While the climbers battle it out on the Spanish climbs, the classics specialists have started a very busy schedule of autumn classics. The sprinters were in the spotlight when things kicked off in the Vattenfall Cyclassics but they will have a harder time in Sunday's GP Ouest France - Plouay which continues the series of one-day races. Held on a tough circuit in Bretagne, the race invites to aggression and often develops into a fierce battle between the teams of the strongest sprinters and the punchy attackers.

 

Paris-Roubaix may gain most of the attention as the biggest French one-day race but the big country actually has another single-day event on the WorldTour calendar. Held concurrently with the Vuelta a Espana, the GP Ouest France - Plouay is often overshadowed by the Spanish grand tour but the Breton race is an exciting event that fits perfectly into the schedule of autumn classics that all favour a certain type of riders.

 

The race originates all the way back to 1931 and has been an annual event ever since, only interrupted by a short break during World War II. For many years, it was dominated by French riders and failed to gain much attention from the international peloton. Italian Ugo Anzile won the 1954 edition but the race wasn't taken by another foreigner until Dutchman Frits Pirard triumphed 25 years later.

 

Held in the cycling-mad Bretagne, the race has, however, always gained plenty of national interest and been a real celebration of cycling. As the biggest race in the region, it has attracted large audiences and during the 90s, up to 300.000 spectators were spread out on the 27km circuit that is the setting of the race. During the 80s and 90s, the race gradually attracted a more international line-up and the French domination has completely disappeared.

 

The major breakthrough came when the race was a surprise inclusion on the ProTour calendar when the race series was introduced in 2005. Besides well-established classics Fleche Wallonne and Gent-Wevelgem, the Breton race was the only one-day event to get onto the finest calendar without having been part of the now defunct World Cup series.

 

The race has since kept its position among the world's elite races but has faced an uphill battle during the tough economic times. Repeatedly, the future of the event has come under threat but until now, a solution has always been found. For now, the problems have been solved and nowadays the race forms part of 5-day cycling festival that also includes BMX and amateur races and a women's World Cup event held on the same circuit as the men's race.

 

The race may not be as esteemed as the major spring classics but at a time when the importance of WorldTour points cannot be underestimated, the race is a real target for most of the teams. The race fits perfectly into the calendar of autumn races suited to sprinters and puncheurs which kicked off with the Eneco Tour and the Vattenfall Cyclassics and continues with the Brussels Cycling Classic and the GP Fourmies next weekend and numerous French and Belgian one-day races later in September.

 

The race is held on a hilly 27km course around Plouay which was also used for the 2000 world championships won by Romans Vainsteins. The climbs in themselves are not overly difficult but the constant ups and downs on a 229km course turn it into a race of attrition that has mostly been won by some of the strongest escape artists in the business. In recent years, Vincenzo Nibali (2006), Thomas Voeckler (2007), Pierrick Fedrigo (2008), Simon Gerrans (2009) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (2012) have all won from breakaways but the toughest sprinters may also have their say as it is evidenced by Matthew Goss' (2010), Grega Bole's (2011) and Filippo Pozzato’s (2013) sprint wins. The unpredictable race is usually highly aggressive with numerous attacks being launched on the many climbs while the sprint teams try to keep it together for a sprint from a small peloton.

 

The tough nature of the course also gives it a perfect position on the WorldTour calendar. The Vattenfall Cyclassics is a race for sprinters and kick off the series of WorldTour one-day races. The GP Plouay suits both strong sprinters and classics specialists who can make a difference on the many climbs. In that sense, it is a perfect transition to the Canadian WorldTour races whose heavy courses turn them into races for climbers and Ardennes specialists. The WorldTour races gradually get tougher and tougher and make for a perfect build-up for the Worlds for the riders that have skipped the Vuelta.

 

While serving as a race with important WorldTour points on offer, the race may play its most important role as a preparation event for the World Championships. Due to its long distance and circuit format, it is comparable with a traditional Worlds road race and even though the tactics are vastly different in those two races, it is one of the best warm-up events for the battle for the rainbow jersey. With the Canadian WorldTour races also offering a tough circuit format, there’s a really solid block of one-day racing for riders preparing for one of the biggest races of the year.

 

Last year Filippo Pozzato took his first major one-day win for several years after an aggressive race where several riders had tried to escape on the final lap. Greg Van Avermaet launched a very strong attack and seemed to be riding away with the win but he was brought back inside the final kilometre. Instead, it came down to a reduced sprint where Pozzato surprisingly beat top sprinter Giacomo Nizzolo and Samuel Dumoulin. In the sprint, the fast classics riders beat several renowned sprinters, proving the toughness of the race. Riding the Vuelta, Pozzato won’t be back to defend his title but Nizzolo and Dumoulin will both try to improve on last year’s result.

