Bretagne Classic 2021 [FULL RACE]

August 29, 2021

Bretagne Classic 2021 – Plouay – Plouay : 251 km

This one-day race held in the heartlands of Brittany has gone by several names over the years, but was perhaps best known as the Grand-Prix de Plouay, a name it carried for the majority of its 90-year history. The race is now officially known as the Bretagne Classic and marks the last French WorldTour race of the year, offering one final opportunity for the home nation to take a big win on home soil. The race is renowned for its attritional parcours and demanding, hilly circuit around the rugged region of Brittany. The route typically reaches 250km in length, tackling some of Brittany’s most demanding climbs, like the Mûr-de-Bretagne and Côte de Ty-Marrec, along the way. These climbs are the antitheses to those found in Eastern France and the French Alps; instead of long, steady gradients, these hills are known for their short, sharp and grueling ramps – the kind that make you grit your teeth in pure agony.

Benoît Cosnefroy (Ag2R Citroën Team) won the Bretagne Classic- Ouest-France, outfoxing Deceuninck-Quickstep and Julian Alaphilippe.

Alaphilippe had attacked on the graveled climb of the Bosse Saoutarlarin, 60km from the finish, and escaped from the peloton with his teammate, Mikkel Honoré, Cosnefroy, and Tadej Pogačar (UAE-Team Emirates).

Pogačar was dropped shortly afterwards, and though Alaphilippe attacked Cosnefroy repeatedly he was unable to distance his fellow Frenchman, who proved to be the strongest in the final sprint.

“I’m really happy, it’s my first World Tour win,” Cosnefroy said at the finish, “I’ve been waiting for it so of course, it’s brilliant. It was a really exciting race today. It was just me against the two Deceuninck guys at the end. I knew I felt good that I could go with Julian when he attacked. Of course, it’s a different sprint here. I knew I could do something, I was confident.”

I also played my card when I was at the front but I did collaborate with them, I didn’t just leave them to ride. I tried to attack and I would have hoped to go with Julian, but in the end, I was happy to win it how I did. With me, Honoré, and Julian there is no problem at all. We are just representing our own jerseys- that’s racing, there is no personal problem there. I was a bit unhappy at the time but that’s just racing.

How it unfolded

As September creeps ever closer, the Bretagne Classic-Ouest France offered the perfect preparation for those cyclists beginning to hone their form for the upcoming World Championships. Indeed, its route closely resembles the course in Flanders for both are circuit races of similar length with a deceptively large amount of climbing contained within their undulating profile. It was a star-studded start list, accordingly, in the first dress rehearsal of the World Championships.

The breakaway formed within the first hour of racing. Alessandro de Marchi (Israel Start-Up Nation), Alexis Gougeard (AG2R Citroën Team) Quinten Hermans (Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux), and Sébastien Grignard (Lotto Soudal) escaped up the road but, given the strength of this group, the peloton restricted their lead to under six minutes.

The race’s early tranquillity was punctuated by a crash 169km from the finish. Jumbo Visma’s Chris Harper and Christoph Pfingsten and Movistar’s Gonzalo Serrano and Jorge Arcas emerged from the hedges at the side of the road battered but able to continue. Misfortune struck both these teams 50 kilometres later as Tobias Foss (Jumbo-Visma) skidded on some gravel while navigating a corner, bringing a Movistar rider down too.

In the breakaway, meanwhile, the incessant climbing and fierce pace proved too hard for Grignard and Gougeard who were dropped with just under 100km to go.

On the gravel climb of the Bosse Saoutarlarin, 60km from the finish, the pace increased further as Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quickstep) attacked the peloton, and a small group comprised of Alaphilippe, his teammate Mikkel Honoré, Tadej Pogačar (UAE-Team Emirates), and Benoît Cosnefroy (Ag2R Citroën Team) prised themselves away. Alaphilippe was resplendent in his rainbow jersey, Pogačar in his yellow sunglasses, marking them as the world and Tour de France champion, respectively.

