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Tro Bro Leon 2023
Paul B, Henrik (Berkhamsted CC) and I rode this sportive 2 weeks ago.
Tro Bro Leon is a UCI Pro-series road race, and part of the French Cup, in Brittany, with sectors of farm tracks (Ribinoù) that have led to it being called the Breton Paris-Roubaix or the Hell of the West. All the French pro teams ride and many of the others too. Past winners include Christophe Laporte, Connor Swift and the aussies Mark Renshaw and Baden Cooke.
You can ride the sportive on Saturday and watch the pro's race it on Sunday. In fact the sportive is Saturday afternoon meaning you can even get the Friday over-night ferry from Portsmouth and get there in plenty of time. After the pro-race Sunday you could get an overnight ferry back but we stayed for a few days to ride the awesome roads and gravel tracks around the Brittany coast and inland forests.
For the sportive you can choose the road version (road and some gravel) or gravel (lots of Ribinoù/gravel) or the vintage. We took gravel bikes and went for the gravel version (80 km). The road version is 131 km. The pro's ride road bikes with a similar set-up to Paris-Roubaix. Most people riding the road version rode road bikes. The gravel version was mostly gravel/cx bikes.
The ride is nicely organised with timings such that everyone gets back to the start/finish area at a similar time with music, food (amazing sausage and frite baguettes...) and beer. The Bretons love their cycling and the atmosphere was very friendly.
It rained for our ride so the tracks were muddy but still hard packed and fast, with the occasional tricky corner. Didnt see a single crash or off though. The four star sector with 7 km to go was the one you always see on TV if you watch this race: Keradraon-Kerouartz. Up a woodland track, past a chateau then a tough left onto a steep muddy climb to a farmhouse. The winning move is often made here in the pro race.
Watching the pro race the next day was great - the weather had dried up and the sun was out. We saw an early dry section of Ribinoù before going to the finish where the riders come through 3 times on the finishing circuit. Theres a big screen and again a great buzz with food and drink. A junior crit entertained us before the pros arrived and Claudio Chiapucci gave out the prizes. The locals are desperate for a Breton to win this race (the last was 2008) so a huge cheer went up when Laurent Pichon attacked with 20 km to go but he couldnt hold on. He did finish 7th and as the highest placest Breton won a baby pig which was presented on the podium - not his first pig! Now its 4 pigs
We stayed on and found some great roads and gravel tracks over the next 2 days. Brittany has a great history in Franch cycling and like Cornwall is never flat - short sharp ascents and descents, stunning views, variable weather make it a challenging but hugely rewarding place to ride.
Can thoroughly recommend this trip. Hopefully the pictures will tell the story better than I can.
Tro Bro Leon is a UCI Pro-series road race, and part of the French Cup, in Brittany, with sectors of farm tracks (Ribinoù) that have led to it being called the Breton Paris-Roubaix or the Hell of the West. All the French pro teams ride and many of the others too. Past winners include Christophe Laporte, Connor Swift and the aussies Mark Renshaw and Baden Cooke.
You can ride the sportive on Saturday and watch the pro's race it on Sunday. In fact the sportive is Saturday afternoon meaning you can even get the Friday over-night ferry from Portsmouth and get there in plenty of time. After the pro-race Sunday you could get an overnight ferry back but we stayed for a few days to ride the awesome roads and gravel tracks around the Brittany coast and inland forests.
For the sportive you can choose the road version (road and some gravel) or gravel (lots of Ribinoù/gravel) or the vintage. We took gravel bikes and went for the gravel version (80 km). The road version is 131 km. The pro's ride road bikes with a similar set-up to Paris-Roubaix. Most people riding the road version rode road bikes. The gravel version was mostly gravel/cx bikes.
The ride is nicely organised with timings such that everyone gets back to the start/finish area at a similar time with music, food (amazing sausage and frite baguettes...) and beer. The Bretons love their cycling and the atmosphere was very friendly.
It rained for our ride so the tracks were muddy but still hard packed and fast, with the occasional tricky corner. Didnt see a single crash or off though. The four star sector with 7 km to go was the one you always see on TV if you watch this race: Keradraon-Kerouartz. Up a woodland track, past a chateau then a tough left onto a steep muddy climb to a farmhouse. The winning move is often made here in the pro race.
Watching the pro race the next day was great - the weather had dried up and the sun was out. We saw an early dry section of Ribinoù before going to the finish where the riders come through 3 times on the finishing circuit. Theres a big screen and again a great buzz with food and drink. A junior crit entertained us before the pros arrived and Claudio Chiapucci gave out the prizes. The locals are desperate for a Breton to win this race (the last was 2008) so a huge cheer went up when Laurent Pichon attacked with 20 km to go but he couldnt hold on. He did finish 7th and as the highest placest Breton won a baby pig which was presented on the podium - not his first pig! Now its 4 pigs
We stayed on and found some great roads and gravel tracks over the next 2 days. Brittany has a great history in Franch cycling and like Cornwall is never flat - short sharp ascents and descents, stunning views, variable weather make it a challenging but hugely rewarding place to ride.
Can thoroughly recommend this trip. Hopefully the pictures will tell the story better than I can.
Comments
Sportive Saturday 30th March
Pro race Sunday 31st
Look back at Martin L's account of riding it in 2015 for inspiration
Ronde Van V