 

The course

The GP Ouest France - Plouay is not a typical one-day race on the WorldTour calendar. Alongside the newly-established Canadian races, the French race is the only one to use the circuit format that is mostly known from the World Championships and a number of smaller races. However, this unique nature turns it into the perfect preparation race for the World Championships.

 

The race will again mainly take place on its well-known 26.9km circuit but the organizers have modified the course slightly. In the past, the riders did 9 laps of the circuit for a 243km race but this year they will only complete the full circuit 8 times. At the end of the race, they will do one lap of a shortened 13.9km circuit which includes both major climbs but a shorter rolling section in between. While there has been given no official explanation for the change, it is likely to have been prompted by a desire to make the finale more selective.

 

From the start just outside Plouay, the riders head downhill towards the centre of the city to tackle the first of the circuit's two main climbs, Cote du Lezot, which has a length of a little more than a kilometre and has several places with a 7% gradient. The top is located at the 2.5km mark and from there, the riders tackle a long, gradual descent as they leave the city to continue in a northerly direction.

 

At the 7km mark, the riders reach the bottom of the descent and from there, the roads are a slightly ascending all the way to the northernmost point of the circuit in Chapelle Ste Anne des Bois. From there, the riders turn around to head back towards Plouay while they travel along flat roads all the way to the 18km mark. Here the riders make a small digression from the direct route to Plouay while they tackle a 2km descent.

 

From there, 7km remain and the first 2 of those are mostly flat. Then it's time for the circuit's toughest climb Cote de Ty Marrec which is just a little bit shy of 1km in length and has some steep 10% sections. What makes the climb more difficult is the fact that the road still points slightly upwards for another kilometre when the top of the climb has officially been reached. The next two kilometres are slightly up and down and lead to the flamme rouge from where it's all slightly downhill to the high-speed finish on the outskirts of Plouay. There are two tricky turns to negotiate around 1.5km from the finish but the final kilometre follows a long, straight road.

 

The shortened circuit sees the riders go up the Cote du Lezot and head onto the long, gradual descent. Having reached the bottom, however, they turn left instead of following the route for the big circuit. Instead of taking on the long, gradual ascent to the northernmost point, they travel along slightly descending roads as they rejoin the circuit around 7km from the finish. Then they hit the Cote de Ty Marrec before following the well-known road back to the finish.

 

The race follows its usual script with the establishment of an early breakaway but it often takes quite some time for the right combination to have been found. That break will gradually be reeled in by the favourite teams of which some try to increase the pressure on the numerous climbs.

 

The breakaway usually splits up along the way but is likely to be brought back into the fold. That doesn't stop the aggression. On the contrary, it often signals the start of the real race. The final two laps are usually a festival of attacks and it takes a dedicated effort from the teams of the strongest sprinters to keep the many strong climbers in check.

 

A strong group is likely to go clear on the final lap and from there, the race develops into a tense pursuit between the peloton and the escapees and an elimination race as riders constantly drop off. While the sprinters need to ask their teams to go full gas on the climbs, they also need to keep something in reserve for what is usually a highly unorganized sprint, should it all be brought back together for a final kick to the line. The final break is usually caught inside the final few kilometres, and if it stays away, it is only just by a matter of a few seconds.

 

The most obvious launch pads for attacks are of course the two climbs and the steep Ty Marrec has often been where the decisive break has gone clear. However, the sections after the top of the climbs both offer similarly good options as there is no immediate descent and so the peloton often slows down to catch its breath. With everybody being at their limit, it may be a good idea to save some energy for an attack just after the top that will allow the attackers to gain some ground before the chase gets organized.

 

 

 

 

The weather

The weather in Bretagne can be very unpredictable and rain and wind can make this race a lot harder. This year, however, the riders will tackle the circuit in very pleasant condition as it will be a beautiful sunny day in Plouay. The temperature will reach a maximum of 23 degrees.

 

There will be a light wind from a northerly direction which will gradually turn to a northwesterly direction. This means that the riders will generally have a headwind in the first half of the circuit, including on the first climb, while there will be a tailwind in the finale. The wind will be pushing the riders in the back both up the final climb and in the run-in to the finish, meaning that a break will have a better chance of staying away to the finish.

 

The favourites

During the first years with a status as top level race, the GP Ouest France - Plouay was mostly decided by strong breakaways who narrowly held off the peloton in the finale. In recent years, the race has leaned more towards the strong sprinters and last year was a prime example of how difficult it can be to escape the peloton’s clutches.

