Omega Pharma-Quick Step has announced its eight-man line up for Sunday’s Grand Prix Ouest France-Plouay, to be held in the cycling-mad Breton village of Plouay, which hosted the 2000 World championships. The Belgian team will be fielding its two French riders in former national champion Sylvain Chavanel and Jérôme Pineau, who - although he was born in Normandy, lives in the area of the race - along with a number of breakaway specialists, but also Gerard Ciolek in case the race finishes in a sprint.
“The team is well equipped for this type of race,” explained Omega Pharma-Quick Step trainer and directeur sportif Tom Steels. “Chavanel loves this type of route and the young [Michal] Kwiatkowski was a major player last year.”
Although the race has alternated between breakaway victories and sprint finishes, the new 27km circuit - which will be completed nine times, making a total of 243km - appears tougher than in previous years; nevertheless, Steels is confident that Omega Pharma-Quick Step has every scenario covered.
“We also have riders who can get into the breaks, like [Matteo] Trentin, [Dries] Devenyns and [Jérôme] Pineau for example. Jérôme is enjoying a period of top form and is the homeboy for the race, since he lives only 150 kilometres from the route. In the case of a sprinting arrival we can count on the skills of Gerald Ciolek.
“I’m expecting our team to have a good race.”
Omega Pharma-Quick Step team for the GP Ouest France-Plouay
Sylvain Chavanel, Gerald Ciolek, Dries Devenyns, Michal Kwiatkowski, Nikolas Maes, Jérôme Pineau, Matteo Trentin and Julien Vermote