Filippo Fiorelli has won the 43rd edition of Tro-Bro Léon. The day after Benoît Cosnefroy's punchy victory in the GP Morbihan, virtually the same field was sent out on Sunday over the unpaved roads around Lannilis. After more than 202 kilometres, Fiorelli raised his arms for Visma | Lease a Bike — the result of a perfectly timed late attack.
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Tro-Bro Léon 2026 featured 29 unpaved sections totalling 34 kilometres of gravel tracks and cobbled roads — the famous ribines of Brittany — which put the peloton under pressure from early on. The Breton race was once again no place for a conventional bunch sprint; this was a day for the attackers.
That much was evident as a well-thinned peloton entered the finale. Attacks from Axel Zingle (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Fred Wright (Pinarello-Q36.5), among others, forced constant responses and kept the racing frantic.
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Nobody could properly control. Heading towards Lannilis, a select group formed, containing several strong Classics-style riders — though their lead over the chasing peloton stayed slim for a long time.
Fiorelli picks the perfect moment for the decisive attack
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In the closing stages, Fiorelli proved to have the best legs and the best timing. The Italian, who moved to Visma | Lease a Bike from Bardiani during the winter, bided his time long enough to strike at the decisive moment.
While the French and British contenders were watching each other closely in the finale, Fiorelli made the most of how the race had unfolded. It was without doubt the biggest win of his career — his only previous victory had been a stage at the Sibiu Cycling Tour in 2022.
Behind Fiorelli, the race left its typical chaotic impression. Crashes, punctures and mechanicals coloured the day, while the constant succession of ribines repeatedly fragmented the peloton.
For Visma | Lease a Bike, the victory was a handsome reward after Saturday had brought only a sixth place for Zingle.
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.