 

However, that race also underlined which sprinters have a chance in this race. Giacomo Nizzolo and Daniele Bennati were the only riders in the top 5 who regularly feature in the bunch sprints and both are known as pretty strong climbers too. Instead, classics rider Filippo Pozzato, Samuel Dumoulin and Jurgen Roelandts beat riders who are usually a lot faster. Even though the sprint is a high-speed one of slightly descending roads, the tough nature of the course means that the fastest rider on paper is not always going to win.

 

Keeping this recent trend in mind, one cannot be too surprised to see that a number of teams line up their tough sprinters for the race. Most also include a number of attackers to cover the late moves but a lot of squads have a sprint finish on their minds. As some of the sprinters are supported by very strong teams, this makes it less likely that a breakaway will stay to the finish and the odds are in favour of a sprint finish from a reduced bunch.

 

On the other hand, the modifications to the course mean that the finale will now be a lot tougher as the two climbs now both come inside the final 13km of the race. This will give less room for recovery and should make for a harder race. Furthermore, Alexander Kristoff has been so impressively strong in recent races that more teams may be keen to avoid a sprint finish. It would be no surprise to see teams like Omega Pharma-Quick Step and Orica-GreenEDGE try to make the race harder and more selective and this speaks against a sprint finish.

 

However, a few key teams will always have missed out when a small group gets clear in the finale and they are likely to lend a hand to the sprint teams. With Katusha, Trek and Giant-Shimano all focusing solely on a sprint, there should be plenty of firepower to lead the chase. The most likely outcome is a reduced bunch sprint but with a harder course and an outstanding favourite, the escapees may have a bigger chance than they have had in recent years.

 

However, it is very hard to look beyond Alexander Kristoff as the man to beat. The Norwegian is better than anyone else at sprinting at the end of such races of attrition. Last year he won the bunch sprints for the minor position in Milan-Sanremo, Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix and this year he took a breakthrough victory in Sanremo after a long, wet day in the saddle. Last week he took another big classics victory when he won the Vattenfall Cyclassics in commanding fashion. While many riders lose their top speed after so many hours in the saddle, Kristoff just becomes stronger and stronger.

 

This year his performance in Flanders proved that he is now one of the best riders in the hardest races and even though Sunday’s race is more suited to Ardennes riders, the terrain should not be too hard for him. Furthermore, his sprinting in the Tour de France was significantly better than it was 12 months ago where he had a hard time keeping up with the faster riders. This year he was even close to beating Kittel on the Champs-Elysees in a sprint that didn’t suit him at all.

 

In the Arctic Race of Norway and Hamburg, Kristoff proved that he is in excellent condition. In Norway, he won two stages and he even finished fourth in the queen stage which ended on a long climb. In the final stage, he was the strongest rider on a short, steep climb in the finale and showed amazing power to pass Thor Hushovd on the finishing straight. In Hamburg, he was one of the first 10 riders to crest the summit of the Waseberg for the final time.

 

It will be a tough ask for Katusha to control the race but Kristoff has proved that he is able to respond to the attacks himself. The late climbs are not very long, nor very steep, and Kristoff is hard to drop in this kind of terrain. While other riders start to get tired at the end of a long race, Kristoff just seems to become stronger.

 

The main challenge for Katusha will be to keep things together for a bunch sprint. They haven’t lined up the strongest team for this race but Viacheslav Kuznetsov has shown good form recently and he will be the key support rider. Alexey Tsatevich should also be able to perform in this terrain while Luca Paolini’s condition is uncertain as he has just come back for a long break. However, several teams will probably assist the Russian team. If it comes down to a bunch sprint, Kristoff will be the overwhelming favourite.

 

Simon Gerrans is a past winner of this race and the Australian champion lines up at the race with the goal of repeating his previous feat. After he abandoned the Tour de France, he trained in the mountains as he gradually started to build his condition for the World Championships. He returned to competition in the Vattendall Cyclassics and was surprised with his good form that allowed him to finish third in a race that is actually too easy for him.

 

This race suits him a lot better. The short, steep climbs are tailor-made for him and he should benefit from the tougher final part of the course. Orica-GreenEDGe don’t have the strongest team for this race as Gerrans is mostly surrounded by strong rouleurs but they will undoubtedly try to make the race as hard as possible.

 

Gerrans has two possible strategies. He can join the attacks on the final lap or wait for the sprint. In this race, he will probably try to follow the best on the final climbs and reevaluate his strategy after he has crested the summit of the final climb.

