Classic, also called Bretagne Classic Ouest-France, is an elite cycling classic held annually in late summer around the Breton village of Plouay in western France.

Bretagne Classic
Race details
DateLate August
RegionBrittany, France
English nameBrittany Classic West France
Local name(s)Bretagne Classic Ouest-France (in French)
DisciplineRoad
CompetitionUCI World Tour
TypeOne-day race
OrganiserComité des Fêtes de Plouay
Web sitepco.bzh/4-jours-cic-plouay/grand-prix-bretagne-classic.php
History
First edition1931 (1931)
Editions87 (as of 2023)
First winner François Favé (FRA)
Most wins10 riders with 2 wins
Most recent Valentin Madouas (FRA)

The race was originally named Grand-Prix de Plouay and, from 1989 to 2015, GP Ouest-France. It was included in the inaugural UCI ProTour in 2005 and in 2011 in its successor, the UCI World Tour. Since 2016 it is called Bretagne Classic Ouest-France.[1]

Since 2002, a women's event, the GP de Plouay – Bretagne is organized on Saturday, the day before the men's race. Supporting events have grown over the years and now include BMX races, track racing and a mass-participation ride, as part of a four–day festival in the last summer weekend in Brittany.

History

Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle (pictured at the 1993 Paris–Nice) is the last French rider to have won the race twice

The Bretagne Classic, originally named Circuit de Plouay and later the Grand-Prix de Plouay,[1] was created in 1931 by former Tour de France doctor Berty, who used his influence to attract some of the biggest names of French cycling to the inaugural edition.[2] Breton rider François Favé won the inaugural edition. In its first decades the race was dominated by French riders. The first non-French winner was Italian Ugo Anzile in 1954, the second was Holland's Frits Pirard in 1979. Ten riders have won the race two times, all of them French except Oliver Naesen, the most recent to do so with wins in 2016 and 2018.

Throughout its history, the roll of honour includes some illustrious winners. Séan Kelly was the first English-speaking rider to win in 1984. Belgian Frank Vandenbroucke became the youngest winner in 1996, at the age of 21.[3] Italian Vincenzo Nibali, on his way to cycling legend, took a surprise victory in 2006, at the age of 22.[4] Australians Simon Gerrans and Matthew Goss won in 2009 and 2010 respectively, with Norway's Edvald Boasson Hagen soloing to victory in 2012 and Italy's Filippo Pozzato helping resurrect his career with a surprise win in 2013.[5][6]

In 2014 the attackers managed to hold off the chasing peloton, with Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel winning the seven-man sprint.[7] Alexander Kristoff was only two seconds behind, winning the sprint for eighth place.[8] In 2015 it was Kristoff's turn for victory, leading out a bunch sprint of 69 riders.[9]

Route

The race starts and finishes in the small village of Plouay, in the heartland of French cycling. The course consists of eight laps of a demanding 27 km (17 mi) circuit and one 14 km (8.7 mi) lap in the backdrop of Brittany. The circuit is known for its high rate of attrition, featuring climbs and technical descents. The total distance covered is 247 km (153.5 mi).[1]

The first climb is addressed almost immediately after the start as the race goes over the Côte du Lézot, a one-kilometre (0.62 mi) climb with an average gradient of 6%. Next is a gentle six-kilometre (3.7 mi) ascent up to the Chapelle Sainte-Anne des Bois, marking the halfway point of the circuit. After a flat section, the race addresses the Côte de Ty-Marrec, with a maximum gradient of 10%.

The race ends with a final lap of 14 km (8.7 mi), with the last climb of the Côte de Ty-Marrec providing opportunities to launch attacks or distance sprinters. Sometimes a small group of riders manages to stay away, but often they are caught by the sprinters and their teams in sight of the finish line.[2]

