Les Copains: La Classique and how to prepare
- Distance
- 124 km
- Climbing
- 3,279 m
- Highest point
- 1,401 m
- Categorised climbs
- 13 · up to 16 %
- Shape
- Point to point
Measured on the course you ride in Cycloscape. The organiser's own figures are below.
Elevation profile
494–1,401 m · 13 categorised climbsThe 6 biggest of 13 categorised climbs, in the order you ride them.
Les Copains is a cycling festival of several days in the Livradois-Forez, in Auvergne, based in Ambert; La Classique is its one-day cyclosportive. The 38th edition ran from 1 to 4 July 2026, with La Classique on 4 July over four routes: 121 km with 3,160 m of climbing, 114 km with 2,130 m, 87 km with 1,730 m and 51 km with 1,070 m. Since 2025 it finishes at the top of the Col de Chougoirand. The 2027 date has not been announced yet.
La Classique Les Copains at a glance
- Where
- Ambert, Auvergne, France
- Official website
- cyclolescopains.fr ↗
- Next edition
- Date to be confirmed by the organiser
- Routes
- 121 km: 121 km, 3,160 m climbing · 114 km: 114 km, 2,130 m climbing · 87 km: 87 km, 1,730 m climbing · 51 km: 51 km, 1,070 m climbing
- Terrain
- Mountain — long climbs
- Facts checked
- 4 November 2026, against the sources below
Full preparation and course training require Event Coach Pro.
Ride the real course on your trainer. The route of La Classique Les Copains, 124 km, as a 3D world, with your trainer following its gradients — any day, and as part of your Event Coach plan. Part of Cycloscape Pro.
The routes
La Classique Les Copains offers 4 routes.
| Route | Distance | Climbing |
|---|---|---|
| 121 km (2026) | 121 km | 3,160 m |
| 114 km (2026) | 114 km | 2,130 m |
| 87 km (2026) | 87 km | 1,730 m |
| 51 km (2026) | 51 km | 1,070 m |
What the course asks of you
The Forez and Livradois mountains rise on either side of Ambert: long, wooded climbs to high pastures above 1,000 m, steep in places, and a finish on the Col de Chougoirand.
More than 25 m of climbing per kilometre on the longest route: climb steadily from the start and save something for the final col.
How to prepare
The general shape of a good preparation, which Event Coach turns into a plan for your fitness, time and date:
- Train long climbs: steady efforts of 30 to 60 minutes just below your threshold match the cols of La Classique Les Copains far better than short intervals.
- Build the long day: rides of five to seven hours in the final two months, towards the 121 km of the route you choose.
- Practise eating and drinking on a schedule, and descending: a mountain day is as much going down as going up.
Pacing mistakes to avoid
The mistakes that cost riders the most on a day like this:
- Treating the first climb of La Classique Les Copains as a race: a long col ridden above the pace you can hold for hours costs you the rest of the day.
- Saving nothing for the last climb, where the most kilometres are already in your legs.
- Skipping food on the descents: the next climb starts with what you ate on the way down.
Prepare La Classique Les Copains with Cycloscape
Tell Event Coach you are doing La Classique Les Copains, your route and what you want from the day, and it builds your preparation: structured workouts held by your trainer in ERG, Race Pacing for how to spend your effort, and Performance Lab to see whether the work is landing. Full preparation and course training require Event Coach Pro.
Frequently asked
When is La Classique Les Copains?
The organiser has not announced the next edition's date yet. Event Coach lets you set your own target date until it does.
How long are the routes of La Classique Les Copains?
121 km: 121 km with 3,160 m of climbing; 114 km: 114 km with 2,130 m of climbing; 87 km: 87 km with 1,730 m of climbing; 51 km: 51 km with 1,070 m of climbing. The 2026 routes as listed by Festival en France.
How many riders take part?
About 3,000 riders in 2025.
Can I ride the course of La Classique Les Copains in Cycloscape?
Yes, inside Event Coach with Cycloscape Pro: once you start your preparation, the course is ridden on your trainer as part of the plan.