Bretagne Classic

For the women's event, see GP de Plouay.

Bretagne Classic
Race details

Date	Late August
Region	Brittany, France
English name	Brittany Classic West France
Local name(s)	Bretagne Classic Ouest-France (French)
Discipline	Road
Competition	UCI World Tour
Type	One-day race
Organiser	Comité des Fêtes de Plouay
History
First edition	1931 (1931)
Editions	80 (as of 2016)
First winner	François Favé (FRA)
Most wins	9 riders with 2 wins
Most recent	Oliver Naesen (BEL)

The Bretagne Classic, also called Bretagne Classic Ouest-France, is an elite cycling classic held annually in late summer around the Breton village of Plouay in western France.

The race was originally named Grand-Prix de Plouay and, from 1989 to 2015, GP Ouest-France. It was included in the inaugural UCI ProTour in 2005 and in 2011 in its successor, the UCI World Tour. Since 2016 it is called Bretagne Classic Ouest-France.^[1]

Since 2002, a women's event, the GP Plouay-Bretagne is organized on Saturday, the day before the men's race. Supporting events have grown over the years and now include BMX races, track racing and a mass-participation ride, as part of a four-day festival in the last summer weekend in Brittany.

History

Gilbert Duclos-Lasalle (pictured at the 1993 Paris–Nice) is the last rider who won the race twice

The Bretagne Classic, originally named Circuit de Plouay and later the Grand-Prix de Plouay,^[1] was created in 1931 by former Tour de France doctor Berty, who used his influence to attract some of the biggest names of French cycling to the inaugural edition.^[2] Breton rider François Favé won the inaugural edition. In its first decades the race was dominated by French riders. The first non-French winner was Italian Ugo Anzile in 1954, the second was Holland's Frits Pirard in 1979. Nine riders have won the race two times, all of them French. The last to do so was Gilbert Duclos-Lasalle, winning in 1981 and 1987.

Throughout its history, the roll of honour includes some illustrious winners. Séan Kelly was the first English-speaking rider to win in 1984. Belgian Frank Vandenbroucke became the youngest winner in 1996, at the age of 21.^[3] Italian Vincenzo Nibali, on his way to cycling legend, took a surprise victory in 2006, at the age of 22.^[4] Australians Simon Gerrans and Matthew Goss won in 2009 and 2010 respectively, with Norway's Edvald Boasson Hagen soloing to victory in 2012 and Italy's Filippo Pozzato helping resurrect his career with a surprise win in 2013.^[5]^[6]

In 2014 the attackers managed to hold off the chasing peloton, with Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel winning the seven-man sprint.^[7] Alexander Kristoff was only two seconds behind, winning the sprint for eighth place.^[8] In 2015 it was Kristoff's turn for victory, leading out a bunch sprint of 69 riders.^[9]

Route

The race starts and finishes in the small village of Plouay, in the heartland of French cycling. The course consists of eight laps of a demanding 27 km circuit and one 14-km lap in the backdrop of Brittany. The circuit is known for its high rate of attrition, featuring climbs and technical descents. The total distance covered is 247 km (153.5 mi).^[1]

The first climb is addressed almost immediately after the start as the race goes over the Côte du Lézot, a one-kilometre climb with an average gradient of 6%. Next is a gentle six kilometre ascent up to the Chapelle Sainte-Anne des Bois, marking the half way point of the circuit. After a flat section, the race addresses the Côte de Ty-Marrec, with a maximum gradient of 10%.

The race ends with a final lap of 14 km, with the last climb of the Côte de Ty-Marrec providing opportunities to launch attacks or distance sprinters. Sometimes a small group of riders manages to stay away, but often they are caught by the sprinters and their teams in sight of the finish line.^[10]

