Bretagne Classic: Alex Aranburu takes WorldTour victory for Cofidis after decisive attack in final kilometres

Alex Aranburu (Cofidis) wins Bretagne Classic 2026 in Plouay.

In a dynamic and aggressive race, Alex Aranburu put in a decisive attack just inside the final 2km of the race to win the Bretagne Classic CIC in Plouay. The Cofidis rider jumped from a lead front group that formed after the breakaway was caught with six kilometres to go.

Alexander Kamp (Uno-X Mobility) gave chase solo but was not able to catch the Spaniard and took second, crossing the line four seconds later. Alessandro Borgo (Bahrain Victorious) was third, from the 11-rider front group.

“I’m super happy, it’s a great team victory. All my teammates were particularly valuable, like Benjamin Thomas who got into the breakaway," Aranburu said in a team release.

"Towards the end, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy and that I had to be especially focused. I tried to stay calm and give it my all. I’m very proud to be part of this incredible week for Cofidis. It’s definitely one of the best victories of my career.”

After being kept on a leash of around a three-minute gap by Alpecin-Premier Tech, the early breakaway reformed as the riders tackled the three finishing circuits, while behind the Visma-Lease a Bike squad attacked multiple times but were not able to get away.

The numerous accelerations on the undulating course led to splits and chaos in the field as often happens in this race until ultimately the last breakaway rider was caught.

A select group of 11 riders sped away at the front. It included Aranburu and his teammate Dylan Teuns, Emil Herzog (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Paul Lapeira (Decathlon CMA CGM) and Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ United). With three kilometres to go, they had 16 seconds on the chasing field.

French star Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quickstep) went down in a multi-rider crash with 50 kilometres to go and abandoned the race.

Bretagne Classic CIC 2026 podium: second place Alexander Kamp (Uno-X Mobility), winner Alex Aranburu (Cofidis) and third place Alessandro Borgo (Bahrain Victorious) (Image credit: Getty Images)

How it unfolded

For its 95th edition, the Bretagne Classic reshaped its route, cutting 34 kilometres to 228.3km while retaining a demanding 3,663 metres of elevation gain on a rolling route centred around Plouay in Brittany. The race began with a 143km clockwise large loop north through Gouraec, Pontivy, Le Sourn and Saint-Barthélemy, leading to a 35km anti-clockwise loop before returning to Plouay for three 16.6km finishing circuits.

The finale brought several familiar challenges, including the return of the Ty Marrec climb, absent from the race since 2019. A succession of short climbs and descents followed, with the Rostervel ascent coming with nine kilometres to go. Five kilometres later, the riders faced the Côte de Lezot climb before the final push towards Kerscoulic and the finish.

Under cloudy skies, with intermittent rain, the early breakaway was initiated by Sjoerd Bax (Pinarello Q36.5), and he was soon joined by Markus Hoelgaard (Uno-X Mobility) and Alexy Faure Prost (Picnic PostNL). The trio built up a gap of over three minutes in the first half of the race.

Alexy Faure Prost (Picnic-PostNL). Markus Hoelgaard (Uno-X Mobility) and Sjoerd Bax (Pinarello Q36.5) in the early breakaway (Image credit: Getty Images)

With 91 kilometres,, two riders, Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto-Intermarché) and Emil Herzog (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), bridged up, making it five off the front as the gap was down to 1:10 to the Alpecin-Premier Tech-led peloton.

The extra firepower increased the gap to 1:30, which was helped by a crash in the pack taking down a few riders with 86km to go.

Once the gap went down to under to one-minute mark with 63 km to go, Per Strand Hagenes (Visma-Lease a Bike) attacked as Decathlon CMA CGM was taking over the pacemaking on a climb.

The accelerations caused a momentary split in the pack, and reduced the gap, leading to three riders jumping across the 24-second gap, and a chase group formed as the riders sped towards the end of the medium loop.

Visma continued to attack off the front, with more splits and reshuffling at the front as another crash took down multiple riders, including Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quickstep) with 50 km to go. After trying to continue, the French star put his bike down and walked into an ambulance.

The reformed break included Bax, Faure Prost, Hoelgaard, Herzog, Quinten Hermans (Pinarello Q36.5), Liam Slock (Lotto-Intermarché) and Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis). Though Bax and Faure Prost would fall off the pace, leaving five riders off the front.

Crossing the finish line for the first time, seeing three laps to go, the six-rider break had 25 seconds on a first chase group with Tim Rex (Visma-Lease a Bike) and AJ August (Netcompany Ineos), and 41 seconds on the second chase, with the peloton further back after the crash.

