2nd Classic Var (1.1) Le Luc › Fayence (154.9km)
Prelude
The French Classic Var, introduced in 2024, is now in its second edition and takes place in the Var department. It is classified as a category 1.1 race in the UCI Europe Tour. And even if it is a one-day race, it cannot be seen as entirely separated from the 57th Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var (2.1), which is organized by the same organization and starts one day later. Consequently, the peloton participating in the Classic Var is largely the same as that in the Tour des Alpes Maritimes.
In 2024, the victory in the first edition went to Lenny Martinez (Groupama FDJ), who outsmarted the Norwegian Tobias Halland Johannessen on the infamous Mont Faron. It was one of the most dramatic finales of the past cycling season, as the sympathetic Norwegian from Uno-X Mobility misjudged the location of the finish and was ultimately overtaken.
Unlike the first edition in 2024, the organization has given the course a completely new twist in 2025. The Mont Faron, which was the decisive factor in the finale last year, is no longer in this race. However, the same recipe remains, with a final climb ("Mur de Fayence") again promising spectacle, unless a rider solos to victory. The last time this version of the Mur de Fayence served as a finish location, Michael Woods emerged victorious, in Stage 2 of the 2021 Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var.
Parcours
The race starts in Le Luc- Circuit du Var, and finishes in Fayence. The race spans a distance of 167.5 km with a total altitude gain of 2007 meters, averaging 12 meters per km, so nothing too exuberant this year.
The terrain in the first half of the race isn’t demanding, and the first categorized climb, the Col de la Grange starts about halfway the race and is rather short, with a distance of just under 4km and an average gradient of 6%.
Although there are no truly serious challenges afterwards, the terrain remains quite undulating, especially in the last 30km before the finish. At 30km from the finish, riders face the second categorized KOM climb of the day, the Gorges du Blavet. This climb spans 2.3km with an average gradient of 4.8%. While not particularly difficult, it marks the beginning of a section where the road constantly goes up and down, winding through the typical landscape of the Var.
The final 30km are advantageous for potential breakaways, as riders can quickly disappear from the peloton's view on these winding stretches. With the constant ups and downs, this terrain is perfect for strong, aggressive riders to make their moves. While organizing a proper chase here is certainly possible, the terrain isn't ideal for it.
At 22km from the finish, there's another uncategorized climb that can serve as a solid springboard, spanning 1.3km with an average gradient of nearly 6%.
Finally, the main dish will be served on the finish climb situated in Fayence, known as the “Mur de Fayence”. Even though the road at the base of the climb is sufficiently wide, two consecutive corners must be navigated before the ascent truly starts, sparking probably a fierce battle for good positioning. The climb itself is 1300 meters long with an average gradient of 11.4%, making it a very tough uphill challenge. The toughest section lies in the second part of the climb, just after halfway, where gradients reach 16-18%. The final 300 meters are somewhat less steep.
Weather
Not too warm, with temperatures ranging between 10-13°C and mostly cloudy. There’s a very little chance we’ll see some raindrops, but it should mostly stay dry. The wind will be coming from the East mostly, and there will be speeds up to 20km/h. As the course winds mostly eastwards, most of the race the pack will face a headwind or a crosswind. The echelon risk is non-existent, according to MyRacewind
Tactics
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale and EF Education Easy Post have both assembled an impressive squad, featuring a couple of strong finishers on uphill climbs. Groupama FDJ did have great optics as well, but with Gaudu crashing today, their team seems a bit decapitated, and it’s likely we see them switch from a more defensive tactic to a more offensive one. The biggest favorites are nevertheless with Bahrain Victorious, who have the recent Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana winner and top favorite for this race, Santiago Buitrago, but also local rider Lenny Martinez, who won last year’s edition.
The final 30 kilometers are likely to witness a flurry of attacks, with the Gorges du Blavet providing the first opportunity to push hard. The undulating and winding stretch leading to the finish is perfect for aggressive riding. However, the top favorites will probably conserve their energy here, leaving it as a chance for second-tier contenders who know they will be slaughtered on the final steep climb in Fayence by the top favorites. I expect a team like XDS Astana to race aggressively, given their strategic depth, and teams like Cofidis, Van Rysel Roubaix, and Unibet Tietame Rockets might be keen to adopt a similar aggressive strategy.
The wind on the final 33 km stretch isn't particularly favorable for those going on the attack, though. Even if the vegetation and trees along much of the route might provide some shelter. With wind speeds reaching up to 20km/h, the wind will certainly be noticeable.
The most likely scenario is that a fairly large group of riders will arrive in Fayence, leading to a showdown among the best wall climbers in the race, as most teams with favorites believe they have a chance. I expect teams like Bahrain Victorious and EF Education-EasyPost to set a fast pace in the first part of the climb. With the gradients not being too steep there, the pace will likely be fast enough to dissuade attacks. Even though it’s only a 3-minute effort, the steeper second part of the climb is so challenging that the favorites are likely to hold off on their decisive attack until the last 500 meters, where the gradients are at their steepest. The spot where Michael Woods attacked in 2021 seems to me like the place where it will happen again this year.The finish is a bit further this year than in the 2021 edition though, and in the final 300 meters, there are two 180° corners, which will make it hard for riders to overcome others.