Winners

		Rider	Team
1931	FRA !	Favé, FrançoisFrançois Favé (FRA)
1932	FRA !	Bono, PhilippePhilippe Bono (FRA)
1933	FRA !	Bono, PhilippePhilippe Bono (FRA)
1934	FRA !	Tulot, LucienLucien Tulot (FRA)
1935	FRA !	Le Dily, JeanJean Le Dily (FRA)
1936	FRA !	Cogan, PierrePierre Cogan (FRA)
1937	FRA !	Goasmat, Jean-MarieJean-Marie Goasmat (FRA)
1938	FRA !	Cloarec, PierrePierre Cloarec (FRA)
1945	FRA !	Tassin, EloiEloi Tassin (FRA)
1946	FRA !	Le Strat, AngeAnge Le Strat (FRA)
1947	FRA !	Louviot, RaymondRaymond Louviot (FRA)
1948	FRA !	Tassin, EloiEloi Tassin (FRA)
1949	FRA !	Audaire, ArmandArmand Audaire (FRA)
1950	FRA !	Audaire, ArmandArmand Audaire (FRA)
1951	FRA !	Guerinel, EmileEmile Guerinel (FRA)
1952	FRA !	Guerinel, EmileEmile Guerinel (FRA)
1953	FRA !	Blusson, SergeSerge Blusson (FRA)
1954	ITA !	Anzile, UgoUgo Anzile (ITA)
1955	FRA !	Petitjean, JeanJean Petitjean (FRA)
1956	FRA !	Huot, ValentinValentin Huot (FRA)
1957	FRA !	Vitre, IsaacIsaac Vitre (FRA)
1958	FRA !	Gainche, JeanJean Gainche (FRA)
1959	FRA !	Crenn, EmmanuelEmmanuel Crenn (FRA)
1960	FRA !	Ferrer, HubertHubert Ferrer (FRA)
1961	FRA !	Picot, FernandFernand Picot (FRA)
1962	FRA !	Gainche, JeanJean Gainche (FRA)
1963	FRA !	Picot, FernandFernand Picot (FRA)
1964	FRA !	Bourles, JeanJean Bourles (FRA)
1965	FRA !	Goasduff, FrancoisFrançois Goasduff (FRA)
1966	FRA !	Mazeaud, ClaudeClaude Mazeaud (FRA)
1967	FRA !	Hamon, FrancoisFrançois Hamon (FRA)
1968	FRA !	Jourden, JeanJean Jourden (FRA)
1969	FRA !	Jourden, JeanJean Jourden (FRA)
1970	FRA !	Marcarini, JeanJean Marcarini (FRA)
1971	FRA !	Danguillaume, Jean-PierreJean-Pierre Danguillaume (FRA)
1972	FRA !	Bouloux, RobertRobert Bouloux (FRA)
1973	FRA !	Largeau, Jean-ClaudeJean-Claude Largeau (FRA)
1974	FRA !	Martin, RaymondRaymond Martin (FRA)
1975	FRA !	Guimard, CyrilleCyrille Guimard (FRA)
1976	FRA !	Bossis, JacquesJacques Bossis (FRA)
1977	FRA !	Bossis, JacquesJacques Bossis (FRA)
1978	FRA !	Villemiane, Pierre-RaymondPierre-Raymond Villemiane (FRA)
1979	NED !	Pirard, FritsFrits Pirard (NED)
1980	FRA !	Friou, PatrickPatrick Friou (FRA)
1981	FRA !	Duclos-Lassalle, GilbertGilbert Duclos-Lassalle (FRA)
1982	FRA !	Castaing, FrancoisFrançois Castaing (FRA)
1983	FRA !	Bazzo, PierrePierre Bazzo (FRA)
1984	IRL !	Kelly, SeanSean Kelly (IRL)
1985	FRA !	Guyot, EricEric Guyot (FRA)
1986	FRA !	Gayant, MartialMartial Gayant (FRA)
1987	FRA !	Duclos-Lassalle, GilbertGilbert Duclos-Lassalle (FRA)
1988	FRA !	Leblanc, LucLuc Leblanc (FRA)
1989	FRA !	Colotti, Jean-ClaudeJean-Claude Colotti (FRA)
1990	FRA !	Cornillet, BrunoBruno Cornillet (FRA)
1991	FRA !	Las Cuevas, Armand deArmand de Las Cuevas (FRA)
1992	FRA !	Pensec, RonanRonan Pensec (FRA)
1993	FRA !	Claveyrolat, ThierryThierry Claveyrolat (FRA)
1994	MDA !	Tchmil, AndreiAndreï Tchmil (MDA)
1995	SUI !	Jarmann, RolfRolf Järmann (SUI)
1996	BEL !	Vandenbroucke, FrankFrank Vandenbroucke (BEL)
1997	ITA !	Ferrigato, AndreaAndrea Ferrigato (ITA)
1998	FRA !	Herbe, PascalPascal Hervé (FRA)
1999	FRA !	Mengin, ChristopheChristophe Mengin (FRA)
2000	ITA !	Bartoli, MicheleMichele Bartoli (ITA)
2001	BEL !	Mattan, NicoNico Mattan (BEL)
2002	GBR !	Hunt, JeremyJeremy Hunt (GBR)	BigMat-Auber 93
2003	FRA !	Flickinger, AndyAndy Flickinger (FRA)	AG2R Prévoyance
2004	FRA !	Rous, DidierDidier Rous (FRA)	Brioches La Boulangère
2005	USA !	Hincapie, GeorgeGeorge Hincapie (USA)	Discovery Channel
2006	ITA !	Nibali, VincenzoVincenzo Nibali (ITA)	Liquigas
2007	FRA !	Voeckler, ThomasThomas Voeckler (FRA)	Bouygues Télécom
2008	FRA !	Fedrigo, PierrickPierrick Fédrigo (FRA)	Bouygues Télécom
2009	AUS !	Gerrans, SimonSimon Gerrans (AUS)	Cervélo TestTeam
2010	AUS !	Goss, MatthewMatthew Goss (AUS)	Team HTC–Columbia
2011	SLO !	Bole, GregaGrega Bole (SLO)	Lampre–ISD
2012	NOR !	Boasson Hagen, EdvaldEdvald Boasson Hagen (NOR)	Team Sky
2013	ITA !	Pozzato, FilippoFilippo Pozzato (ITA)	Lampre–Merida
2014	FRA !	Chavanel, SylvainSylvain Chavanel (FRA)	IAM Cycling
2015	NOR !	Kristoff, AlexanderAlexander Kristoff (NOR)	Team Katusha
2016	BEL !	Naesen, OliverOliver Naesen (BEL)	IAM Cycling

