A quick preview look at Choralis GP Fourmies Feminine Classic 2024

Mathew Mitchell

Published on September 3, 2024
in Women's Cycling

The GP Fourmies is a part of the late-season French one-day races that help to bring the season to a close after the hectic stage racing section. Last year’s race was won by Marta Lach who had just ghosted off the front of the bunch with 3 laps to go. She was able to hold on to win by just 1 second over the chasing pack full of sprinting talent. Held over 120km last year, it has been elongated to over 140km for the 2023 race thanks to an increased number of laps. Behind Lach, Sofie van Rooijen led in the bunch ahead of Marthe Truyen and Fauve Bastianssen.

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The previous year saw a more formulaic sprint as the bunch largely stayed together. Home favourite Clara Copponi was victorious for FDJ-Suez-Futuroscope, this time ahead of Valentina Basilico and Maria Martins. Previous winners in other years include Pfeiffer Georgi in 2021 and Thi That Nguyen in 2019 in the first pre-Covid edition. The edition won by Georgi saw a group of 11 riders go 3 minutes clear of the chasing pack, ultimately deciding the race by a small margin when Georgi and Rachel Neylan attacked their breakaway companions. The first edition highlights the changes in the women’s peloton in the last 5 years. Nguyen was racing for Lotto-Soudal and followed over the line by Kaat Hannes of Jos Feron Lady Force, Pascale Jeuland (in one of her final career races) and Kelly Druyts, both of the now defunct of Doltcini-van Eyck Sport team.