Winners

Year Country Rider Team
1931  France François Favé
1932  France Philippe Bono
1933  France Philippe Bono
1934  France Lucien Tulot
1935  France Jean Le Dily
1936  France Pierre Cogan
1937  France Jean-Marie Goasmat
1938  France Pierre Cloarec
1945  France Eloi Tassin
1946  France Ange Le Strat
1947  France Raymond Louviot
1948  France Eloi Tassin
1949  France Amand Audaire
1950  France Amand Audaire
1951  France Émile Guérinel
1952  France Émile Guérinel
1953  France Serge Blusson
1954  Italy Ugo Anzile
1955  France Jean Petitjean
1956  France Valentin Huot
1957  France Isaac Vitré
1958  France Jean Gainche
1959  France Emmanuel Crenn
1960  France Hubert Ferrer
1961  France Fernand Picot
1962  France Jean Gainche
1963  France Fernand Picot
1964  France Jean Bourlès
1965  France François Goasduff
1966  France Claude Mazeaud
1967  France François Hamon
1968  France Jean Jourden
1969  France Jean Jourden
1970  France Jean Marcarini
1971  France Jean-Pierre Danguillaume
1972  France Robert Bouloux
1973  France Jean-Claude Largeau
1974  France Raymond Martin
1975  France Cyrille Guimard
1976  France Jacques Bossis
1977  France Jacques Bossis
1978  France Pierre-Raymond Villemiane
1979  Netherlands Frits Pirard
1980  France Patrick Friou
1981  France Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle
1982  France François Castaing
1983  France Pierre Bazzo
1984  Ireland Sean Kelly Skil–Reydel–Sem–Mavic
1985  France Éric Guyot Skil–Sem–Kas–Miko
1986  France Martial Gayant Système U
1987  France Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle Vétements Z–Peugeot
1988  France Luc Leblanc Toshiba–Look
1989  France Jean-Claude Colotti R.M.O.
1990  France Bruno Cornillet Z–Tomasso
1991  France Armand de Las Cuevas Banesto
1992  France Ronan Pensec R.M.O.
1993  France Thierry Claveyrolat GAN
1994  Moldova Andreï Tchmil Lotto
1995   Switzerland Rolf Järmann MG Maglificio
1996  Belgium Frank Vandenbroucke Mapei–GB
1997  Italy Andrea Ferrigato Roslotto–ZG Mobili
1998  France Pascal Hervé Festina–Lotus
1999  France Christophe Mengin Française des Jeux
2000  Italy Michele Bartoli Mapei–Quick-Step
2001  Belgium Nico Mattan Cofidis
2002  Great Britain Jeremy Hunt BigMat–Auber 93
2003  France Andy Flickinger AG2R Prévoyance
2004  France Didier Rous Brioches La Boulangère
2005 no winner [lower-alpha 1]
2006  Italy Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas
2007  France Thomas Voeckler Bouygues Télécom
2008  France Pierrick Fédrigo Bouygues Télécom
2009  Australia Simon Gerrans Cervélo TestTeam
2010  Australia Matthew Goss Team HTC–Columbia
2011  Slovenia Grega Bole Lampre–ISD
2012  Norway Edvald Boasson Hagen Team Sky
2013  Italy Filippo Pozzato Lampre–Merida
2014  France Sylvain Chavanel IAM Cycling
2015  Norway Alexander Kristoff Team Katusha
2016  Belgium Oliver Naesen IAM Cycling
2017  Italy Elia Viviani Team Sky
2018  Belgium Oliver Naesen AG2R La Mondiale
2019  Belgium Sep Vanmarcke EF Education First
2020  Australia Michael Matthews Team Sunweb
2021  France Benoît Cosnefroy AG2R Citroën Team
2022  Belgium Wout van Aert Team Jumbo–Visma
2023  France Valentin Madouas Groupama–FDJ
  1. George Hincapie was declared winner. However, in 2012, he was stripped of all results by the UCI between May 31, 2004, and July 31, 2006 due to his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Multiple winners

Wins Rider Editions
2 Philippe Bono (FRA)1932 + 1933
 Eloi Tassin (FRA)1945 + 1948
 Amand Audaire (FRA)1949 + 1950
 Émile Guérinel (FRA)1951 + 1952
 Jean Gainche (FRA)1958 + 1962
 Fernand Picot (FRA)1961 + 1963
 Jean Jourden (FRA)1968 + 1969
 Jacques Bossis (FRA)1976 + 1977
 Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle (FRA)1981 + 1987
 Oliver Naesen (BEL)2016 + 2018

Wins per country

Wins Country
63 France
6 Belgium
 Italy
3 Australia
2 Norway
1 Ireland
 Moldova
 Netherlands
 Slovenia
  Switzerland
 United Kingdom

Grand Prix de Plouay for Women Elite

Since 2002, a women's event, the GP de Plouay, is organized the day before the men's race and on the same circuit. The women's race features six 19 km laps, totalling 114 km, and is part of the UCI Women's Road World Cup.[10][11] Italian Noemi Cantele, Holland's Marianne Vos and British pair Emma Pooley and Lizzie Deignan hold the record with two wins.

Trivia

  • No rider has won the race more than two times so far.
  • The GP Ouest-France is one of only a few international sporting events organized entirely by volunteers: 600-700 members of the Comité des Fêtes de Plouay manage the proceedings of the organization.[12]
  • Plouay has organized the 2000 Road World Championships, using the circuit of the GP Ouest-France.[13] Latvian Romāns Vainšteins won the elite men's road race, beating Zbigniew Spruch and Óscar Freire in a bunch sprint.[14] Belarusian Zinaida Stahurskaia won the women's road race in a solo victory.[15]

References

  1. "Bretagne classic ouest-france". bretagne-classique-ouest-france.bzh (in French). Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  2. "GP Ouest France – Plouay". uci.ch. UCI. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  3. "GP Ouest-France (GP de Plouay), France, Cat 1.1". CyclingNews. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  4. "La plus belle de Nibali". europort.fr. Eurosport. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  5. "GP Ouest-France 2012". teamsky.com. Team Sky. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  6. Ryan, Barry. "Pozzato outlines Worlds credentials with GP Ouest-France win. September 02, 2013". CyclingNews. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  7. "48th GP Ouest France – Plouay (1.UWT)". procyclingstats.com. ProCyclingStats. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  8. "Chavanel wins GP Ouest France-Plouay. August 31, 2014". CyclingNews. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  9. Quénet, Jean-François. "Kristoff wins GP Ouest France Plouay. Katusha sprinter on fine form ahead of Worlds". CyclingNews. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  10. Johnson, Greg. "Columbia-HTC has options for women's GP Plouay assault. August 21, 2009". CyclingNews. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  11. "Grand Prix de Plouay – Bretagne: who will be crowned UCI Women Road World Cup winner? 27 August 2015". uci.ch. UCI staff. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  12. Courroux, John. "Le GP de Plouay en cinq chiffres (in French)". velochrono.fr. Vélo Chrono. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  13. Jones, Jeff. "Preview". CyclingNews. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  14. "2000 World Road Cycling Championships 67th. Edition: October 15, 2000. Plouay, France". bikeraceinfo.com. Bikeraceinfo. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  15. Knapp, Gerard. "Elite Women's Road Race. Saturday, October 14, 2000". CyclingNews. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
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