Multiple Winners

Wins	Rider	Editions
2	Philippe Bono (FRA)	1932 + 1933
	Eloi Tassin (FRA)	1945 + 1948
	Armand Audaire (FRA)	1949 + 1950
	Émile Guérine (FRA)	1951 + 1952
	Jean Gainche (FRA)	1958 + 1962
	Fernand Pinot (FRA)	1961 + 1963
	Jean Jourden (FRA)	1968 + 1969
	Jacques Bossis (FRA)	1976 + 1977
	Gilbert Duclos-Lasalle (FRA)	1981 + 1987

Wins per Country

Wins	Country
62	France
4	Italy
3	Belgium
2	Australia Norway
1	Ireland Moldova Netherlands Switzerland Slovenia United Kingdom United States

Grand Prix de Plouay for Women Elite

Main article: GP de Plouay

Since 2002, a women's event, the GP de Plouay, is organized the day before the men's race and on the same circuit. The women's race features six 19 km laps, totalling 114 km, and is part of the UCI Women's Road World Cup.^[11]^[12] Italian Noemi Cantele, Holland's Marianne Vos and Britain's Emma Pooley hold the record with two wins.

Winners

2002 · Regina Schleicher (GER)
2003 · Nicole Cooke (GBR)
2004 · Edita Pučinskaitė (LIT)
2005 · Noemi Cantele (ITA)
2006 · Nicole Brändli (SUI)
2007 · Noemi Cantele (ITA)
2008 · Fabiana Luperini (ITA)
2009 · Emma Pooley (GBR)

2010 · Emma Pooley (GBR)
2011 · Annemiek van Vleuten (NED)
2012 · Marianne Vos (NED)
2013 · Marianne Vos (NED)
2014 · Lucinda Brand (NED)
2015 · Lizzie Armitstead (GBR)
2016 · Eugenia Bujak (POL)

Trivia

No rider has won the race more than two times so far.
The GP Ouest-France is one of only a few international sporting events organized entirely by volunteers: 600-700 members of the Comité des Fêtes de Plouay manage the proceedings of the organization.^[13]
Plouay has organized the 2000 Road World Championships, using the circuit of the GP Ouest-France.^[14] Latvian Romāns Vainšteins won the elite men's road race, beating Zbigniew Spruch and Óscar Freire in a bunch sprint.^[15] Belorussian Zinaida Stahurskaia won the women's road race in a solo victory.^[16]

