2014 48th GP Ouest France - Plouay: 248km, August 31

[BigMac]

____2014 Grand Prix Ouest France - Plouay

After Vattenfall, we now reach Plouay. The first of three races (Plouay, Québec, Montréal (The 3GP) that some, who choose to skip the Vuelta, use as build-up for the Worlds. Kristoff just won in Hamburg and will line-up; others include Costa, Nibali and Kwiatkowski; Van Avermaet, Chavanel, Gerrans, Coquard too. Here's the provisional startlist. Of last year's top 10, Nizzolo, Dumoulin, Roelandts and Ventoso are the ones racing this year's edition.

In 2012, Rui Costa attacked on Côte de Ty Marrec and was joined by Edvald Boassen Hagen. The latter managed to attack on the downhill before the finish and take the win. Costa came a couple of seconds ahead of the pack. Last year, we had a mass sprint of 70 units. It is possible to make differences on the last steep section of the circuit, as shown in the past, however, an organised chase should be able to bring the break back. It has to be a strong attack with a couple of strong riders.

Profile:

Route/Circuit:

TV Coverage: Eurosport will broadcast 45 minutes of it (until the end) live, starting at 13:45 GMT and 14:45 CET.

 

[Luigi_Max_Again]

Nibali to win again.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

This man will attack with 90km to go and win solo.

The drones communication systems will break down effectively collapsing the chase.

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

If nobody offers Agnoli a contract this week he'll win this.

 

[May0maniac]

This man will attack with 90km to go and win solo.

The drones communication systems will break down effectively collapsing the chase.

Bardiani going WT would be epic, just imagine how many races would be way cooler with Pirazzi racing

 

[greenedge]

Gerrans to pip GVA. I don't think Kwiatowski can go well here- first race back??? but otherwise I'd have mentioned him.

 

[murali]

GVA had only a single win in this season(mostly due to absence of stybar).

I think he would desperately want a strong win here.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Kristoff will win again.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Gerrans to pip GVA. I don't think Kwiatowski can go well here- first race back??? but otherwise I'd have mentioned him.

You just did.

 

[Akuryo]

He was mentioned in the opening post already. He just stated that it would be unlikely to win for him after his post-Tour-break.

 

[gunara]

Kwiatowski....- first race back???

He was visible everywhere for a long time, it's like he's never been away.

Anyway, I'm afraid Gerrans will have it.

 

[ILovecycling]

Gerro

 

[Akuryo]

I doubt Quickstep will go for Kwiatkowski. Meersman/Trentin with far better chances. Even Alaphilippe seems to be in good shape and has exactly the characteristics needed for this kind of day. Kwiatkowski will just get some miles under his belt.

 

[Kotar_Rhakoz]

A Gerrans win would be a very good thing.

 

[De Snelle Duif]

A Gerrans win would be a very good thing.

How is that ever a good thing?

 

[damian13ster]

I doubt Quickstep will go for Kwiatkowski. Meersman/Trentin with far better chances. Even Alaphilippe seems to be in good shape and has exactly the characteristics needed for this kind of day. Kwiatkowski will just get some miles under his belt.

Kwiatkowski hardly needs preparation races. He gets results from the get-go. The question is, is he well rested?
If thats the case then OPQS has lots of options with Trentin/Meersman/Kwiatkowski. Expect some serious attacking

 

[Akuryo]

Kwiatkowski hardly needs preparation races. He gets results from the get-go. The question is, is he well rested?
If thats the case then OPQS has lots of options with Trentin/Meersman/Kwiatkowski. Expect some serious attacking

True that. Hence the reason he started the season later this year and got results in February.

 

[BigMac]

Changes in the startlist. Astana confirmed their line-up and Nibali is out.

http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/GP_Ouest_France_Plouay_2014-Startlist

 

[Dazed and Confused]

final lap is only 14km (shortcut involved), can't remember if that was the case previously.

Live TV schedule is perfect for Sunday (for a change). First some rouleur action in France and afterwards climbing in Spain. All on Eurosport.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

A Gerrans win would be a very good thing.