Tim Rex (Visma-Lease a Bike) leads a chase group (Image credit: Getty Images)

The break still had 54 seconds on the 10-rider chase group that August tried to whittle down on the Ty Marrec climb and 1:24 on the peloton led by Alpecin-Premier Tech.

A lack of cooperation in the chase group slowed down their effort to catch the break, as NSN and EF Education-EasyPost put riders in the rotation in the peloton with 25km to go. Along with August and Rex, the chase group included Ewen Costiou (Groupama-FDJ United) and Robert Stannard (Bahrain Victorious).

With 22km to go, Visma’s Victor Campenaerts and Louis Barré attacked at the front of the peloton after they had caught the chase group, but though the accelerations stretched out the field, it all stayed together.

The breakaway of five of Slock, Herzog, Hoelgaard, Hermans, and Thomas had a 57-second gap as they started the third and final lap with 16.6km to go.

Attacks flew at the front of the peloton on a climb, with TotalEnergies’ Alexandre Delettre trying to launch Mathieu Burgaudeau, and Barré continuing his aggressive racing as the group formed and reformed.

Inside of six kilometres to go, the break was caught on a climb, as more riders tried to escape, causing another split at the front. With three kilometres to go, the selection had been made at the front.

Results

Pos	Rider	Time
1	Alex Aranburu Deva (Spa) Cofidis	05:21:13
2	Alexander Kamp (Den) Uno-X Mobility	0:0:04
3	Alessandro Borgo (Ita) Bahrain Victorious	0:0:10
4	Emil Herzog (Ger) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe	0:0:10
5	Jenno Berckmoes (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché	0:0:10
6	Paul Lapeira (Fra) Decathlon CMA CGM	0:0:10
7	Romain Gregoire (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United	0:0:10
8	Rick Pluimers (Ned) Tudor Pro Cycling	0:0:10
9	Alexandre Delettre (Fra) Totalenergies	0:0:10
10	Andrea Vendrame (Ita) Jayco-AlUla	0:0:10
11	Dylan Teuns (Bel) Cofidis	0:0:13
12	Benoit Cosnefroy (Fra) UAE Team Emirates-XRG	0:0:15
13	Lewis Askey (GBr) NSN Cycling Team	0:0:15
14	Noah Hobbs (GBr) EF Education-EasyPost	0:0:21
15	Lukáš Kubiš (Svk) Unibet Rose Rockets	0:0:21
16	Jon Barrenetxea Golzarri (Spa) Movistar Team	0:0:21
17	Michael Matthews (Aus) Jayco-AlUla	0:0:21
18	Milan Fretin (Bel) Cofidis	0:0:21
19	Hugo Page (Fra) Cofidis	0:0:21
20	Pavel Bittner (Cze) Picnic PostNL	0:0:21
21	Matyáš Kopecký (Cze) Unibet Rose Rockets	0:0:21
22	Edward Theuns (Bel) Lidl-Trek	0:0:21
23	Noa Isidore (Fra) Decathlon CMA CGM	0:0:21
24	Roger Adria Oliveras (Spa) Movistar Team	0:0:21
25	Rasmus Pedersen (Den) Decathlon CMA CGM	0:0:21
26	Edoardo Zambanini (Ita) Bahrain Victorious	0:0:21
27	Mick van Dijke (Ned) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe	0:0:21
28	Igor Arrieta Lizarraga (Spa) UAE Team Emirates-XRG	0:0:21
29	Alec Segaert (Bel) Bahrain Victorious	0:0:21
30	Thibaud Gruel (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United	0:0:21
31	Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep	0:0:21
32	Thomas Bonnet (Fra) Totalenergies	0:0:21
33	Louis Barre (Fra) Visma-Lease a Bike	0:0:21
34	Nicolya Vinokurov (Kaz) XDS Astana	0:0:21
35	Abram Stockman (Bel) Unibet Rose Rockets	0:0:21
36	Nicola Conci (Ita) XDS Astana	0:0:21
37	Andrea Raccagni Noviero (Ita) Soudal-QuickStep	0:0:21
38	Jake Stewart (GBr) NSN Cycling Team	0:0:21
39	Joris Delbove (Fra) Totalenergies	0:0:21
40	Anthon Charmig (Den) Uno-X Mobility	0:0:21
41	Marijn van den Berg (Ned) EF Education-EasyPost	0:0:21
42	Lander Loockx (Bel) Unibet Rose Rockets	0:0:21
43	Natnael Tesfatsion (Eri) Movistar Team	0:0:21