Pogačar, however, appeared uncharacteristically uncomfortable, struggling to hold onto the wheels in front of him, and was dropped with 50km to go. Even Pogačar, it seems, is capable of human as well as superhuman feats.

Ahead in the breakaway, Hermans was also dropped; De Marchi initially continued solo but later waited for the Alaphilippe group to catch him.

De Marchi’s day was ended shortly afterwards as Cosnefroy offered the first glimpse of his scintillating form with an attack 22km from the finish. Honoré too was unable to follow this move and only clawed his way back because Alaphilippe refused to work, much to Cosnefroy’s frustration.

The dangers to each riders’ hopes of victory began to come from without the group, as well as within, as various attacks emerged from the peloton. Davide Ballerini (Deceuninck-Quickstep) marked each attack, to protect his teammates’ lead, and although their time gap fell dramatically, Ballerini did enough to ensure that the victory would be decided among the leading trio of Alaphilippe, Honoré and Cosnefroy.

Alaphilippe launched a trademark attack three kilometres from the finish line on the steepest section of the final climb, the Bosse Pont-Neuf, and still he could not distance Cosnefroy. Honoré fought his way back to lead out his teammate for the sprint but Cosnefroy proved too strong in the end.

Results :
1 Cosnefroy Benoit (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team 5:59:56
2 Alaphilippe Julian (Fra) Deceuninck – QuickStep
3 Honoré Mikkel (Den) Deceuninck – QuickStep 0:00:03
4 Hayter Ethan (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 0:00:13
5 Swift Connor (GBr) Team Arkea – Samsic
6 Bonnamour Franck (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
7 Stuyven Jasper (Bel) Trek – Segafredo
8 Madouas Valentin (Fra) Groupama – FDJ
9 Pacher Quentin (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM 0:00:16
10 Nizzolo Giacomo (Ita) Team Qhubeka NextHash 0:00:17
11 Hofstetter Hugo (Fra) Israel Start-Up Nation
12 Ballerini Davide (Ita) Deceuninck – QuickStep
13 Aleotti Giovanni (Ita) Bora – Hansgrohe
14 Paret Peintre Aurélien (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team
15 Simon Julien (Fra) Totalenergies
16 Godon Dorian (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team
17 Pichon Laurent (Fra) Team Arkea – Samsic
18 Serrano Rodriguez Gonzalo (Spa) Movistar Team
19 Hermans Ben (Bel) Israel Start-Up Nation
20 Barguil Warren (Fra) Team Arkea – Samsic
21 Chevalier Maxime (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
22 Hundahl Michael Valgren (Den) EF Education – Nippo
23 Williams Stephen (GBr) Bahrain Victorious
24 Burgaudeau Mathieu (Fra) Totalenergies
25 Kangert Tanel (Est) Team BikeExchange
26 Hindley Jai (Aus) Team DSM
27 Cattaneo Mattia (Ita) Deceuninck – QuickStep
28 Ferasse Thibault (Fra) B&B Hotels p/b KTM
29 Barbero Carlos (Spa) Team Qhubeka Nexthash 0:00:22
30 Vendrame Andrea (Ita) AG2R Citroën Team 0:00:53
31 Boasson-hagen Edvald (Nor) Totalenergies
32 Trarieux Julien (Fra) Delko
