For the second year in a row Giacomo Nizzolo was second in the bunch sprint at the GP Plouay but this time it was only good enough for 9th as a 7-rider break had gone clear in the finale. His Trek team regretted having lacked the firepower to bring back the moves late in the race.

The climbs are not overly difficult at the GP Ouest France, but nine laps of constant ups and downs and twisty turns for a total of 229-kilometers turn it into a race of attrition with an unpredictable finish.

Each year it is highly aggressive to the very end as opportunists play their card and sprinters’ teams try desperately to keep it together, and it unfolded the same way again Sunday.

On the penultimate lap seven riders countered as soon as the day’s early breakaway was caught. They gained half a minute and held their advantage for over 30 kilometers, until the move was finally nullified on the final climb five kilometers from the finish. 

This set off more attacks up the final ascent, which resulted in another seven men escape group that had a handful of seconds over the top and into the final two kilometers to the finish.

The seven held their small advantage to the line as the peloton stormed in behind, but they had enough time to fight for the win. 

Sylvain Chavanel (IAM Cycling) won the sprint from the break, while behind Giacomo Nizzolo sprinted to second place in the peloton for ninth place overall.

Last year Nizzolo finished second in GP Ouest France, and he was highly motivated to one up that this year. But he needed help to the very end to shut down the late moves, and there was no help to be found in the last crucial kilometers as the unforgiving course had taken its toll.

Trek Factory Racing gave everything they had all day long for Nizzolo, but as the race headed to its pivotal moment on the final climb the strong legs needed to shut down the last move were unfortunately absent.

This is racing, explained director Alain Gallopin, clearly disappointed that they just missed out at the end:

“We did our best but it was not enough. Giacomo was good, but the team was not strong enough today. At the end we could not close everything and Giacomo was second of sprint of the peloton for ninth. 

"We worked with Katusha and GreenEdge to control the race, but at the end we missed some strong guys to control at the very end. It’s a pity. The other teams also missed someone. Giacomo was second of the [bunch] sprint, and to be second of the race would have been nice. There is nothing you can do, it is like this.”