Essential Race Details

Welcome to our preview of Grand Prix du Morbihan Feminin 2025, a challenging UCI 1.1 race through the rolling terrain of Brittany. Here's everything you need to know:

Course Connection Note: The roads used in this race are identical to the section from 43-54km in La Classique Morbihan 2025 the day before. Riders will tackle the same principal climb, with the small lap effectively following the same route as that key section.

• Distance: 84 km

• Start Time: 8:30

• Race Level: UCI 1.1

• Pro-cycling stats: Official race statistics

• Official Site: Race website

• GPX Download: Download the course file

Competitors

Previous Editions Insights

Looking at past editions gives us valuable context for what to expect this year:

• Previous races have consistently seen the peloton split, with final lap front groups of approximately 20-40 riders

• Typical race duration is about 2hr30 to 2hr45 hours

• See below for the 2024 results:

Course Breakdown

The 2025 edition features a total distance of 84km, structured as:

• 3 large laps (13.8km each, 231m elevation per lap)

• 6 small laps (8km each, 136m elevation per lap)

Key Strategic Points:

• Large laps: Sufficient rest between hills allows riders to recover

• Small laps: Effectively function as hill repeats

• This creates a wearing down process - success depends on fatigue management and the ability to repeatedly perform strongly up the hill (9 hill repeats total)

• Being smart with slip room and managing the gaps will pay dividends toward the end of the race

• Focus should be on efficient effort delivery on the hill - the rest of the course is straightforward, with emphasis on recovery and minimising energy expenditure

Section-by-Section Analysis

1. 3 x Large Laps (0-42km)

The race begins with three large laps that creates a larger break between the main hill with undulating terrain:

• The large lap incorporates the same finishing hill as the small lap, but takes a longer route

• Riders start on the bottom half of the circuit for the large lap

• Nothing technical to worry about throughout these sections

• Generally rolling roads provide a good warm-up

• At 5km, riders turn right back onto the main road - this serves as a reminder that the main climb begins in approximately 2km

2. Main Climb

The primary challenge of both the large and small laps is this decisive climb:

• 1.8km long with 6% average gradient and 10% maximum gradient

• QOM reference time: 4 minutes 5 seconds → Expect +5 minute efforts during race conditions

• Race finish is positioned at the top of this climb

• Positioning is not a critical issue as there's plenty of space

• Primary benefit of good positioning is to gain slip room

Strategic Consideration: Riders must carefully manage their efforts on this climb, especially during the early laps, to ensure they have enough power for the final ascents.

3. Main Descent

After each climb comes the recovery opportunity:

• Wide roads provide a safe descending environment

• Good opportunity to recover and prepare for the next effort

4. 6 x Small laps

The roads are the same that are done in the La Classique Morbihan 2025, at 43-54km.

The decisive portion of the race consists of six shorter laps focused on the main climb:

• These roads are identical to those used in La Classique Morbihan 2025, specifically from the 43-54km section

• The 'cut through' that makes these laps shorter is slightly narrower but presents no technical challenges

• Positioning is not critical as riders turn right at the end and begin the hill on a wide road

• Expect decisive moves on the later ascents (i.e., 4-2 laps to go expect to see main splits form

Key Insight: With nine total ascents of the main climb (three on large laps, six on small laps), this race is fundamentally about who can maintain climbing strength as fatigue builds. The final two or three ascents will likely determine the finishing groups. Then its all about winning your group.

Weather Outlook

Good news for riders and spectators alike - ideal racing conditions are forecasted with nothing significant to worry about.