33 Goldstein Omer (Isr) Israel Start-Up Nation
34 Ulissi Diego (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
35 Perichon Pierre Luc (Fra) Cofidis
36 Konrad Patrick (Aut) Bora – Hansgrohe
37 Hardy Romain (Fra) Team Arkea – Samsic
38 Wilsly Jonas (Den) Astana – Premier Tech
39 González Rivera Abner (PuR) Movistar Team
40 Martin Daniel (Irl) Israel Start-Up Nation
41 Jensen Mattias (Den) Trek – Segafredo
42 Donovan Mark (GBr) Team DSM
43 Warbasse Lawrence (USA) AG2R Citroën Team
44 Higuita Garcia Sergio Andres (Col) EF Education – Nippo
45 Lopez-cozar Jaimez Juan Antonio (Spa) Burgos-BH 0:01:09
46 Gesbert Elie (Fra) Team Arkea – Samsic 0:01:47
47 Eenkhoorn Pascal (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 0:02:03
48 Gaudu David (Fra) Groupama – FDJ 0:02:25
49 Rowe Luke (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers
50 Diaz Gallego Jose Manuel (Spa) Delko 0:02:58
51 Geschke Simon (Ger) Cofidis 0:03:45
52 De Marchi Alessandro (Ita) Israel Start-Up Nation 0:04:27
53 Clarke Simon (Aus) Team Qhubeka NextHash 0:04:39
54 Siskevicius Evaldas (Ltu) Delko
55 Declercq Tim (Bel) Deceuninck – QuickStep 0:04:53
56 Planckaert Baptiste (Bel) Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux
57 Goossens Kobe (Bel) Lotto Soudal
58 Fedeli Alessandro (Ita) Delko
59 Vingegaard Jonas (Den) Jumbo-Visma
60 Pogačar Tadej (Slo) UAE Team Emirates 0:06:30
61 Serry Pieter (Bel) Deceuninck – QuickStep
62 Peñalver Aniorte Manuel (Spa) Burgos-BH
63 Fuentes Paniego Angel (Spa) Burgos-BH
64 Grmay Tsgabu Gebremaryam (Eth) Team BikeExchange
65 Bennett Sean (USA) Team Qhubeka Nexthash
66 Kudus Merhawi (Eri) Astana – Premier Tech
67 Seigle Romain (Fra) Groupama – FDJ
68 Bellicaud Jeremy (Fra) Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux
69 Delettre Alexandre (Fra) Delko
70 Bookwalter Brent (USA) Team BikeExchange
71 Schmid Mauro (Swi) Team Qhubeka NextHash
72 Guglielmi Simon (Fra) Groupama – FDJ
73 Dekker David (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
74 Bernard Julien (Fra) Trek – Segafredo
75 Eekhoff Nils (Ned) Team DSM
76 Ledanois Kevin (Fra) Team Arkea – Samsic
77 Leknessund Andreas (Nor) Team DSM
78 Fernandez Cruz Delio (Spa) Delko 0:10:43
79 Doull Owain (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers
80 Swift Ben (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers
81 Ayuso Pesquera Juan (Spa) UAE Team Emirates
82 Combaud Romain (Fra) Team DSM
83 Cullaigh Gabriel (GBr) Movistar Team
84 Champion Thomas (Fra) Cofidis
85 Amador Andrey (CRc) Ineos Grenadiers
86 Colleoni Kevin (Ita) Team BikeExchange
87 Samitier Samitier Sergio (Spa) Movistar Team 0:13:04
88 Leemreize Gijs (Ned) Jumbo-visma
89 Marczynski Tomasz (Pol) Lotto Soudal
90 Conca Filippo (Ita) Lotto Soudal
91 Canton Serrano Isaac (Spa) Burgos-BH
92 Terpstra Niki (Ned) Totalenergies
93 Eg Niklas (Den) Trek – Segafredo
94 Aparicio Muñoz Mario (Spa) Burgos-BH
95 Gall Felix (Aut) Team DSM
96 Perry Benjamin (Can) Astana – Premier Tech
DNF Smith Dion (NZl) Team BikeExchange
DNF Hepburn Michael (Aus) Team BikeExchange