44	Iker Mintegi Claver (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi	0:0:21
45	Clément Braz Afonso (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United	0:0:21
46	Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech	0:0:21
47	Artem Shmidt (USA) Netcompany Ineos	0:0:21
48	Simone Velasco (Ita) XDS Astana	0:0:21
49	Haimar Etxeberria Ansalas (Spa) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe	0:0:21
50	Aime de Gendt (Bel) Pinarello-Q36.5	0:0:21
51	Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Cofidis	0:0:21
52	Florian Senechal (Fra) Alpecin-Premier Tech	0:0:21
53	Matteo Vercher (Fra) Totalenergies	0:0:21
54	Diego Ulissi (Ita) XDS Astana	0:0:21
55	Alberto Bettiol (Ita) XDS Astana	0:0:21
56	Clément Champoussin (Fra) XDS Astana	0:0:21
57	António Tomas Morgado (Por) UAE Team Emirates-XRG	0:0:21
58	Maxim van Gils (Bel) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe	0:0:21
59	Hartthijs de Vries (Ned) Unibet Rose Rockets	0:0:21
60	Mathieu Burgaudeau (Fra) Totalenergies	0:0:21
61	Sam Oomen (Ned) Lidl-Trek	0:0:21
62	Jan Christen (Swi) UAE Team Emirates-XRG	0:0:21
63	Per Strand Hagenes (Nor) Visma-Lease a Bike	0:0:21
64	Daniel Felipe Martinez Poveda (Col) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe	0:0:21
65	Andrew August (USA) Netcompany Ineos	0:0:21
66	Marc Hirschi (Swi) Tudor Pro Cycling	0:0:21
67	Markus Hoelgaard (Nor) Uno-X Mobility	0:0:26
68	Anders Skaarseth (Nor) Uno-X Mobility	0:0:26
69	Menno Huising (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike	0:0:26
70	Andrea Bagioli (Ita) Lidl-Trek	0:0:26
71	Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Lidl-Trek	0:0:26
72	Marco Frigo (Ita) NSN Cycling Team	0:0:26
73	Bauke Mollema (Ned) Lidl-Trek	0:0:26
74	Frits Biesterbos (Ned) Picnic PostNL	0:0:26
75	Tomas Kopecký (Cze) Unibet Rose Rockets	0:0:26
76	Pepijn Reinderink (Ned) Soudal-QuickStep	0:0:26
77	Mathias Vacek (Cze) Lidl-Trek	0:0:26
78	Warren Barguil (Fra) Picnic PostNL	0:0:36
79	Georg Zimmermann (Ger) Lotto-Intermarché	0:0:36
80	Lorenzo Germani (Ita) Groupama-FDJ United	0:0:36
81	Louis Vervaeke (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep	0:0:36
82	Quinten Hermans (Bel) Pinarello-Q36.5	0:0:38
83	Antoine L'Hote (Fra) Decathlon CMA CGM	0:0:38
84	Brent van Moer (Bel) Pinarello-Q36.5	0:0:44
85	Laurence Pithie (NZl) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe	0:0:50
86	Tim van Dijke (Ned) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe	0:0:50
87	Loe van Belle (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike	0:01:27
88	Mathys Rondel (Fra) Tudor Pro Cycling	0:01:27
89	Brandon Smith Rivera Vargas (Col) Netcompany Ineos	0:01:27
90	Kévin Geniets (Lux) Groupama-FDJ United	0:02:06
91	Quentin Pacher (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United	0:02:06
92	Ewen Costiou (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United	0:02:06
93	Pierre Thierry (Fra) Totalenergies	0:02:06
94	Matys Grisel (Fra) Lotto-Intermarché	0:02:06
95	Laurens de Plus (Bel) Netcompany Ineos	0:02:06
96	Tim Rex (Bel) Visma-Lease a Bike	0:02:06
97	Alex Baudin (Fra) EF Education-EasyPost	0:02:06
98	Mathis le Berre (Fra) Totalenergies	0:02:06
99	Edoardo Zamperini (Ita) Cofidis	0:02:06
100	Matej Mohoric (Slo) Bahrain Victorious	0:02:42
101	Davide Ballerini (Ita) XDS Astana	0:03:04
102	Marco Haller (Aut) Tudor Pro Cycling	0:03:14
103	Fabio Christen (Swi) Pinarello-Q36.5	0:03:14
104	Ion Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Cofidis	0:03:16
105	Jonathan Lastra Martinez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi	0:03:23
106	Jonas Abrahamsen (Nor) Uno-X Mobility	0:03:25
