Last weekend, it was Luxembourg, and this week, it’s France, specifically the Bretagne region, for a triad of French UCI 1.1 races from Thursday, May 8 to Saturday, May 10.

Competing for the CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto Generation team in the Pointe Du Raz Ladies Classic, La Classique Morbihan, and Grand Prix du Morbihan Femmes are Maddie le Roux, Florence Nakagwa, Emily Dixon, Diane Ingabire, Awen Roberts, making her return to racing after injuries sustained at Setmana Ciclista Valenciana in February, and WorldTeam member Chiara Consonni, whose boundless energy, infectious charisma, and leadership will be key assets.

Chiara is no stranger to the region, having raced La Classique and Grand Prix du Morbihan in 2021, where she placed third on Friday and won on Saturday. The courses have since become tougher, but she’s motivated by the challenge, and also the opportunity to race alongside the development riders of CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto.

“I’m really happy to restart my races because I really like to not only to train but especially to race. I think they improve my shape a lot, and now I need to do that.

After Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift, nearly one month ago, I had a break – for five or six days after the first part of the season. Now I’m really ready to restart the second part because I have, I think, great goals coming up.

I don’t start these races to win, but to enjoy them, and maybe to try something different, why not? I know that parcours have been changed a lot but I like this, because I think they are nice and open for a lot of scenarios.

It’s also really nice for me to race with the Generation team because it’s a new experience for me. It’s my first race with this young team and with all the newer riders. I hope to be a good teacher in those days, and maybe this is my main goal.”

The team will begin in Finistère, a remote, sea-battered slice of coastal France – name stemming from the phrase in Latin for “end of the earth”. The Pointe du Raz Ladies Classic borrows its title from the dramatic, rocky headland near France’s westernmost edge.

First held in 2023 and then last year as a two-day national-level race, Pointe du Raz is no gentle entry into the race block. At 143 kilometres and with over 1800m of climbing, it’s long, rolling, and relentless.

The route opens with a twisting, looping first half – like a tangled piece of string. It darts through quaint Breton villages and narrow lanes around the remote Cap-Sizun peninsula, embellished with sections of unpaved roads that add extra character to the rugged terrain. With 55km remaining, the peloton enters the finishing circuit based in Plouhinec, tackling six laps of a narrow loop that flirts with the spectacular, unspoiled coastline. Each lap features the Gwendrez gravel sector and a steady climb back from the sea to Plouhinec, perched at 94 metres above sea level.

Attrition will start from kilometre zero, and while there are no defining climbs, the repeated efforts could still shape a selective finale.

From the wild coast, it’s a swift move east and inland to the more established races of the rolling Morbihan region – La Classique Morbihan (now in its 11th edition) and Grand Prix du Morbihan Femmes (12th edition). The distances decrease from Thursday’s opener, but the intensity remains.

La Classique Morbihan covers 112km with 1761m of climbing. Riders start in Josselin, beneath the looming silhouette of its famed château, and face a hilly opening loop. They’ll even pass through Plumelec and do almost a full reconnaissance lap of Saturday’s grand prix circuit, before heading back to Josselin for six finishing laps of 5km. The finish includes an 850m uphill drag at 4%, where Awen took 16th last year.

Saturday’s Grand Prix course is compact and explosive: three laps of a 13.5km loop followed by six laps of a 7.8km circuit, both focused around the Côte de Cadoudal in Plumelec. The 1.3km climb at 6% features on every lap, doubling as both the ideal launchpad for attacks and the uphill finish. It’s not brutally steep but over nine ascents, it will definitely shred the bunch.

All in all, the team is set for a challenging and rewarding three days, taking in some of the best racing and scenery Bretagne has to offer.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Pointe du Raz Ladies Classics | 1.1 | Thursday May 8 | 143km | 1843m elevation | Start 11:30 CET – fastest finish 15:10 | LIVE here.

La Classique Morbihan | 1.1 | Friday May 9  | 112.2km | 1761m elevation | Start 12:20 CET – fastest finish 15:30 | not live.

Grand Prix du Morbihan Femmes | 1.1 | Saturday May 10  | 83.8km | 1524m elevation | Start 8:30 CET – fastest finish 10:50 | LIVE here at 9:30 CET.

Live coverage is available on YouTube for Thursday’s and Saturday’s races. Stay updated on X using #PointeDuRazLadiesClassic, #ClassiqueMorbihan, and #GPM2025, and follow CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto on social media for team updates throughout the week.