The 72nd edition of the Région Pays de la Loire Tour delivered emotions and uncertainty right until the very end. Promoted this year to .Pro status, the short French stage race was conquered by Antoine L'Hote (Decathlon CMA CGM) who, winning solo the concluding Brûlon-Le Mans stage of 179.5 kilometers, imposed himself in the standings with a margin of 12 seconds over former leader Alexander Kamp (Uno-X Mobility) and 18" over Corbin Strong (NSN Cycling Team), third in the overall classification also thanks to the time bonuses earned with second place on a day of racing where Martin Marcellusi (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber) established himself as the best Italian at the finish line, closing in eighth position.

THE RACE

Composed of Walter Calzoni (Pinarello-Q36.5), Manuel Peñalver (Team Polti VisitMalta), Ellande Larronde (Caja Rural - Seguros RGA), Romain Cardis (St Michel - Preference Home - Auber93), Alexander Konijn (Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur), Nolan Huysmans (Team Flanders – Baloise), Miguel Ángel Marín (EF Education – Aevolo) and the leader of the climbers' classification Kévin Avoine (Van Rysel Roubaix), the day's breakaway animated the stage until about fifty kilometers from the finish when, just before the second intermediate sprint (won by Bryan Coquard), the peloton neutralized it.

At this point, taking advantage of the slopes of the first climb at the short Gazonfier hill (the main climb of the concluding 9.3-kilometer circuit to be repeated 5 times), the main peloton went into selection mode, remaining with just under fifty riders. From these, during the second lap, Laurens Huys (Nice Métropole Côte d'Azur) attempted to escape, but the Belgian's move was exhausted after a short time due to the excellent control exercised by the Uno-X Mobility men protecting leader Alexander Kamp.

The Scandinavian team therefore continued their excellent domestique work, neutralizing with a Tobias Svarre in stopper mode the attack by Noa Isidore (Decathlon CMA CGM) and Nick Schultz (NSN Cycling Team), but then found themselves suddenly unprepared for the subsequent acceleration by the 3rd overall Antoine L'Hote (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) who, after being followed for a few kilometers by an exhausted Svarre and Sam Maisonobe (Cofidis), launched himself solo ahead at fifteen kilometers from the finish.

Seeing the yellow jersey virtually slip away, Kamp therefore produced a sharp acceleration on the final Gazonfier climb, then transformed his attack into a desperate chase in the company of Quinten Hermans (Pinarello-Q36.5), Clement Venturini (Unibet Rose Rockets) and Corbin Strong (NSN Cycling Team). Such effort, however, ultimately did not pay the expected dividends and, preserving a sufficient buffer of seconds, L'Hote was able to cross the finish line in Le Mans triumphantly where, three seconds later, Strong outsprinted the group of beaten riders, thus sealing the young Frenchman's overtaking in the standings.

The latter, also rising to the top of the best young rider classification, thus celebrated in one fell swoop his first and second career victories as a professional (the sixth if we also consider those achieved in Elite category .2 races) bringing his team's tally in this 2026 to 13.

The victory column for Martin Marcellusi as a professional unfortunately remains blank, but nonetheless, proving to be a protagonist of a gallant race and appearing multiple times in the thick of the action, with his eighth place on the stage he closed out the French trip as the best Italian, securing a fifth place in the overall classification that can be encouraging both for him and for Bardiani CSF 7 Saber.

STAGE RESULTS

1. Antoine L'Hote (FRA/Decathlon-CMA CGM) - 4:11:44

2. Corbin Strong (NZL/NSN Cycling) at 0:03

3. Clément Venturini (FRA/Unibet Rose Rockets) at 0:03

4. Alexander Kamp (DAN/Uno-X Mobility) at 0:03

5. Quinten Hermans (BEL/Pinarello-Q36.5) at 0:03

6. Noa Isidore (FRA/Decathlon-CMA CGM) at 0:14

7. David González (SPA/Pinarello-Q36.5) at 0:14

8. Martin Marcellusi (ITA/Bardiani-CSF-7Saber) at 0:14

9. Killian Théot (FRA/Van Rysel-Roubaix) at 0:14

10. Sergi Darder (SPA/Caja Rural-RGA) at 0:14

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION

1. Antoine L'Hote (FRA/Decathlon-CMA CGM) - 16:08:56

2. Alexander Kamp (DAN/Uno-X Mobility) at 0:12

3. Corbin Strong (NZL/NSN Cycling) at 0:18

4. Clément Venturini (FRA/Unibet Rose Rockets) at 0:25

5. Martin Marcellusi (ITA/Bardiani-CSF-7Saber) at 0:31

6. Killian Théot (FRA/Van Rysel-Roubaix) at 0:34

7. Lander Loockx (BEL/Unibet Rose Rockets) at 0:34

8. Gorka Sorarrain (SPA/Caja Rural-RGA) at 0:34

9. Axel van der Tuuk (NED/Euskaltel-Euskadi) at 0:34

10. Bryan Coquard (FRA/Cofidis) at 0:35

OTHER CLASSIFICATIONS

Points classification: Corbin Strong (NZL/NSN Cycling)

Mountains classification: Kévin Avoine (FRA/Van Rysel Roubaix)

Best young rider classification: Antoine L'Hote (FRA/Decathlon-CMA CGM)

Teams classification: Unibet Rose Rockets (FRA)