In parallel with the Tour of the Basque Country, this 4-day race has been upgraded to the .Pro class. However, teams didn't seem to take notice, and the startlist remains similar as when it was a 2.1. Actually, due to the disappearance of 2 French WT, there are now less World Teams than last year. But there are more Pro Teams.

I think that the organisation tried to add a bit more relief to the stages to honour the new classification. Except for the final stage in the city of Le Mans with its Gazonfier hill, they were relatively boring until now, with many sprinters victories. I mean, it was those French races where there are hills, there are attacks, but gaps don't get created and (part of) the sprinters and sprinters-punchers almost always manage to reach the line at the front of the race. But with circuit finishes and the geography of the region, you can only do that much.

The first 2 days go towards the Ocean, and the last 2 days come back into the countryside.

Maps and profiles are on my post in French https://sh.itjust.works/post/58065974 . NB: the technical guide was both clean and thorough. Higher ranked races could take a leaf out of their book.

[–] Deschanel2027@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Stage 3

It finally gets a bit interesting.

Cofidis tried a team attack already 85 km from the line.

[–] CarstenBoll@feddit.dk 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Well, that's a winner I'd forgotten existed, but the I remembered that he's won the race before. Hopefully an indication of a good Ardennes-campaign to come.

[–] Deschanel2027@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Always present to terrorise our little, defenceless races. The other ones, which stayed class 1 this year, were safe from Viking looters this year, but a .Pro race was too tempting for the horde. That's 2, 2 and 1 on the stages so far.

Spoiler Basque Country

But Cofidis had its revenge on the other side of the Pyrenees!

The young L'Hôte (🇫🇷 Décathlon), who didn't relay the others much after they caught him, declared that he felt a bit 'short' on his bike for the last lap, as his saddle had dropped a bit 😃

Bessega🇮🇹 did well for Polti. I feared that, as too often, Polti would disappear in the last mile after having very visible or active.

The splits + the various time bonuses built an interesting GC before the final stage:

Several favourites, like Costiou^1^ (🇫🇷 FDJ) are in the group at 17′, which has about 30 riders.

A pity the breakaway men wasted a lot of time in the last kilometre, they could have entertained more hopes for final GC if they hadn't.

note 1 : I mean, Costiou didn't impress me so far this year, he always seems a bit limited and unable to make a difference (his GC win in Bessèges is only thanks to the final TT); but he is generally listed among the favourites, is still in that 30 riders group, and finished 2^nd^ of the peloton today behind Strong🇳🇿, so he is not off the game yet.

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