News – Page 34 – Cycling Canada Cyclisme

EXHAUSTED, SVEIN TUFT PULLS OUTS OF ROAD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Tuft will rest for last race of intense season

(Tuscany, ITA – September 23, 2013) Svein Tuft of Langley, BC has withdrawn from the individual time trial race at the 2013 UCI Road World Championships.

Tuft is physically and mentally exhausted from his heavy workload this season, he who competed at his first ever Tour de France.

“I’ve decided to pull myself from the Individual Time Trial scheduled for September 25. Ever since the Tour de France, I’ve found myself running on fumes and after Sunday’s effort for the Team Time Trial (TTT), I’ve spent everything out on the road. The specific training required for the TTT is of a very different nature and in being realistic with myself, I feel I’m not at the level that the physical and mental energy of an individual effort over an hour requires. I will head back home in Andorra and rest up for my final race of the year, Duo Normand with my team mate Luke Durbridge. I wish all the Canadians racing this next week all the best,” said Tuft.

Canada will not replace Tuft in the 57-km elite men time trial race.

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KINLEY GIBSON RIDES TO TOP 10 AT ROAD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Gibson posts ninth fastest time of individual time trials, Cataford takes 33rd place

(Tuscany, ITA – September 23, 2013) Kinley Gibson of Edmonton, AB rode to the ninth place in the junior women individual time trial at the 2013 UCI Road World Championships in Tuscany, Italy.

Gibson posted a time of 23:05.44, completing the 16.19km course 22.81 seconds after the winning time of 22:42.63 posted by French cyclist Severine Eraud.

“I came in looking for a top-10, so coming away having met my goal, I’m pretty happy. Heading into the road race, the TT was a good confidence booster. But it’s a very hilly road course, so we’ll see how it goes on the day,” said Gibson after the gruelling solo race.

In the men’s Espoir individual time trial race, Alexander Cataford of Ottawa, ON finished 33rd with a time of 53:55.

“I gave it my all. I was maybe hoping for a better result but it was good to be able to gauge myself. I have two more years in this category and now I know what I have to work towards,” reflected Cataford.

These World Championships continues tomorrow with the junior men and elite women individual time trial races. For more information, please visit: http://www.toscana2013.it/?lang=en

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RESULTS – INDIVIDUAL TIME TRIALS – 2013 UCI ROAD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Junior Women (16.19km)

1. ERAUD, Severine FRA 22:42.63

2. NICHOLLS, Alexandria AUS 22:45.32 +2.69

3. MANLY, Alexandra AUS 22:50.80 +8.17

==========

9. GIBSON, Kinley CAN 23:05.44 +22.81

 

Espoirs Men (43.46km)

1. HOWSON, Damien AUS 49:49.97

2. PAILLOT, Yoann FRA 50:47.08 +57.11

3. HANSEN, Lasse Norman DEN 51:00.10 +1:10.13

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33. CATAFORD, Alexander CAN 53:55.48 +4:05.51

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TUFT, MEIER AND PARISIEN TO REPRESENT CANADA AT ROAD WORLDS

Elite Men’s selection announced by Cycling Canada

(Ottawa, ON – September 18, 2013) Three riders will represent Canada in the elite men’s events at the 2013 Road World Championships in Italy, Cycling Canada announced today.

Svein Tuft of Langley, BC (Orica-GreenEDGE) will compete in the individual time trial. Tuft won silver in this event in 2008. Christian Meier of Langley, BC (Orica-GreenEDGE) and François Parisien of Bromont, QC (Argos-Shimano), will contest the road race.

Although Canada qualified for three riders for the men’s road race, Cycling Canada opted to send only two riders. Ryder Hesjedal, who finished third in the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal last Sunday, declined his selection and it was deemed that there were no other athletes available who would be competitive in this event.

“This event is an opportunity to showcase competitiveness and performance in favour of development,” said Cycling Canada High Performance Director Jacques Landry. “We have to field a competitive team for this prestigious and high-calibre event. In the elite category for road cycling, Canada will no longer use World Championships as a development tool as many other races serve that purpose.”

The 2013 Road World Championships begin on September 22 in Florence, Italy. The 57-km elite men’s time trial is on September 25 and the 268-km elite men’s road race is on September 29.

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TEAM CANADA – ELITE MEN – 2013 ROAD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

  • Svein TUFT (36 – Langley, BC) [Individual Time Trial]
  • Christian MEIER (28 – Langley, BC) [Road Race]
  • François PARISIEN (31 – Bromont, QC) [Road Race]
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PETER SAGAN WHEELIES TO VICTORY AT GRAND PRIX CYCLISTE DE MONTRÉAL

Ryder Hesjedal takes third place, returns to podium in Canada

(Montreal, QC – September 15, 2013) The Grand Prix cycliste de Montréal was held today in the downtown streets of Montreal, and over 100,000 people gathered along the course to witness some of the best stars of cycling contest the 205.7 km race.

The peloton of 164 cyclists travelled 17 times the urban circuit of 12,1 km, tackling the very difficult Côte Camillien-Houle climb, averaging 8% on 1.8 kilometers.

At the finish line, it’s Peter Sagan (Cannondale Pro Cycling), solo, who crossed the finish line doing his traditional wheelie in celebration of a job well done.

Ryder Hesjedal of Victoria, BC (Garmin-Sharp) ended his season a high note, taking the third place, just five second behind Sagan’s time, and one second behind the second place, Simone Ponzi (Astana Pro Team). Hesjedal has had successes in the past at these two World tour races, taking the third place at this very same race in 2010. The 2012 Giro d’Italia Champion secured his second podium performance of the season (Giro d’Italia, Stage 3, 3), his last appearance on the race schedule for 2013.