DNF Garrison Ian (USA) Deceuninck – QuickStep
DNF Grignard Sébastien (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Malecki Kamil (Pol) Lotto Soudal
DNF Oldani Stefano (Ita) Lotto Soudal
DNF Vervloesem Xandres (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Gallopin Tony (Fra) AG2R Citroên Team
DNF Gougeard Alexis (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team
DNF Harper Chris (Aus) Jumbo-Visma
DNF Pfingsten Christoph (Ger) Jumbo-Visma
DNF Foss Tobias S. (Nor) Jumbo-Visma
DNF Barta William (USA) EF Education – Nippo
DNF Whelan James (Aus) EF Education – Nippo
DNF El Fares Julien (Fra) EF Education – Nippo
DNF Nakane Hideto (Jpn) EF Education – Nippo
DNF Capecchi Eros (Ita) Bahrain Victorious
DNF Davies Scott (GBr) Bahrain Victorious
DNF Inkelaar Kevin (Ned) Bahrain Victorious
DNF Valls Ferri Rafael (Spa) Bahrain Victorious
DNF Baska Erik (Svk) Bora – Hansgrohe
DNF Wandahl Frederik (Den) Bora – Hansgrohe
DNF Fabbro Matteo (Ita) Bora – Hansgrohe
DNF Schelling Ide (Ned) Bora – Hansgrohe
DNF Walls Matthew (GBr) Bora – Hansgrohe
DNF Power Rob (Aus) Team Qhubeka NextHash
DNF Vacek Karel (Cze) Team Qhubeka NextHash
DNF Conti Valerio (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
DNF Molano Benavides Juan Sebastian (Col) UAE Team Emirates
DNF Riabushenko Aleksandr (Blr) UAE Team Emirates
DNF Mirza Al-hammadi Yousif (UAE) UAE Team Emirates
DNF Arcas Jorge (Spa) Movistar Team
DNF Rubio Reyes Einer Augusto (Col) Movistar Team
DNF Battistella Samuele (Ita) Astana – Premier Tech
DNF Boaro Manuele (Ita) Astana – Premier Tech
DNF De Bod Stefan (RSA) Astana – Premier Tech
DNF Felline Fabio (Ita) Astana – Premier Tech
DNF Roche Nicolas (Irl) Team DSM
DNF Gaillard Marlon (Fra) Totalenergies
DNF Grellier Fabien (Fra) Totalenergies
DNF Turgis Anthony (Fra) Totalenergies
DNF Bevin Patrick (NZl) Israel Start-Up Nation
DNF Renard Alexis (Fra) Israel Start-Up Nation
DNF Barthe Cyril (Fra) B&b Hotels p/b KTM
DNF Jauregui Quentin (Fra) B&b Hotels p/b KTM
DNF Hivert Jonathan (Fra) B&b Hotels p/b KTM
DNF Henao Gomez Sebastian (Col) Ineos Grenadiers
DNF Rivera Vargas Brandon Smith (Col) Ineos Grenadiers
DNF Armirail Bruno (Fra) Groupama – FDJ
DNF Ladagnous Matthieu (Fra) Groupama – FDJ
DNF Davy Clément (Fra) Groupama – FDJ
DNF Bouet Maxime (Fra) Team Arkea – Samsic
DNF Berhane Natnael (Eri) Cofidis
DNF Consonni Simone (Ita) Cofidis
DNF Fernandez Ruben (Spa) Cofidis
DNF Lafay Victor (Fra) Cofidis
DNF Muller Gabriel (Fra) Burgos-BH
DNF Molenaar Alexander (Ned)
DNF Egholm Jakob (Den) Trek – Segafredo
DNF Ghebreigzabhier Amanuel (Eri) Trek – Segafredo
DNF Tiberi Antonio (Ita) Trek – Segafredo
DNF De Winter Ludwig (Bel) Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux
DNF Devriendt Tom (Bel) Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux
DNF Girmay Biniam (Eri) Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux
DNF Hermans Quinten (Bel) Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux
DNF Vanspeybrouck Pieter (Bel) Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux
DNF Prades Reverter Eduard (Spa) Delko