Elite and U19 together at the start of GP Plouay

Two out of our three AG Insurance – Soudal Quick-Step teams will be at the start of the Classic Lorient Agglomeration - Ceratizit Trophy, also known as GP Plouay, on Saturday.

Our five elite riders will traverse no less than 15 municipalities within the Lorient Agglomeration, covering a distance of 159.6 kilometers starting from Plouay. The course of this 22nd edition is characterized by more than 2200 meters of elevation gain, with two laps of the 11.7km-long Plouay circuit at the end.

The challenging race will be tackled by Ashleigh Moolman Pasio, accompanied by Mireia Benito, Julia Borgström, Anya Louw, and Ally Wollaston.

"Plouay has always been a challenging race that offers an opportunity for every type of rider. It's a tough ground, but it can become a tactical race. That's why I am really looking forward to it. We have a lot of strengths within our team with Ashleigh and Ally, but also free-spirited riders like Mireia, Julia, and Anya can make their mark here. A true classic in women's cycling that I am really excited about", said elite sports director Jolien D'hoore.

The riders of our U19 team will face a parcours in this third junior edition that consists of 13 laps through the streets of Plouay, each with a distance of 6.3 kilometers and 1248 vertical meters. Taking the start line will be Laia Bosch, Ella Heremans, Nela Kankovska and Luca Vierstraete.

"Ravaged by injuries and illnesses, we are not starting with a complete team, but it is great to have the opportunity to participate in a combined race with the elite category. This aligns perfectly with the structure we have in mind; taking steps up within the pyramid towards the World Tour. Luca not only proved to be capable of riding solo in Vresse, but also excelled uphill. With Laia and Ella, we have two other strong climbers on board. Nela completes the selection; with her strength, she should be able to stay in contention for a long time and collectively vie for podium. This year, it is a UCI 1.1 race, but I've heard that they intend to join the Nations Cup in the upcoming season", said Junior sports director Christian Kos.