How is that ever a good thing?

I'd say it would create some funny reactions on the forum, but considering this is the kind of race he's been good at even before his resurgence (at C.A and Cervélo he was a moderately interesting stagehunter, at Sky he regressed, and became a guy who waited for the final sprint up the hill against Gilbert or Rodríguez, came 7th and got talked up as a major challenger for that; at Orica he seems to have re-discovered some tactical nous, even though at the moment it seems like he specialises in winning races that have been raced appallingly badly), perhaps not. Agree that Gerrans winning is never a good thing because it 99% of the time means the racing has been timid and cowardly, since he seldom makes things happen himself.

Fwiw the women's race was quite interesting, the shortened final lap made things interesting in that the winning move from Lucinda Brand came as riders were recovering from the Côte du Lezot, rather than all the moves being made on Ty Marrec as usual. However, this was rather helped by Rabo-Liv-Giant having 4 out of a group of 10 and Brand being rather underestimated as she'd done a bunch of domestique work earlier (the other 3 they had in the group were Marianne Vos, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Anna van der Breggen, who finished 1st 2nd and 3rd in the Giro respectively so are their top names). Vos allowed the strongest sprinters of the selection other than herself - Tiffany Cromwell and Emma Johansson - to tire themselves out in a chase that Rabobank were continually breaking up, and then won the sprint for 2nd & dragged PFP to the line behind her so that they locked out the podium once again (this is becoming a habit for the super-stacked Rabobank team). The nature of the péloton in women's cycling vs. that in men's meant that the selection was far smaller far earlier than would be realistically to be expected in the men's race tomorrow, however - the likes of Armitstead, Vos, PFP and Johansson going in a move at the halfway point is not likely to be seen in equivalent form tomorrow, I don't think. Can't really see, for example, Costa, GVA, Kwiatkowski, EBH and Gerrans getting in a move with over 100km remaining. Chavanel on the other hand...

Hey, if the Vuelta's going to put dull flat stages on at a weekend at the same time as a slightly hilly women's World Cup race has coverage available...

 

[roundabout]

A bit if twickering to pass the time

https://twitter.com/GrandPrixPlouay

I think the TV coverage in France has already started

 

[Flamin]

Kwia is back _O_

 

[De Snelle Duif]

Fwiw the women's race was quite interesting, the shortened final lap made things interesting in that the winning move from Lucinda Brand came as riders were recovering from the Côte du Lezot, rather than all the moves being made on Ty Marrec as usual. However, this was rather helped by Rabo-Liv-Giant having 4 out of a group of 10 and Brand being rather underestimated as she'd done a bunch of domestique work earlier (the other 3 they had in the group were Marianne Vos, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Anna van der Breggen, who finished 1st 2nd and 3rd in the Giro respectively so are their top names). Vos allowed the strongest sprinters of the selection other than herself - Tiffany Cromwell and Emma Johansson - to tire themselves out in a chase that Rabobank were continually breaking up, and then won the sprint for 2nd & dragged PFP to the line behind her so that they locked out the podium once again (this is becoming a habit for the super-stacked Rabobank team). The nature of the péloton in women's cycling vs. that in men's meant that the selection was far smaller far earlier than would be realistically to be expected in the men's race tomorrow, however - the likes of Armitstead, Vos, PFP and Johansson going in a move at the halfway point is not likely to be seen in equivalent form tomorrow, I don't think. Can't really see, for example, Costa, GVA, Kwiatkowski, EBH and Gerrans getting in a move with over 100km remaining. Chavanel on the other hand...

Hey, if the Vuelta's going to put dull flat stages on at a weekend at the same time as a slightly hilly women's World Cup race has coverage available...

Rabobank is really overpowered, but I guess any team with Vos in it becomes overpowered anyway. Really hope the men will start racing for real, but all points to GVA getting caught in the last km again and a sprinter winning.

 

[roundabout]

Good break, but it's like a bazillion people left in the main group

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Katusha don't have many allies. Understandably.