PREVIEW | Bretagne Classic 2023 - Mathieu van der Poel main favourite on rainbow jersey debut

Preview. The Bretagne Classic is perhaps the first big classic when it comes to the finale of the season. Taking place on the 3rd of September, the Breton race is a gathering of plenty world-class sprinters, classics riders and climbers.

There will be 259 kilometers on the menu which will make for a very complicated race towards the end – where this year, the action will be densely packed. There have been years where the race has finished in a reduced bunch sprint, but the route this time around is very favourable to the classics specialists and aggressive racing. There are 3600 meters of climbing to tackle, with plenty narrow roads, short and sharp ascents which will see some tense moments and likely some early attacks.

This year however most of the race’s difficulties are packed into the last 30 kilometers. These will be highly difficult, with several small hilltops, fast sections and narrow roads to tackle. Marta (900 meters; 8.3%; 27.5Km to go) will be the hardest and the first of the ascents, which should see a furious battle for positioning, and many attacks over the top. On such terrain it is very hard to chase, so whoever gets a gap ahead won’t be easy to bring back.

There will be a small plateau and descent before Longeo (1.5Km; 5.7%; 19Km to go) which sees gradients up to 15% and is the longest of the ascents, where those who won’t enjoy the climbs are likely to struggle. A small plateau will follow and then there’ll be a sharp ramp at Le Leuzot (800 meters, 5%) which ends with 12 kilometers to go, it is another opportunity for attacks to be launched.

The race won’t end there however as quickly the riders will face Rostervel (1.2Km; 4.6%; 9Km to go), a straightforward climb out of Plouay, but then the riders descent back into the into town and climb out via Le Lezot (900 meters; 4.6%; 4.5Km to go) and Kersoulic (400 meters; 5.5%; 3.5Km to go) for a final time, before the fast run-in to the line where the sprint will feature some smooth gradients.

The Weather

Meaningful western breeze. The race however towards it's finale features plenty direction changes, climbs with different wind directions, so I can't say that it'll make a big difference.

The Favourites

Alpecin-Deceuninck - A team in form. What they've been doing this year is stupendous and a classic like this with some hills but also a possible sprint outcome is ideal for them. Their classics weapons are here, Soren Kragh Andersen presents opportunities to play tactically from very early on, but the danger is in Mathieu van der Poel - who has taken rest after the World Championships, but will be motivated to debut his new equipment - and Jasper Philipsen who's proven himself a very capable classics rider this season and virtually unbeatable in the sprints.

Jumbo - Visma - Christophe Laporte is a very strong rider and this type of race will suit him very well. He'll be Jumbo's main card in search of success, whilst the team also has Tiesj Benoot who will be a worthy outsider and usually a rider who performs very consistently in the hilly classics.

UAE Team Emirates - No options for the sprint however plenty riders to attack, as was the case in the BEMER Cyclassics. Brandon McNulty, Marc Hirschi, Felix Grossschartner and Alessandro Covi are all quality riders for the hilly races, whilst Rafal Majka himself does have the legs to also be an outsider. UAE have the potential to blow up the race and try to infiltrate riders in possible winning moves.

Soudal - Quick-Step - The team will come down mostly to Julian Alaphilippe and Mauro Schmid. Perhaps the Swissman the main card looking at his performance in the World Championships, Alaphilippe has been struggling with endurance quite a lot, at his best definitely a victory contender, however it'll be difficult to do it here.

Lotto Dstny - Lotto have Arnaud De Lie who is in great form, with good performances at the BEMER Cyclassics and Renewi Tour. He's got the climbing legs, however this is is a race that's grown harder over the years and will be a difficult taks. Nevertheless he may profit from the team's numbers, with Victor Campenaerts and Jasper de Buyst - the latter mainly - also showing good form and being well suited to a race like this.

INEOS Grenadiers - INEOS have Elia Viviani a former winner of the race who has shown his only positive performance of the season recently as he was third in BEMER, a good sign. Ethan Hayter ideally a good card for this race but his form is in doubt. The team's options most likely depend on attacks in the climbs with Pavel Sivakov and Michal Kwiatkowski.

The race is less likely to, but can still end in a sprint. Alex Aranburu is a puncheur who can in any scenario be close to the front, however in case of a conservative race or one that ends up finishing in a sprint, other figures can be present such as Jonathan Milan, Michael Matthews, Peter Sagan, Jake Stewart or Intermarché-Circus-Wanty with the duo of Biniam Girmay and Madis Mihkels.

In the field of the classics riders we'll find plenty other cards. When it comes to climbers and figures who will perhaps hope for a tough race from the start - so as to be less explosive towards the end - we can think of Guillaume Martin and Ion Izagirre of Cofidis, Alexey Lutsenko, Andreas Leknessund and BORA - hansgrohe leader Jai Hindley.

When it comes to the pure puncheurs, who are likely to be figuring amongst the best, we have EF duo of Ben Healy and Alberto Bettiol who can be extremely dangerous, Frenchmen Benoît Cosnefroy, Mathieu Burgaudeau, Warren Barguil and national champion Valentin Madouas, and lastly Jasper Stuyven and Stefan Küng who can deal a blow here if they find his best form and anticipates the rest.

Prediction Bretagne Classic 2023:

*** Mathieu van der Poel
** Jasper Philipsen, Christophe Laporte, Michael Matthews
* Marc Hirschi, Felix Grossschartner, Brandon McNulty, Julian Alaphilippe, Mauro Schmid, Arnaud De Lie, Michal Kwiatkowski, Alex Aranburu, Valentin Madouas, Warren Barguil, Alberto Bettiol

Pick: Mathieu van der Poel