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2026 Classic Loire-Atlantique (1.2), France

25th edition: Saturday, March 28, 2026
Complete results

Classic Loire-Atlantique historic results | 2024 edition (race not run in 2025) | Course map | Start list

Nantes - Nantes, 160 km

The 2026 Classic Loire Atlantique podium, from left: Marcin Budzinski (2nd), Iuri Leitao (1st), & Mavric Beaune (3rd).

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Weather at the start/finish city of Nantes at 1:55 PM, local time: 13C (54F), mostly sunny, with the wind from the north at 27 km/hr (17 mph). There is a 7% chance of rain.

The race: Here's a machine-translation of the report from winner Iuri Leitao's Team Caja Rural-Seguros RGA.

Caja Rural-Seguros RGA controlled a very tense Classic Loire Atlantique, a race characterized by continuous changes of direction and short, steep climbs leading up to the anticipated sprint finish in Nantes. It was also a day in which the wind played a starring role right from the start.

A crosswind split midway through the race left a group of thirty riders at the front—a group that included all seven Caja Rural-Seguros RGA riders. Although this breakaway attempt ultimately proved unsuccessful, the team continued to position itself at the front of the pack right up until the race's conclusion.

In the final stages, Eduard Prades infiltrated a dangerous breakaway move that was caught just 100 meters from the finish line. With the sprint in full swing, Iúri Leitão unleashed his top speed to secure the team's first victory of the 2026 season. Since joining the "green squad" in 2022, the Portuguese rider has secured at least one victory every year, thereby establishing himself as a reliable asset for Caja Rural-Seguros RGA. Additionally, Prades finished in eighth place.

Iúri Leitão: "The Caja Rural-Seguros RGA team started with a clear strategy right from the gun, taking control of the race. There was a lot of nervousness in the peloton due to the wind and the course layout, and many teams tried to split the bunch. In the final stretch, Prades managed to get into a dangerous breakaway—a move that worked in our favor, as we had confidence in his sprinting ability. The rest of us teammates stayed well-positioned, and they were able to launch me into the sprint, allowing me to cap off the team's excellent work."

Complete Results:

160 kilometers raced at an average speed of 44.610 km/hr

Course map:

Start list with back numbers, March 27, 2027: