TNT Sports
Benoit Cosnefroy beats Julian Alaphilippe to take Bretagne Classic, Tadej Pogacar finishes well off the pace
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Published 29/08/2021 at 22:23 GMT+1
The hard day’s racing will have put sharpness into his legs, with Tadej Pogacar’s main aims for the remainder of the season being Paris-Boubaix and taking Alaphilippe’s world champion’s jersey. Alaphilippe will also be building up to the defence of his title which will take place in Flanders in in September.
'The best day of his professional career' Cosnefroy stuns Alaphilippe to win Bretagne Classic
Video credit: TNT Sports
Benoit Cosnefroy outsprinted his fellow Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe to win the Bretagne Classic-Ouest France, as Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar made a low-key return to racing.
World champion Alaphilippe split the race apart with a big dig 60 kilometres from the finish, and he continued to attack.
He had the support of his Deceuninck-Quickstep team-mate Mikel Honore in the closing stages, but he could not shake Cosnefroy who proved the stronger on the run to the line.
Pogacar was back in the saddle for the first time since the Olympics, and admitted on the eve of the race that he was not sure what to expect.
It looked like normal service as he followed the break of Alaphilippe up the Bosse Saoutarlarin - joining a group containing Honore and Cosnefroy.
However, the Slovenian was dropped shortly afterwards and eventually rolled over the line in 60th place - some six minutes behind Cosnefroy.
The hard day’s racing will have put sharpness into his legs, with Pogacar’s main aim for the remainder of the season being to take Alaphilippe’s world champion’s jersey.
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