It’s not often Cian Uijtdebroeks, Tiesj Benoot and Olav Kooij can aim to play a role in the finale of the same race, but on Sunday that happens. The powerful yet somewhat unusual trio is heading to the Bretagne Classic along with three ambitious riders, and Christophe Laporte, who is taking the next step in his comeback. For Kooij, it’s an opportunity to test his limits, which he recently pushed with an overall fifth place at the Renewi Tour and a tenth place on the queen stage to the Muur van Geraardsbergen. “Last week in the Renewi Tour I felt really good. It was a big boost for my confidence. It shows that my shape is where it needs to be at this point in the season,” Kooij underlines.

The 260-kilometre Bretagne Classic, however, is a step up in difficulty from the Renewi Tour. The the riders will tackle nearly 5,000 metres of climbing – the sort of elevation you would expect from a Tour de France stage in the Alps. But since there are no mountains in that part of France, it is instead a string of short, steep climbs that shape the race.

“Bretagne Classic is always a tough race, with a long distance, a lot of climbing and small twisting roads that make it very nervous. It’s not easy for sprinters, but if the race comes back together, I know I can be up there. I’m motivated to go for a result. We have a strong team that can support me in the finale. Hopefully it comes down to a sprint, because then I definitely want to be there fighting for the victory,” Kooij says.

Just like in the Renewi Tour, Kooij can look forward to support from former European champion Christophe Laporte, who continues his comeback. The Frenchman played an important role in Kooij’s lead-out in the Renewi Tour, though he himself admits there is still some way to go before he’s back to his best. “It was nice to be back in the bunch in Renewi, even if it was harder than I expected. Step by step I was improving there, and I’m looking forward to racing again,” Laporte explains. “Bretagne Classic is a really hard and long race, and it’s always special to race in my home country. Normally, in good shape, I could aim for a result myself, but right now I’m really happy to focus on helping the team.”

Laporte rode his first race of the year on August 17 at the Cyclassics Hamburg, after a cytomegalovirus ruined the entire first part of his season. It also meant that for many months he could not train properly, so he hasn’t logged many long days in the saddle this year. Both the distance and elevation of the Bretagne Classic therefore mark the next step for him. “Last Sunday I was quite happy with what I could already do for the team and with how my shape felt. Bretagne Classic will be a good race to build endurance, and it will be good to see where I stand. I’m confident the shape will come back. As a rider you always hope for more, but cycling is tough and you need a lot of training to be at your best. I’m motivated to reach the level where I can play a role in the finale again. The upcoming races will be good opportunities to keep making progress,” Laporte concludes.

If the race proves too demanding for Kooij, Team Visma | Lease a Bike can count on Cian Uijtdebroeks. The Belgian recently demonstrated in the Clásica San Sebastián that, although he has focused mainly on stage racing, he can also excel in the classics when the course is tough enough. Uijtdebroeks arrives in Bretagne after a successful summer campaign, highlighted by victory at the Tour de l’Ain and second overall at the Czech Tour.

His compatriot Tiesj Benoot, who hasn’t pinned on a number since finishing fourth in San Sebastián, will also line up as one of the protected riders. Since Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne in early March, Benoot has finished every one-day race he has completed—nine in total—inside the top 20, underlining his remarkable consistency.

The strength in numbers and variety in the squad of Team Visma Lease a Bike is something sports director Frans Maassen takes confidence from. ”We hope to ride a strong race. We have multiple options for the finale, and that’s important in a race like this. For Olav, it’s certainly a challenge, but one he starts with a lot of motivation. The course might be slightly less hard than Liège - Bastogne - Liege, but it’s still a huge effort. If you can start the descents from the front each time, you’re already a long way ahead,” Frans Maassen points out.

"For Tiesj this is a race that suits him perfectly, and he has proven that in the past. Cian has also shown great form in recent weeks. It may not be exactly his type of race, but he can learn a lot. The Bretagne Classic is always a fair race. This year it has been made even harder, which promises a spectacular battle."