The event created in 1931 will run this year its 84th edition.
The last World Tour one-day race of August, Bretagne Classic (248.7 kilometers) will be based again around a circuit, which is different than the traditional one but by no means easier. The three climbs sprinkled over the 13.65km-long lap – Côte du Lézot (1.4km, 3.9%), Monté de Lann Payot (1.3km, 2.6%) and Côte du Pont-Neuf (1.5km 4.2%) – will come in quick succession and are expected to split the peloton and force the riders to dig deep into their resources.
Newly-crowned French ITT Champion Rémi Cavagna, Colombian sprinter Alvaro Hodeg, Iljo Keisse, Florian Sénéchal – who showed a very good condition at the Tour de Wallonie, which he finished in fourth place – Stijn Steels, neo-pro Jannik Steimle and Bert Van Lerberghe are the seven Deceuninck – Quick-Step riders who will be at the start of the hilly French race next Tuesday.
“Bretagne Classic always has a different parcours, so it is difficult to say which will be the key moments. What we know is that we have to pay attention to the very narrow roads and the wind, which can easily split the peloton. It should be a race of attrition, so it won’t be a surprise if a small group arrives on the last lap. We have several cards to play and we look forward to this appointment”, explained Deceuninck – Quick-Step sports director Geert Van Bondt.
Photo credit: ©Luc Claessen / Getty Images
Bert Van Lerberghe