References

1 2 3 "Bretagne classic ouest-france". www.bretagne-classique-ouest-france.bzh (in French). Retrieved 29 August 2016.
↑ "GP Ouest France – Plouay". uci.ch. UCI. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
↑ "GP Ouest-France (GP de Plouay), France, Cat 1.1.". autobus.cyclingnews.com. CyclingNews. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
↑ "La plus belle de Nibali". europort.fr. Eurosport. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
↑ "GP Ouest-France 2012". teamsky.com. Team Sky. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
↑ Ryan, Barry. "Pozzato outlines Worlds credentials with GP Ouest-France win. September 02, 2013". cyclingnews.com. CyclingNews. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
↑ "48th GP Ouest France - Plouay (1.UWT)". procyclingstats.com. ProCyclingStats. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
↑ "Chavanel wins GP Ouest France-Plouay. August 31, 2014". cyclingnews.com. CyclingNews. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
↑ Quénet, Jean-François. "Kristoff wins GP Ouest France Plouay. Katusha sprinter on fine form ahead of Worlds". cyclingnews.com. CyclingNews. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
↑ "GP Ouest France – Plouay". uci.ch. UCI. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
↑ Johnson, Greg. "Columbia-HTC has options for women's GP Plouay assault. August 21, 2009". cyclingnews.com. CyclingNews. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
↑ "Grand Prix de Plouay – Bretagne: who will be crowned UCI Women Road World Cup winner? 27 August 2015". uci.ch. UCI staff. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
↑ Courroux, John. "Le GP de Plouay en cinq chiffres (in French)". velochrono.fr. Vélo Chrono. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
↑ Jones, Jeff. "Preview". autobus.cyclingnews.com. CyclingNews. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
↑ "2000 World Road Cycling Championships 67th. Edition: October 15, 2000. Plouay, France". bikeraceinfo.com. Bikeraceinfo. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
↑ Knapp, Gerard. "Elite Women's Road Race. Saturday, October 14, 2000". autobus.cyclingnews.com. CyclingNews. Retrieved 27 November 2015.

External links

Official website
Bretagne Classic Palmares at Cycling Archives

Bretagne Classic (GP Ouest-France) / GP de Plouay – Bretagne

Men GP Ouest-France	1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939–1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Women GP de Plouay	2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

UCI World Tour

Races

Active	Tour Down Under Paris–Nice Tirreno–Adriatico Milan–San Remo Volta a Catalunya E3 Harelbeke Gent–Wevelgem Tour of Flanders Tour of the Basque Country Paris–Roubaix Amstel Gold Race La Flèche Wallonne Liège–Bastogne–Liège Tour de Romandie Giro d'Italia Critérium du Dauphiné Tour de Suisse Tour de France Tour de Pologne Clásica de San Sebastián Vuelta a España EuroEyes Cyclassics Bretagne Classic GP de Québec GP de Montréal Eneco Tour Giro di Lombardia

Former	Tour of Beijing TTT at the World Championships

Seasons

Teams

2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016

UCI ProTour

Seasons	2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Merged into the UCI World Tour

Races	Tour Down Under Tour of Flanders Tour of the Basque Country Gent–Wevelgem Amstel Gold Race Tour de Romandie Volta a Catalunya Critérium du Dauphiné Tour de Suisse Clásica de San Sebastián Eneco Tour GP Ouest-France Deutschland Tour Vattenfall Cyclassics Tour de Pologne Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal

Classic cycle races

The 'Monuments'	Milan–San Remo Tour of Flanders Paris–Roubaix Liège–Bastogne–Liège Giro di Lombardia

Spring classics	Milan–San Remo Cobbled classics E3 Harelbeke Gent–Wevelgem Tour of Flanders Paris–Roubaix Ardennes classics Amstel Gold Race La Flèche Wallonne Liège–Bastogne–Liège

Summer classics	Clásica de San Sebastián EuroEyes Cyclassics Bretagne Classic Trittico Lombardo Coppa Ugo Agostoni Coppa Bernocchi Tre Valli Varesine Laurentian classics Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal

Autumn classics	Brussels Cycling Classic Grand Prix de Fourmies Paris–Tours Trittico di Autunno Milano–Torino Giro del Piemonte Giro di Lombardia Giro dell'Emilia Japan Cup

Past classics	Paris–Brest–Paris Bordeaux–Paris Wincanton Classic Porto–Lisboa Züri-Metzgete Giro del Lazio Giro della Romagna

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