Les Herbiers is nestled in the Vendée department of France and for one weekend each October the town is invaded by the World of Cycling as it hosts TTs for elite and junior, men and women along side a number of family rides and races it is festival of cycling.
This 20.8km time trial marks the traditional end of the European cycling season and is one of the most prestigious TTs on the racing calendar meaning time trial specialists are willing to extend their season by an extra few weeks to take part in this invitation only event.
The route heads out in an easterly direction from Les Herbiers before looping around the Vendée countryside through villages and hamlets and returning into town to finish just a few yards from the start ramp.
Whilst the stage profile below looks “lumpy” it’s deceptive as the relatively short course length accentuates the climbs which at best can be described as gently rolling.
Previous Podiums:
| Year | Position | Rider |
| 1987 | 1 | Jeannie Longo |
| 2 | Cécile Odin | |
| 3 | Roberta Bonanomi | |
| 1988 | 1 | Maria Canins |
| 2 | Cécile Odin | |
| 3 | Annie Rebiere | |
| 1989 | 1 | Maria Canins |
| 2 | Nathalie Six | |
| 3 | Fiona Madden | |
| 1990 | 1 | Astrid Shop |
| 2 | Fiona Madden | |
| 3 | Leontien van Moorsel | |
| 1991 | 1 | Nathalie Gendron |
| 2 | Astrid Shop | |
| 3 | Laurence Leboucher | |
| 1992 | 1 | Jeannie Longo |
| 2 | Barbara Erwin-Ganz | |
| 3 | Lucia Zberg | |
| 1993 | 1 | Roselyne Riou |
| 2 | Georginia Pechard | |
| 3 | Margareth Castel-Heurtaux | |
| 1994 | 1 | Marion Clignet |
| 2 | Roselyne Riou | |
| 3 | Chrystèle Richard | |
| 1995 | 1 | Jeannie Longo |
| 2 | Roselyne Riou | |
| 3 | Chrystèle Richard | |
| 1996 | 1 | Chrystèle Richard |
| 2 | Maryline Salvetat | |
| 3 | Françoise Le Prod’Homme | |
| 1997 | 1 | Zulfia Zabirova |
| 2 | Maryline Salvetat | |
| 3 | Roselyne Riou | |
| 1998 | 1 | Zulfia Zabirova |
| 2 | Géraldine Loewenguth | |
| 3 | Florence Marrens | |
| 1999 | 1 | Zulfia Zabirova |
| 2 | Géraldine Loewenguth | |
| 3 | Valentina Polhanova | |
| 2000 | 1 | Jeannie Longo |
| 2 | Géraldine Loewenguth | |
| 3 | Maryline Salvetat | |
| 2001 | 1 | Edwige Pitel |
| 2 | Blandine Camus | |
| 3 | Elodie Touffet | |
| 2002 | 1 | Zulfia Zabirova |
| 2 | Jeannie Longo | |
| 3 | Cathy Moncassin | |
| 2003 | 1 | Margaret Hemsley |
| 2 | Joane Somarriba | |
| 3 | Kathryn Watt | |
| 2004 | 1 | Edwige Pitel |
| 2 | Kathryn Watt | |
| 3 | Zulfia Zabirova | |
| 2005 | 1 | Edwige Pitel |
| 2 | Priska Doppmann | |
| 3 | Marina Jaunatre | |
| 2006 | 1 | Priska Doppmann |
| 2 | Zulfia Zabirova | |
| 3 | Marina Jaunatre | |
| 2007 | 1 | Suzanne Ljunskog |
| 2 | Bridie O’Donnell | |
| 3 | Priska Doppmann | |
| 2008 | 1 | Suzanne Ljunskog |
| 2 | Jeannie Longo | |
| 3 | Charlotte Becker | |
| 2009 | 1 | Jeannie Longo |
| 2 | Trine Schmidt | |
| 3 | Julia Shaw | |
| 2010 | 1 | Jeannie Longo |
| 2 | Amber Neben | |
| 3 | Edwige Pitel | |
| 2011 | 1 | Amber Neben |
| 2 | Kristin Armstrong | |
| 3 | Olga Zabelinskaia |
Prize Money and points available:
| Position | Prize Money (€) | UCI Points |
| 1st | 379 | 80 |
| 2nd | 326 | 56 |
| 3rd | 272 | 32 |
| 4th | 164 | 24 |
| 5th | 152 | 20 |
| 6th | 141 | 16 |
| 7th | 130 | 12 |
| 8th | 119 | 8 |
| 9th | 109 | 7 |
| 10th | 97 | 6 |
| 11th | 87 | 5 |
| 12th | 76 | 3 |
| 13th | 66 | |
| 14th | 53 | |
| 15th | 42 | |
| 16th | 28 | |
| 17th | 28 | |
| 18th | 28 | |
| 19th | 28 | |
| 20th | 28 | |
| 21st | 25 | |
| 22nd | 25 | |
| 23rd | 25 | |
| 24th | 25 | |
| 25th | 25 |