107	Michel Heßmann (Ger) Movistar Team	0:03:25
108	Maximilian Richard Walscheid (Ger) Lidl-Trek	0:03:25
109	Pierre Gautherat (Fra) Decathlon CMA CGM	0:03:25
110	Liam Slock (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché	0:03:41
111	Robert Stannard (Aus) Bahrain Victorious	0:05:36
112	Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Visma-Lease a Bike	0:05:39
113	Felix Grossschartner (Aut) UAE Team Emirates-XRG	0:06:21
114	Tibor Del Grosso (Ned) Alpecin-Premier Tech	0:06:21
115	Sjoerd Bax (Ned) Pinarello-Q36.5	0:06:24
116	Nadav Raisberg (Isr) NSN Cycling Team	0:06:24
117	Xabier Berasategi Garmendia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi	0:06:24
118	Julius van den Berg (Ned) Picnic PostNL	0:06:24
119	Dries van Gestel (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep	0:06:24
120	Guillaume Boivin (Can) NSN Cycling Team	0:06:24
121	Jonas Geens (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech	0:06:24
122	Henri Uhlig (Ger) Alpecin-Premier Tech	0:06:24
123	Frank van den Broek (Ned) Picnic PostNL	0:06:24
124	Gotzon Martin Sanz (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi	0:06:24
125	Tobias Svendsen Foss (Nor) Netcompany Ineos	0:06:24
126	Matis Louvel (Fra) NSN Cycling Team	0:06:32
127	Pier-André Côté (Can) NSN Cycling Team	0:09:01
128	Oscar Rodriguez Garaicoechea (Spa) Netcompany Ineos	0:09:01
129	Dries de Bondt (Bel) Jayco-AlUla	0:09:45
130	Filip Maciejuk (Pol) Movistar Team	0:09:49
131	Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-EasyPost	0:09:49
132	Aaron Dockx (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech	0:09:49
133	Jacob Eriksson (Swe) Tudor Pro Cycling	0:09:49
134	Anders Halland Johannessen (Nor) Uno-X Mobility	0:09:49
135	Christopher Jensen (Den) Jayco-AlUla	0:09:49
136	Nickolas Zukowsky (Can) Pinarello-Q36.5	0:09:49
137	Luc Wirtgen (Lux) Tudor Pro Cycling	0:09:49
138	Baptiste Veistroffer (Fra) Lotto-Intermarché	0:12:17
139	Alexy Faure Prost (Fra) Picnic PostNL	0:17:13
DNF	Jasper de Buyst (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché
DNF	Sébastien Grignard (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché
DNF	Adria Pericas Capdevila (Spa) UAE Team Emirates-XRG
DNF	Filippo Fiorelli (Ita) Visma-Lease a Bike
DNF	Tord Gudmestad (Nor) Decathlon CMA CGM
DNF	Gianluca Pollefliet (Bel) Decathlon CMA CGM
DNF	Nikias Arndt (Ger) Bahrain Victorious
DNF	Kamil Gradek (Pol) Bahrain Victorious
DNF	Bob Jungels (Lux) Netcompany Ineos
DNF	Lennert Belmans (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech
DNF	Paul Magnier (Fra) Soudal-QuickStep
DNF	Yves Lampaert (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep
DNF	Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) Uno-X Mobility
DNF	Davide de Pretto (Ita) Jayco-AlUla
DNF	Mauro Schmid (Swi) Jayco-AlUla
DNF	Filippo Conca (Ita) Jayco-AlUla
DNF	Michael Valgren (Den) EF Education-EasyPost
DNF	Madis Mihkels (Est) EF Education-EasyPost
DNF	Samuele Battistella (Ita) EF Education-EasyPost
DNF	Ivan Garcia Cortina (Spa) Movistar Team
DNF	Manlio Moro (Ita) Movistar Team
DNF	James Knox (GBr) Picnic PostNL
DNF	Nicolo' Parisini (Ita) Pinarello-Q36.5
DNF	Petr Kelemen (Cze) Tudor Pro Cycling
DNF	Clement Venturini (Fra) Unibet Rose Rockets
DNF	Txomin Juaristi Arrieta (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF	Jokin Murguialday (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNF	Gari Ugarte Larrea (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
DNS	Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) UAE Team Emirates-XRG

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