Steep climbs, open landscapes, and a newly crowned Tour de France Femmes champion. That’s what the Breton cycling fans can look forward to when the Grand Prix de Plouay takes place on Saturday, August 30th. Here, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot will make her comeback in the hilly one-day race, facing a challenging course around Plouay.

“After the Tour de France Femmes, I deliberately allowed myself a short period of rest, both to recover physically and to process everything mentally. That was important, but now I feel full of energy and motivation to race again together with my teammates. I’m really looking forward to getting back that racing feeling,” Ferrand-Prévot says.

The last time the Frenchwoman had numbers on her back, she crossed the finish line first in Châtel, claiming her victory in the Tour de France Femmes. Now, her focus has already shifted to the upcoming races, aiming to put the finishing touches on what has been a remarkable season.

“The Grand Prix de Plouay is always a challenging race, with a course that constantly goes up and down and offers very few real moments of rest. It’s a race where you always have to stay alert, and where the strongest riders usually come to the fore. I’m excited to test myself there again.”

“Moreover, the Grand Prix de Plouay is a great opportunity to gain racing rhythm and to keep working on my form in the lead-up to the coming weeks, with the World Championships on the road also on my calendar,” adds Ferrand-Prévot, who won the world championship on the road back in 2014 on a likewise difficult course in Ponferrada.

Alongside Ferrand-Prévot, Marianne Vos is also heading back to France. With seven podium finishes in the race, including two wins, Vos has already proven that the famous Breton terrain suits her well. A favorable situation for Team Visma | Lease a Bike, who arrive with big ambitions according to sports director Jos van Emden.

“We have a strong team lining up for the GP de Plouay and we head there with ambition. It’s a race that suits us and one where we want to show ourselves as a team,” the Dutchman underlines.

“I expect a kind of elimination race where the bunch will gradually be reduced and a select group will remain. It’s crucial for us to be part of that group. With Femke, Eva, Sophie and Margaux we have excellent riders who can support Pauline and Marianne deep into the finale. This gives us a well-balanced team capable of handling different scenarios.”