“La Conti” is left disappointed in Plouay

# Disappointment for “La Conti” at Grand Prix de Plouay

In a challenging day at the Grand Prix de Plouay, Groupama-FDJ’s “La Conti” found themselves battling disappointment after the amateur race culminated in a bunch sprint, similar to what transpired among the professional cyclists earlier. Despite the hilly 187-kilometre course featuring nearly 2,500 metres of elevation gain, Blake Agnoletto and Eliott Boulet finished in 25th and 30th places, respectively, unable to make their mark at the finish line.

With approximately twenty teams in attendance, the race saw its format remain unchanged from previous years. “The plan was to be aggressive, because we know that in the amateur race, the Grand Prix de Plouay is sometimes decided by attacks and counterattacks,” said Jimmy Turgis, director of the French development team. Turgis emphasized the goal to keep the team involved in the action while acknowledging the potential for a small bunch finish, “but like the two previous races of the weekend, we said that a small bunch finish was also possible.”

Despite his strategies, Turgis noted the day was somewhat “sanitized” by the Polti VisitMalta team, which maintained control throughout the race. “The Polti VisitMalta team got caught out twice but controlled the whole day, just like what you see in a WorldTour race,” Turgis explained, suggesting that their dominance stifled the potential for more intense racing.

Although “La Conti” was active in the early stages, with team member Baptiste exerting considerable effort to stay attuned to breakaways, they ultimately found themselves on the back foot. “A group of ten broke away without us after an hour and a half, but it wasn’t such a big deal,” Turgis reflected. The second part of the race did see contributions from Titouan and Rémi to keep up with the attacks; however, tension remained high as Polti VisitMalta continued to exert control.

In the final sprint, both Agnoletto and Boulet faced challenges that hindered their positions. “We lacked a bit of team strength in the final,” Turgis admitted. While Agnoletto attempted to navigate through the competing sprinters, he found himself isolated and crowded out. Boulet, on the other hand, struggled with his form and couldn’t position himself effectively to capitalize on his speed.

The race concluded with Giovanni Lonardi taking the win, while “La Conti” found the results unsatisfactory. “The raw result is disappointing,” Turgis stated, although he acknowledged the commendable performance of other teammates like Baptiste, Titouan, Rémi, and Blake. “You really have to be strong as a team in this kind of race, and unfortunately, we weren’t enough,” he concluded, reflecting a determined outlook as they move toward future competitions.