Pointe du Raz Ladies Classic: Nina Berton swipes victory from breakaway duo on final 50 metres in Plouhinec

Nina Berton (EF Education-Oatly) rushed past a breakaway duo for her second victory of the season at Pointe du Raz Ladies Classic.

The Luxembourg time trial champion went long to blast her way from a chase group to catch and swoop past Paula Blasi (UAE Team L’IMAD) and Célia Gery (FDJ United-SUEZ), who went second and third, respectively.

Blasi and Gery were the final pair from a trio, that included Rosita Reijnhout (Visma-Lease a Bike), who rode at the front of the race for the final 20km, only losing the chance for victory in the final 50 metres to Berton.

Can the breakaway stay away?

The 129.5km Pro-level one-day race, part of the Coupe de France series, began in Ponte du Raz and was headed for the same finish line in Plouhinec from the day before. After a few false attacks, Megan Jastrab’s (UAE Team L’IMAD) acceleration worked 50km into the day’s effort, and she was followed by Amber Kraak (FDJ United-SUEZ). Sadnik (Visma-Lease a Bike) joined 2km later.

Fresh off a late move to join the breakaway on Saturday and finish sixth at the Finistère Ladies Classic, Kraak didn’t wait Sunday. The trio charged on to make the first pass of the finish line, with six more to go, with 1:52 over solo chaser Anouska Koster (Uno-X Mobility), who was trying to get more than 10 seconds she had on the peloton.

The high pace from two of the three intermediate sprints, packed 12km apart just before the finish circuit began, saw the peloton’s size reduced to under 50 of the 113 riders.

Each circuit was just short of 10km and included three sections of pave along the 4km climb with 4% gradient that led to the finish line. The trio held a steady gap on the next two laps.

With 28km to go, the gap began to collapse, now a peloton of close to 25 riders bearing down 25 seconds behind, EF Education-Oatly at the front.

The complexion of the race changed 5km later on the fifth full circuit, with the trio at the front replaced by an attacking duo of Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team L'IMAD) and Célia Gery (FDJ United-SUEZ). They were then joined by four more riders - Gery's teammate Eva Van Agt, Longo Borghini's teammate Paula Blasi and Visma pair Rosita Reijnhout and a rejuvenated Sadnik.

Crossing the finish line for the final two passes, just 18km to go, Gery, Blasi and Reijnhout struck out as a trio. The soon gained 40 seconds on a splintered peloton.

Through the finish line for a final pass on the pave sections and back to complete the circuit, Gery, Blasi and Reijnhout held a 25-second lead. Several small chase groups merged and a pack of 15 riders went on a locomotive-style charge to close down that time, EF Education-Oatly and Cofidis with two riders each and Ma Petite Entreprise with three. The teams for the leaders had riders in the group as well, including Visma-Lease a Bike with Saturday's sprint winner Sarah Van Dam.

Sensing the rush of chasers from behind, Gery was the first at the front to accelerate just before the final cobbles, kicking up the dust and saving a chance at a first victory in the French champion's jersey. Blasi was able to work her way across, but the chasers were close by, just six seconds behind.

The French Champion worked with Blasi on the final kilometre, but it wasn't enough to hold off the charge from behind.

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