PREVIEW | Bretagne Classic 2024 - Thibau Nys, Julian Alaphilippe, Marc Hirschi and Tom Pidcock headline classics specialists showdown

On the 25th of August we have the return of one-day races in the World Tour calendar. The Bretagne Classic gets tougher and longer by the year and this year is one of the longest races in pro cycling; and will test the classics specialists with a hilly course in Bretagne, France. We preview the race ahead.

The race will be 261 kilometers long and feature 3500 meters of climbing. There is at no point in the race a long ascent and all of this is the result of short spikes on the profile. They will be a constant, but specially in the final 105 kilometers the riders will barely have rest in what is usually a chaotic race due to the rolling roads.

The race marks the main climbs and in these final 105 kilometers there are 14 climbs which it notes specifically. There are others inbetween... But the main ones pointed out are the following:

103Km to - Col de Toullareon: 2.6Km; 4.4%

90Km to go - Ty Coz: 2.3Km; 5.4%

83Km to go - Quelennec: 1.7Km; 3.4%

78Km to go - Kerbris: 0.8Km; 5.6%

73.5Km to go - Kergoat: 1.5Km; 5%

59.5Km to go - Locmaria: 1.5Km; 3.8%

49Km to go - Kervelen: 1.3Km; 3.8%

43.5Km to go - Restembolaye: 1.9Km; 2.5%

40.5Km to go - Le Moustoir: 0.4Km; 6.7%

31Km to go - Beg ar Salud: 0.4Km; 6.8%

27Km to go - Marta: 1.5Km; 5.8%

19Km to go - Longeo: 1.5Km; 5.6%

9Km to go - Rostervel: 1.4Km; 4.2%

4.5Km to go - Le Lezot: 0.9Km; 5.1%

The race can end in a small group sprint or a solo attack. Attacks can be decisive both in the climbs or inbetween, since the ascents are not so difficult gaps created on the flat roads or descents can then be sustained later on. They are also not very steep or long so lots of different types of riders can succeed in such terrain.

The Weather

No rain, low temperatures and some wind from the west. In general, a trend for a cross or tailwind throughout the last part of the race which does favour attackers.

The Favourites

Thibau Nys - The big man from Belgium is, in my opinion, comparable to prime Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert when it comes to these short explosive uphill efforts. The last race of his season, the only big challenge could indeed be the distance. But likely, Nys will be able to hold his own and if he shows the same power as he's done many times this year including the recent Tour de Pologne where he won three hilltop finishes, then it will be hard for him to be dropped. Lidl-Trek have a strong classics specialist in Jasper Stuyven who is a good card to attack the roads between the climbs; and overall a strong collective with several riders capable of being towards the front.

UAE - UAE come with their classic tactic of plenty leaders, which can earn them another big win. Diego Ulissi is in terrific form and has a perfect race for his abilities here after finishing second at the Tour de Pologne. Marc Hirschi joins him as another prime puncheur with a strong sprint. Both have had a calendar focused on secondary races this year which has earned both plenty wins and great results - although Hirschi has just won the Clásica San Sebastián and is seemingly back to his best-ever form. The team have also Felix Grosschartner who was third here last year; strong puncheurs Finn Fisher-Black and Jan Christen who provide plenty firepower to constantly attack rival teams and be ahead of the competition.

Groupama - In the lead is defending champion Valentin Madouas, who has just finished second at the Olympic Games. The Frenchman is an expert on long and hilly races, and he could well repeat a performance such as last year. But Groupama also has cards in youngster Romain Gre´goire and the very explosive Laurence Pithie.

Lotto Dstny - A team that is on fire this year, and has no reasons to stop. Arnaud De Lie is just off the back of a GC win at the Tour of Denmark and the type of climbs, and flat finale here fit him perfectly. The team also have in Maxim van Gils another strong puncheur capable of responding to attacks on the climbs and a very experienced Jasper de Buyst who was fifth last year in this very race.

Julian Alaphilippe - This is a race for teams with numbers. So Quick-Step focusing on one leader is not the best of tactics, but I would understand them doing it here because Julian Alaphilippe really is showing great form. A race in France, with long distance and plenty climbs is just what the former World Champion likes... If he shows the same legs as San Sebastián, with his aggressive type of racing, he could well get the race to explode early on and in a sprint he also packs good chances against many.

Uno-X - The Uno-X seen at the Arctic Race of Race of Norway and Tour of Denmark was scary strong. Stronger than many World Tour outfits, the team have Magnus Cort Nielsen who won in both races and legitimately can be the winner of this race, either in an attack or sprint. But he is just one card; as the team can attack with the likes of Jonas Abrahamsen and Rasmus Tiller, whilst Soren Waerenskjold is another danger rider for a possible sprint.

Visma - Christophe Laporte is dangerous, very dangerous... A brilliant Tour and then third at the Olympics, he and Tiesj Benoot lead the Dutch team and have proven to work together perfectly in the past. They can both attack, but the Frenchman is specially dangerous if it comes down to a group sprint of any size.

Decathlon - Decathlon are a team that races on aggressiveness and have plenty riders who love this explosive uncontrolled hilly typical French type of course. Benoît Cosnefroy is a former winner here and can surely do it again; but the team can also rely on other classics specialists such as Dorian Godon or French champion Paul Lapeira who will remember that the French champion won this race last year too.

Tom Pidcock - My expectations are moderated. Pidcock is a very strong puncheur but the climbs here are not overly difficult and the distance may not play into his hands. Still INEOS have a very strong leader in which many eyes will be on. His presence may also be very beneficial for the team in case they can play Magnus Sheffield from far out - the American is a great rouleur and has just finished fifth at the Tour de Pologne.

EF - A team of many outsiders, one can surely succeed in the right scenario... Mikkel Honoré, Michael Valgren, Neilson Powless and Lukas Nerurkar have the legs to go with attacks over the final hours of racing.

Michael Matthews - Jayco are a team that often struggle to control races, and that is likely the situation here. But with so many quality teams, they may end up cancelling each other. The Australian can climb but it's in the sprint where he packs a good chance; after finishing on the podium of Milano-Sanremo and Tour of Flanders this season I really wouldn't discard him to win the race even if it's unlikely to be controlled in his favor.

A few other teams though do not have as much collective power... Some do though, but perhaps not with as much level as the teams above. BORA for example will have Max Schachmann, Matteo Sobrero and perhaps Jai Hindley as cards to play; Astana have Italian trio Simone Velasco and Samuele Battistella; Movistar have Spanish champion Alex Aranburu and Iván García Cortina; Alpecin have Soren Kragh Andersen and Axel Laurance whilst Arkéa have Clément Champoussin and Kévin Vauquelin in what is an extremely important race for the team.

Add to that mix riders who have to make the difference on the climbs such as Pello Bilbao; or even Tobias Lund Andresen who impressed at the Tour of Denmark and could be a potential danger man in this race. Of course, this is a very open race, and with the distance factor we may see some surprises. Although plenty quality riders have been mentiond, there very much is the possibility that others will also be in the mix for a top result.

Prediction Bretagne Classic 2024:

*** Thibau Nys, Marc Hirschi, Magnus Cort Nielsen
** Valentin Madouas, Arnaud De Lie, Christophe Laporte, Julian Alaphilippe
* Jasper Stuyven, , Jan Christen, Finn Fisher-Black, Romain Grégoire, Maxim van Gils, Tiesj Benoot, Benoît Cosnefroy, Paul Lapeira, Tom Pidcock, Magnus Sheffield, Michael Matthews, Alex Aranburu, Tobias Lund Andresen

Pick: Magnus Cort Nielsen