Cholet-Pays de Loire (1.1), France

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The race:

Cholet-Pays de Loire is a single-day race held in Cholet in the Maine-et-Loire department. It is currently (2019) paired with the Classic Loire-Atlantique, the two races being held on a weekend late in March.

Cholet is a town of about 50,000 situated in north-western France, 50 kilometers southeast of Nantes.

The race has had several names:

• 1978–1987: Grand Prix de Mauléon-Moulins
• 1988–1989: Grand Prix de Cholet-Mauléon-Moulins
• 1990–2007: Grand Prix de Cholet – Pays de Loire
• 2008 - present: Grand Prix Cholet – Pays de Loire

With three consecutive victories (1997, 98, 99) Jaan Kirsipuu is the race's winningest rider.

GP Cholet-Pays de Loire was upgraded by the UCI to 1.1 in 2005 and is the third race of the Coup de France.

The 2017 edition was cancelled because of a conflict between the organizer and the mayor of Cholet. And, like so many races, the 2020 edition was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.