Tinkoff-Saxo’s squad at GP Ouest-France Plouay played its cards on the final climb, where team leader Matti Breschel launched an attack in an effort to bridge a gap to a small front group and prevent a bunch sprint decision. However, with 1.5km to go, the main bunch caught up with Breschel, while Kristoff won the final sprint.

After the Breton World Tour race, Tinkoff-Saxo sports director Sean Yates comments that the effort unfortunately proved to no avail.

“The result wasn’t there. We weren’t there in the final sprint. Matti chose to take his chance and he proved with his attack that he is in a strong shape but he was brought back together with Van Avermaet with 1.5km to go, as several teams organized the chase. Hats off to Kristoff, who once more proved very strong. Our team plan was to cover the earlier moves with Chris-Juul and Valgren but Chris had an off day and Matti threw caution to the wind and decided to launch an attack instead of waiting for the sprint”, says Sean Yates before adding:

“The boys did everything right and initiated the chase of the early breakaway, as no one seemed interested at that time and we took up the chase. Rogers was in the move with 30km to go but was dropped on the penultimate climb, while teams like Etixx and Europcar then chased flat-out to catch those out front. Everyone was naturally on their limit in the finale and for Matti to attack on the final climb shows that he is in form, which is a good sign for him and us ahead of the World Championships”.

Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) ultimately took the win in the final sprint after 229km of riding, while Valgren came 50th as the best placed Tinkoff-Saxo rider in the absence of Breschel, who had burnt his last match in trying to keep the chasing pack at bay.