CYCLING: Tour de Vendée 1.1 2025 (FRA)

France 11 Oct 2025 Class 1.1 - 1 day - Class 1

Cycling Fanatic 11/10/2025 3 minutes read

France 11 Oct 2025 Class 1.1 – 1 day – Class 1

The Tour de Vendée is a long-running, single-day professional road cycling race held in the Vendée department of the Pays de la Loire region of France. It serves as one of the major late-season classics on the French racing calendar.

Here is an overview of its history:

Founding and Early Years

Inception: The race was first held in 1972.
Founder: It was created by Maurice Martineau.
Amateur Status: The first several editions, from 1972 to 1979, were organized as an amateur event.
Professional Status: The race opened up to professional riders in 1980. The first professional winner was local hero Jean-René Bernaudeau, a prominent figure in French cycling who later founded the Vendée-based professional cycling team that is now TotalEnergies.

Evolution and Race Status

Timing and Location: The race has traditionally been held late in the season, typically in October, though it was previously held in May for a period. It is a one-day race that traditionally finishes in a circuit around the town of La Roche-sur-Yon.
Coupe de France: The Tour de Vendée is a consistent fixture in the Coupe de France de cyclisme sur route, a season-long competition for French one-day races.
UCI Status: On the international stage, the race has held various classifications on the UCI Europe Tour:
- From 2005 to 2009, it was a 1.1 classified event.
- In 2010, its status was upgraded to 1.HC (Hors Classe), recognizing its prestige. It has since returned to a 1.1 category.

Notable Winners

While the Tour de Vendée does not feature the same mountain climbs as the most famous Monuments, it is often a race that suits powerful sprinters and classics specialists.

Jaan Kirsipuu (EST): The Estonian sprinter is the record holder for the most victories, having won the race four times (1997, 1999, 2000, 2003).
Multiple Winners: Other riders with multiple victories include Christophe Laporte, Nacer Bouhanni, Koldo Fernández, and Mikel Gaztañaga, all of whom have won the race twice.
Thor Hushovd (NOR): The former World Champion and Classics specialist won the race in 2004.
Thomas Voeckler (FRA): The popular French rider, who is strongly associated with the Vendée region and Jean-René Bernaudeau’s cycling team, has also won the race (2010).