As stage racing continues in Spain with Team Bahrain Victorious’ Torstein Træen holding the ‘La Vuelta’ leader’s jersey at the time of writing, one-day action returns on Sunday in north western France.
The ‘Bretagne Classic – Ouest-France’ is the penultimate European single-day event of the UCI 2025 World Tour calendar. Canada’s double-header follows in September before Il Lombardia (the final ‘Monument’ of the season) in October. 

This will be the 89th edition of a classic known initially as the Circuit de Plouay (1946-1965), then GP Ouest France – Plouay (1966-2015). Bahrain’s first of nine particpations also saw our best result, when Sonny Colbrelli finished third in 2017. 

In recent years the parcours has become increasingly difficult, explains lead Sports Director Gorazd Štangelj:
“It is a very demanding course. Every year harder and harder, it looks like a classic race, similar to Amstel Gold, with 260 kilometres and 4,800m of elevation gain. This year looks like it’s going to be very windy and also wet, so it couldn’t be harder, but let’s say we’re looking forward to take the maximum we can from the day.” 

The seven man line-up in Brittany includes Matej Mohorič, who was 11th here in 2019, and Pello Bilbao, who takes to the start for a sixth time. Both are star names in procycling, but Štangelj says this time they are tasked with supporting Fred Wright.
“We have great team, motivated guys, probably showing the best shape right now is Fred Wright. He’s going to be the leader in the race. 

He’s also very fast in case we come there with reduced bunch. Matej, as a road captain and co-leader, will follow attacks in last, let’s say, 60/80 kilometres.
It’s a similar situation for Pello as another co-leader, following attacks in the last part of the race.” 

With a total distance of 262 km to be covered, (and Lombardia yet to make their official announcement, only Milano-Sanremo and the Ronde van Vlaanderen are longer this year. The peloton will start and finish in Plouay, ending on an 11.8 km circuit which they are expected to enter around 4:30pm local time. 

There are two debutants in the Bahrain selection: Fran Miholjević and Afonso Eulálio. The former will join with the vastly experienced Kamil Gradek (making his third appearance here) and Australian Robert Stannard in the crucial earlier phases. Štangelj again:
“Most of the work needs to be done before the circuit, especially because of the wind, very narrow roads and hills. Kamil, Fran, and Robert, they really are excellent for that. So we really do have strong team from the support riders to the leaders.” 

The Portuguese Eulálio has had an impressive opening year with the team, and Štangelj believes he adds an element of surprise to the team strategy:
“The 7th rider is Affonso, and we don’t really know him well enough to know what to expect, to be honest! But this is also the reason to keep him as a joker and see until which point he can survive (!), and if he’s going to have the legs or not. So also following attacks in the the last 80 kilometres with Pello and Matej. 

The anticipation is building for former British champion Wright. 

“This is a race I’ve only done done the once, but it’s a nice nice parcours. And we’ve got a really strong team for any kind of outcome. They’ve made it harder. There’s a lot more climbs, but I’m hoping with the shape I’ve got from the last races and what I showed at Renewi & Hamburg, I can be there if it’s a smaller group sprint because that’s sometimes how this race plays out. But if there’s other opportunities, with the likes of Pello and Matej, and Alonso as well, we’ve got lots of options to cover the moves on the small climbs around this region of France. 

So yeah, I’m really excited. It’s going to be a hard race, but we’re ready for it!” 

Štangelj agrees with his leader that Bahrain Victorious should be in contention on Sunday. 

“We have leaders and co-leaders, Aphonso as another card to play, and our support riders couldn’t be stronger.
I would say, we should – and have to – expect a good result. I would really like to go near the podium and also place two riders in the top 10.”