Julian Alaphilippe is back in action on home turf.
The 88th edition of Bretagne Classic takes place on Sunday, when the peloton will take on another demanding parcours, featuring plenty of short but hard hills and more than 3500 vertical meters. The terrain favours the attackers, who’ll get numerous opportunities to make the difference, the last of which coming just nine kilometers from the finish in Plouay, the host of the 2000 World Championships.
Julian Alaphilippe headlines Soudal Quick-Step’s seven-man squad for the Bretagne Classic, the final World Tour race of the season held on French soil, where the double World Champion – a runner-up at the 2021 edition – will look to show the same strong form that recently brought him close to victory at the prestigious Clasica San Sebastian.
The 32-year-old charismatic Frenchman, who is slated to start the Bretagne Classic for the fifth time in his career, will be joined at the start by Ayco Bastiaens, former Belgian Champion Yves Lampaert, neo-pros Paul Magnier and Pepijn Reinderink, Martin Svrcek and Ilan Van Wilder, who is back in action for the first time since the Tour de France.
“Sunday we are taking on a very long and hard race, almost 260 kilometers in length, held over an up-and-down parcours the entire day. We will be there with a strong squad capable of going deep into the race, but also controlling it and covering the important moves, so we are ready for all kinds of scenarios, from a small group going away to a reduced bunch sprint. We hope for a good outing and a nice result at the end of the day”, said sports director Tom Steels.
Photo credit: ©Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno / Getty Images