 

Gerrans is a very fast sprinter who can even mix it up in bunch sprints at the end of tough races. Last year he beat Peter Sagan to win a stage of the Tour de France and his performance in Hamburg proves that he is sprinting really well at the moment. Of course he is not as fast as Kristoff but he is obviously a better climber. With Jens Keukeleire to lead him out in the finale, he is a good winner pick from both a sprint and a late attack.

 

Last year Giacomo Nizzolo finished second in this race after having looked like the likely winner of the final sprint. In the end, he was narrowly passed by Pozzato and his year he will be eager to take his revenge. One week ago he finished second in the Vattenfall Cyclassics which indicates that he is finally getting back into form after a difficult few weeks.

 

Nizzolo rode outstandingly in the Giro where he proved that he is now one of the fastest riders in the bunch. He took several second places behind Nacer Bouhanni and wasn’t far off the level of the fast Frenchman. He crashed out of the Dauphiné and when he returned to competition in the Tour de Wallonie, he was set back by illness.

 

As a consequence, he was very far from his best form in the Eneco Tour but his performance in Hamburg suggests that he is improving. He is a solid climber in this terrain and obviously one of the fastest riders in the bunch. With a harder finale, however, he will have to be at 100% of his capabilities to win this race and he will be very reliant on his Trek team to control the race. As he is probably not in top condition yet, he may be unable to stay with the best in this year’s race but he is one of the select few who has the speed to beat Kristoff in a sprint finish.

 

Gianni Meersman is no pure sprinter but he excels in sprints that come at the end of hard, hilly races. Hence, this race suits him perfectly and he seems to have timed his condition perfectly. He won the Tour de Wallonie overall before going on to claiming to stage wins in the Tour de l’Ain.

 

Last weekend he rode in support of Mark Cavendish in Hamburg but in this race he is the leader of what is a very strong Omega Pharma-Quick Step team. The Belgian squad has lots of cards to play and will probably try to ride aggressively. Meersman will save himself for the final sprint but needs a hard race to really excel. That’s what his teammates will try to create just like they did one year ago.

 

Meersman is not as fast as the likes of Nizzolo and Kristoff but if the race turns out to be hard, he has a chance. His biggest advantage is the fact that he can rely on a very strong lead-out. Jan Bakelants, Julien Alaphilippe, Matteo Trentin and Michal Kwiatkowski should all be there in the finale and if they string things out inside the final kilometre and deliver Meersman in the perfect position, he could take his first big classics win.

 

Giant-Shimano have gone into the race with a focus on a sprint finish. Having supported Marcel Kittel in Hamburg last week, Luka Mezgec will get his chance to go for glory in a major classic. On paper, the course suits the Slovenian really well as he is both a great climber and a very fast finisher.

 

Among the sprinters, Mezgec is one of the strongest in this kind of terrain and he put his climbing skills to good use when he dominated the sprints in the Volta a Catalunya earlier this year. In the Giro, he proved that he has improved his sprinting massively and he even won the final stage in Trieste which didn’t suit him too well.

 

It remains to be seen how he handles the strains of 230km in hilly terrain but on paper, he should do just fine. He has Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg as an excellent lead-out man and he showed in the Tour de Pologne that he is sprinting well at the moment. It will be hard for him to beat Kristoff but he definitely has a chance.

 

Among the sprinters, Ben Swift is probably the best climber. The Brit impressed most when he won a very hard stage of the Vuelta al Pais Vasco and he even finished in the top 30 in the Giro d’Italia queen stage. With a hilly course and an expected sprint finish, Swift is perfectly suited to this race and it is no wonder that he has made it a big goal.

 

He has a number of setbacks in the Tour de Pologne where he crashed multiple times but bounced back with a very impressive performance in the hard RideLondon Classic. For some reason, he didn’t feel good in the Vattenfall Cyclassics and this must have left some doubts about his condition.

 

However, Swift has all the characteristics to shine in this race and he will hope that it turns out to be a really tough affair. With Edvald Boasson Hagen, Geraint Thomas, Richie Porte and Bradley Wiggins at his side, he has some serious firepower to make the race tough and keep things together for a sprint finish. If he is sprinting like he was in the first part of the Giro, he should be up there.

 

One rider that will try to avoid a sprint finish is Greg Van Avermaet. The Belgian may be fast but in a bunch sprint, there will definitely be faster riders. However, Van Avermaet is in excellent condition. He rode a fantastic Tour de France where he climbed better than ever before and he rode strongly in the Eneco Tour where he won the hard stage in the Flemish Ardennes. In the Vattenfall Cyclassics he was again the strongest rider on the Waseberg and it would be no surprise if he again emerges as the strongest on the final lap.