[edit: it was brought to my attention by eagle eye Eritropoetina that the finish is basically the same as the one used in the 2021 edition. My GPX file from LaFlammeRouge, downloaded on Wednesday, did put the finish a bit further, but a new update version shows the finish being at the same spot as in 2021. The above screenshot of the Mur de Fayence has also been updated]
Main Favorites
Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) ✨✨✨✨ Santiago was hors catégorie in the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, where he topped off his excellent performance with a first GC victory. He’ll be difficult to beat in case of a final showdown between the biggest favorites here and he’ll be the nr.1 leader for Bahrain Victorious in this race.
Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa - B&B Hotels) ✨✨✨✨ Kévin Vauquelin has shown great form recently, winning an amputated version of Etoile de Bessèges, and he looks ready to continue in the same vein. His victory on Mt. Boucquet underscored his current level of form. After his 2nd place on the Mur de Huy in last year’s edition of La Flèche Wallone, he won’t need to fear many on a finish like this one.
Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana Team) ✨✨✨ Excellent start of the season for Christian and XDS Astana, which currently is standing second in the UCI points team ranking. Scaroni showed last Saturday in Murcia that he has one of the hardest accelerations uphill. XDS Astana being so strong, I expect them to race aggressively here.
Lenny Martinez (Bahrain - Victorious) ✨✨✨ Lenny Martinez, the winner of the first edition in 2024, is back to defend his title. His first races of the season were good, but not excellent. I must admit that I had expected a bit more from him in Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana. He is surely motivated here though, as this is not far where he hails from. He’s among the fastest finishers uphill, but there’s also Santiago in his team, something the team also seems to recognise.
Richard Carapaz (EF Education Easy Post)✨✨ Richard did participate in the Etoile de Bessèges, but he didn't make a significant impact. It seems he might not be at his peak performance level for this race either. However, given his abilities, he's always someone to watch out for on a steep final climb like this. And with Archie Ryan and Alex Baudin, EF has some other cards to play as well.
Jarno Widar (Lotto) ✨✨ This will be an excellent test for the prodigy kid from Lotto. The run in to the Fayence wall might become quite a hectic one, and this will be a good test for Jarno, as this hasn’t been his forte so far. He excels on steep wall climbs, as his KOM on the infamous La Redoute climb (from Liège Bastogne Liège) underscores. He’s got a fast acceleration, but now he’ll be competing against some of the best wall climbers of the moment. If he can position himself well, I can see him end in the T5.
Victor Lafay (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) ✨✨ Victor is kind of an enigma again. He should have started in the Etoile de Bessèges and the GP Marseillaise, but didn’t, so this will be his first race of the season, after ending 2024 on a pretty good note. I have no clue how his current shape is, but the fact that he didn’t start in the two aforementioned races makes me a bit hesitant about his chances here. That said, he’s got such an acceleration on climbs like this one if he’s in shape, so I do take into account a good result for him.
Jefferson Alexander Cepeda (EF Education Easy Post) ✨✨ Another lightweight climber who should be able to finish in the Top 10 on a climb like this one. He ended 2nd this season in the Colombian nationals, behind Jhonathan Narvaez, and he was in the Tour the Provence last week, ended 19th in GC. I think he’ll be ready to play a role here.
Alex Baudin (EF Education Easy Post) ✨✨ This will be his first race of the 2025 season, so it’s difficult to gauge his current form. But as a super-light and talented climber, he must be able to finish well on a steep climb like this one. This being his first race for EF, on French soil even, I am sure he’ll be motivated.
Riley Sheehan (Israel Premier Tech) ✨✨ His fourth place in the incredibly hard 4th stage in the Volta a la Communitat Valenciana tells you everything you need to know about his current shape. In the Baloise Belgium Tour last year, he ended 4th on the Mur de Durby, and I would not be surprised to see him end in the top 10 here. He’s not among the lightest climbers here, so that will slightly play against him on such a wall finish.
Paul Lapeira (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) ✨✨ Paul used the Tour Down Under as a preparation for the season, but he’ll slowly surely become more competitive, and he’s a great finisher on a steep finish.
Keep an eye on:
✨Pierre Gautherat (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team), Dorian Godon (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team), Simone Velasco (XDS Astana Team), Clément Champoussin (XDS Astana Team), Daniel Arnes (Roubaix Van Rysel), Guillaume Martin (Groupama - FDJ), Henri Vandenabeele (Lotto), Louis Barré (Intermarché - Wanty), Luca Van Boven (Intermarché - Wanty), Kevin Geniets (Groupama - FDJ), Jordan Jegat (Team TotalEnergies), Joseph Blackmore (Israel Premier Tech)
Outcome
A win for Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious), with Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana Team) 2nd and Kévin Vauquelin (Arkea B&B Hotels) 3d
XDS stacked lol.
Attacks by champoussin?
How does he climb tbh?