Description
October 4, 2026
53rd Tour de Vendée 2026 🇫🇷 (1.1) ME – Saint-Jean-d’Hermine – Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie : 198,2 km
Tour de Vendée is a UCI 1.1 one-day road race through the gently rolling countryside of western France,
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October 4, 2026
53rd Tour de Vendée 2026 🇫🇷 (1.1) ME – Saint-Jean-d’Hermine – Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie : 198,2 km
Tour de Vendée is a UCI 1.1 one-day road race through the gently rolling countryside of western France, combining open agricultural roads, narrow rural lanes, short climbs and fast connecting sections. The course typically covers around 190–200 km, with modest elevation gain spread across numerous small rises rather than any sustained mountain ascent. Most climbs are short, generally featuring gradients of 3–7%, with occasional sharper ramps creating brief accelerations and changes of rhythm. Open farmland and exposed roads can make crosswinds an important factor, while narrow passages, roundabouts and frequent changes in direction demand careful positioning. The race can begin with early breakaway attempts before the peloton settles into a controlled pursuit, with repeated attacks developing as the distance accumulates. Wind and short climbs may split the field into smaller groups before flatter sections allow regrouping. As the finish approaches, the pace usually increases and positioning becomes critical. The finale can produce a bunch sprint, reduced-group sprint or late breakaway.
Alexis Renard sprinted to victory in the Tour de Vendée, doubling up on wins this week for Cofidis this weekend after his teammate Jenthe Biermans won Cholet Agglo Tour on Saturday. It was the first professional victory for the 27-year-old Frenchman who typically is a lead-out man for Bryan Coquard.
After the final breakaway was caught inside of seven kilometres to go, teams jostled for position on two laps of the 3km finishing circuit featuring three main corners, and peppered with road furniture in between, with Cofidis making a big push to come together as a team before the final decisive corner.
Xabier Berasategi (Euskatel-Euskadi) took second and Giovanni Lonardi (Polti VisitMalta) was third in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie.
“I was leading Bryan out again today, but I came past him a bit too quickly in the finale; when I launched, or rather, when I intended to launch him, I saw the 200m sign and thought, ‘Right, this should work’,” Renard said.
“I was strong yesterday, too. I broke my derailleur but managed to get back to the peloton from a long way back. So, we had high ambitions this weekend for the team and Bryan, and that I’m the one who won today is just incredible. It’s my first professional victory, something I’m really going to savour.”
Renard and his teammate Paul Ourselin has made their way into an early 18-rider breakaway that escaped after some 50 kilometres of racing.
“Honestly, I thought it [the break] was going to go to the end, but TotalEnergies wasn’t rolling so it’s a bit disorganised. In the end, we tried to re-mobilise with Jenthe and Bryan to try to lead him out. Finally I managed to get the victory, so it stays in the team and that’s always good.”
Clément Venturini (Unibet Rose Rockets) secured the FDJ United Series title for the second consecutive year, finishing 15th in the 13th and final races of the season. The series was formerly known as the Coupe de France.
Starting in Saint-Jean-d’Hermine, the 198.2km course passed through several villages before reaching a landmark of Vendée cycling: Chantonnay and its famous “Côte du Gîte” climb, which has played a pivotal role in several French National Championships. The peloton then headed west to the seaside resort of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, a first-time coastal finish for the Tour de Vendée. The finale was contested over two large 10km laps, followed by three shorter 3km laps.
A number of large groups tried to get away in the early kilometres, but a split in the bunch finally allowed a huge break to form, with 18 riders, including Renard, quickly building a lead of more than a minute, with 50km ridden.
The gap hovered around the one-minute mark for the large group before they were reeled in after spending 87 kilometres off the front. Two riders, Léandre Huck (Van Rysel Roubaix) and Enzo Paleni (Groupama-FDJ United), countered and pulled away only to be reeled in after the first small lap.
The two French WorldTour teams, Decathlon CMA CGM and Groupama-FDJ United, put riders at the front, but it was hard to control the pace in the criterium-style finale.
Results :
 ME </strong> - Saint-Jean-d'Hermine - Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie : 198,2 km
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Tour de Vendée is a UCI 1.1 one-day road race through the gently rolling countryside of western France, combining open agricultural roads, narrow rural lanes, short climbs and fast connecting sections. The course typically covers around 190–200 km, with modest elevation gain spread across numerous small rises rather than any sustained mountain ascent. Most climbs are short, generally featuring gradients of 3–7%, with occasional sharper ramps creating brief accelerations and changes of rhythm. Open farmland and exposed roads can make crosswinds an important factor, while narrow passages, roundabouts and frequent changes in direction demand careful positioning. The race can begin with early breakaway attempts before the peloton settles into a controlled pursuit, with repeated attacks developing as the distance accumulates. Wind and short climbs may split the field into smaller groups before flatter sections allow regrouping. As the finish approaches, the pace usually increases and positioning becomes critical. The finale can produce a bunch sprint, reduced-group sprint or late breakaway.
Alexis Renard sprinted to victory in the Tour de Vendée, doubling up on wins this week for Cofidis this weekend after his teammate Jenthe Biermans won Cholet Agglo Tour on Saturday. It was the first professional victory for the 27-year-old Frenchman who typically is a lead-out man for Bryan Coquard.
After the final breakaway was caught inside of seven kilometres to go, teams jostled for position on two laps of the 3km finishing circuit featuring three main corners, and peppered with road furniture in between, with Cofidis making a big push to come together as a team before the final decisive corner.
Xabier Berasategi (Euskatel-Euskadi) took second and Giovanni Lonardi (Polti VisitMalta) was third in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie.
“I was leading Bryan out again today, but I came past him a bit too quickly in the finale; when I launched, or rather, when I intended to launch him, I saw the 200m sign and thought, ‘Right, this should work’,” Renard said.
“I was strong yesterday, too. I broke my derailleur but managed to get back to the peloton from a long way back. So, we had high ambitions this weekend for the team and Bryan, and that I’m the one who won today is just incredible. It’s my first professional victory, something I’m really going to savour.”
Renard and his teammate Paul Ourselin has made their way into an early 18-rider breakaway that escaped after some 50 kilometres of racing.
“Honestly, I thought it [the break] was going to go to the end, but TotalEnergies wasn't rolling so it's a bit disorganised. In the end, we tried to re-mobilise with Jenthe and Bryan to try to lead him out. Finally I managed to get the victory, so it stays in the team and that’s always good.”
Clément Venturini (Unibet Rose Rockets) secured the FDJ United Series title for the second consecutive year, finishing 15th in the 13th and final races of the season. The series was formerly known as the Coupe de France.
Starting in Saint-Jean-d’Hermine, the 198.2km course passed through several villages before reaching a landmark of Vendée cycling: Chantonnay and its famous "Côte du Gîte" climb, which has played a pivotal role in several French National Championships. The peloton then headed west to the seaside resort of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, a first-time coastal finish for the Tour de Vendée. The finale was contested over two large 10km laps, followed by three shorter 3km laps.
A number of large groups tried to get away in the early kilometres, but a split in the bunch finally allowed a huge break to form, with 18 riders, including Renard, quickly building a lead of more than a minute, with 50km ridden.
The gap hovered around the one-minute mark for the large group before they were reeled in after spending 87 kilometres off the front. Two riders, Léandre Huck (Van Rysel Roubaix) and Enzo Paleni (Groupama-FDJ United), countered and pulled away only to be reeled in after the first small lap.
The two French WorldTour teams, Decathlon CMA CGM and Groupama-FDJ United, put riders at the front, but it was hard to control the pace in the criterium-style finale.
<strong>Results : </strong>
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