 

Last year he made a solo break inside the final 5km and this time he will try a similar tactic. With his fast sprint, he will definitely be one of the favourites if a small group arrives at the finish. Due to his good condition, it is hard to imagine that he won’t be part of such a group and then it is all about staying calm and for once take a win and not a secondary place of honour.

 

Bryan Coquard rode an excellent Tour de France where he proved that he is one of the best sprinters in the world. However, the Frenchman is much more than a sprinter. In fact, he climbs really well as he proved in the Canadian WorldTour races one year ago. He has done nothing to hide that he wants to become a great classics rider and this race suits him really well. His condition is a bit uncertain as he had to skip the Eneco Tour but he finished in the front group in Hamburg one week ago. He still suffers a bit from poor positioning but if he gets a clear run to the line he has the speed to win.

 

One week ago Mauro Finetto won the Tour du Limousin overall and this makes him one of the favourites for a race that suits him down to the ground. The Italian is strong on short, steep climbs and has a very fast sprint to finish it off. In Limousin he beat several specialists in an uphill sprint, proving that he is currently among the strongest in this terrain.

 

Finetto is fast in a bunch sprint but there are definitely faster riders than him. However, he will try to join the late attacks in the finale and with his good condition, he should be up there. If a small group sprints it out for the win, he will definitely be one of the favourites.

 

Julian Alaphilippe has had an outstanding neo-pro season and these days the young Frenchman is riding outstandingly. He did a great RideLondon Classic before putting himself at the service of his teammates in the Tour de l’Ain. Last week he was one of the strongest in Hamburg and that performance proved that he can also handle the long races. He is part of an Omega Pharma-Quick Step team that will ride aggressively. He may be asked to play his cards a bit earlier to make room for the more experienced teammates in the finale but if he is allowed to play his own cards, his current condition indicates that he can create a surprise. With his fast sprint, he is a good candidate to win out of a small group.

 

Sylvain Chavanel arrives in the race on the back of an excellent performance in the Tour du Poitou-Charentes which he won overall. He crushed the opposition in the time trial with a dominant showing that proves that he is in excellent condition. It is a well-known fact that Chavanel is very strong in this terrain and he will be hard to hold back in the finale.

 

Of course there are more explosive riders than Chavanel but he knows how to time his moves. Over the top of the climbs, he will probably try to give it a go and his great time trialling skills will make him hard to catch. With his fast sprint, he also has a chance even if he has a few companions.

 

Julien Simon has had a great first season as part of the Cofidis team and currently leads the Coupe de France. In the Tour de Limousin, he proved that he is in great condition and this race suits him down to the ground. He is a past winner of the Tour de Wallonie which also includes several short, steep hills and with his good form, he will be able to join the late attacks.

 

Simon is very fast in a sprint from a small group. He won’t win a bunch sprint but if he makes it into a group on the final lap, there is a great chance that he will be the fastest.

 

Marco Marcato has been riding excellently in the Eneco Tour and the Vattenfall Cyclassics and now he heads into a race that suits him even better. The Italian excels on short, steep climbs and at the moment, he is one of the strongest riders in this terrain. He is a very fast rider who has even won bunch sprints in the past and even though he seems to have lost a bit of his top speed, he will still be a danger man in a sprint from a small breakaway.

 

Finally Lars Boom deserves a mention. The Dutchman climbed better than ever before in the Eneco Tour where he finished second overall and this should set him up for a great final part of the season. He decided to skip the Vattenfall Cyclassics to focus on later races and this one seems to suit him really well. If he has maintained his condition from the Eneco Tour, he will be hard to drop on the climbs and his rouleur skills mean that he has the capabilities to help a group stay away. Finally, he is pretty fast in a sprint and this makes him an obvious winner candidate.

 

***** Alexander Kristoff

**** Simon Gerrans, Giacomo Nizzolo

*** Gianni Meersman, Luka Mezgec, Greg Van Avermaet

** Ben Swift, Bryan Coquard, Mauro Finetto, Julian Alaphilippe, Sylvain Chavanel, Julien Simon, Marco Marcato, Lars Boom

* Elia Viviani, Enrico Gasparotto, Martin Elmiger, Samuel Dumoulin, Tim Wellens, Bjorn Leukemans, Juan Jose Lobato, Davide Appollonio, Borut Bozic, Rui Costa, Romain Bardet, Francesco Gavazzi, Silvan Dillier, Arthut Vichot, Matti Breschel, Tony Gallopin, Jan Bakelants, Michal Kwiatkowski, Matteo Trentin, Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg, Geraint Thomas, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Enrico Battaglin, Sonny Colbrelli