For the Canadian team, the objectives was to execute, and leaving everything on the road. And today, both these objectives were met. “We came out of Quebec with a little bit of disappointment. We were definitely hoping to be in the hunt there. We talked together as a team and we wanted to be a bit more on task,” said Team Canada director sportif Kevin Field.

“We didn’t want to miss the break today, and it was awesome to see Zach in the break for Team Canada and Garneau-Quebecor. The way the final ended today, it made for a really super hard Grand Prix of Montreal, most likely one of the hardest we have ever seen.”

Ryan Roth of Guelph, ON (Champion System Pro Cycling) was the top member of Team Canada who finished the race, taking the 79th rank. Ryan Anderson of Vancouver, BC, Antoine Duchesne of Québec, QC, and Nic Hamilton of Victoria, BC all followed shortly after to finish the race.

“We had our fingers crossed to see Antoine, Ryan and Nic be strong for that final. They did their best, and what they could. Ultimately, we have to be honest with ourselves that it is the World Tour, and when the World Tour goes off big, it’s difficult to have speed and depth for guys who are racing at the continental or pro-continental level. “

“Ryan has been riding really well this season, but definitely lacking the 200km of racing. And the same can be said for all the guys here. Great events and racing for everyone on the team, but when you are not doing the 200km races at that intensity, it’s always a little gamble to see how the guys would fare. We walk away from this race happy that they did their best, and realistic about the level they were competing in today.

Zach Bell (North Vancouver, BC/Watson Lake, Yukon), donning the special edition Canadian Champion jersey made by Louis Garneau Sports for these World Tour races, was in the main break that took off early, giving his teammates a well-deserved break in the peloton. Bell stayed within the main group for the majority of the race, before bowing to the public and stepping off the saddle.

“It was not too hard for the break to get establish. They rode hard for a lap or two. The group was pretty happy with the combination that was up there. Everybody worked well. The main group was coming back quickly, and I didn’t have anything left to go any faster.”

Bell was pleased with the outcome of these two events in Quebec and Montreal: “Just like all the races we are starting to have, it gives spectators an opportunity to get up close and personal with both the international stars of cycling and our own Canadian talent pool. They see we are capable, with guys in breaks and guys contesting for a finish. It’s good for the kids to understand that coming from this country, you can get to this level.”

VEILLEUX ENDS PROFESSIONAL CAREER

The race in Montreal marked the very last professional cycling race for David Veilleux of Cap Rouge, QC (Team EuropCar). Veilleux announced on Wednesday that these two races would be his last, and took the opportunity of these two races on home soil to thank the his fans and those who have supported him during all his short but successful career.

Notably, Veilleux wore this year the coveted Yellow jersey from the first to the fourth stage at the Criterium du Dauphiné, a stage race of the World Tour after an unanswered solo attack early in the race. He also became the first Quebec-born athlete to start and complete the gruelling Tour de France.

Veilleux won six Road Canadian Championship titles in the espoir category, including four straight time trial titles from 2006 to 2009 inclusively, as well as winning the criterium title in 2010. At the World Championships in Denmark in 2011, Veilleux impressed many with a solid 19th position.

Zach Bell was thankful for Veilleux’s contribution to the sport: “I intentionally waited for David at the finish line to shake his hand. Sport in Canada is losing one of its best ambassador. Rightfully so, he had an amazing career, in such a short time. I don’t think anybody can fault him to leave the sport when he has. It would have been nice to see him ride longer, but we all understand his motivation. Congratulations to him.

The next event for the road cyclists will be the 2013 UCI Road World Championships in Florence, Italy. Canada will announce its Elite Men selection on Tuesday.

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GESINK WINS GRAND PRIX CYCLISTE DE QUÉBEC

Ryder Hesjedal wins Top Canadian honours, edging Ryan Anderson at the finish line

(Quebec, QC – September 13, 2013) Robert Gesink (Belkin Pro Cycling) won the successful fourth edition of the Grand Prix cycliste de Québec, in front of tens of thousands people in the beautiful city of Québec.

Gesink outsprinted at the finish line Arthur Vichot (FDJ.fr) and Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team) after 4h58m of racing the 12.6 urban circuit. Peter Sagan (Cannondale Pro Cycling), one of the favorites entering the race, jumped the sprint very early and ran out of legs on the challenging uphill false flat one kilometre before the finish line.

The peloton of 164 cyclists from 21 teams escaped the threatening rain for the first 14 of 16 laps until the first drop fell on Québec, making it for a wet finish.

Canada’s Ryan Anderson of Vancouver, BC (Canadian National Team) was the top finisher among the Canadian team, finishing in 40th position, just one position after Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) who won the Best Canadian Jersey.

“It think it was a pretty interesting edition today. The early break went, but it didn’t last very long.  They started racing pretty hard with six laps to go, and it was really hard for the rest of the day. I didn’t quite have it at the end and we had a great team effort today,” said Anderson, who was the dedicated sprinter for Canada at the finish line.

“Each year it gets better and more pristine. I think it will continue to be a strong event. Each year it gets bigger, and becomes even more important to win. It’s a special event, and I am glad it’s in Canada.”

The riders will now transfer to Montreal tomorrow morning on Via Rail, arriving in Montreal train station at noon. The Grand Prix cycliste de Montréal will be held Sunday.

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SPRINT CHALLENGE KICKS OFF GRANDS PRIX CYCLISTES DE QUEBEC ET MONTRÉAL

Some of the World’s best cyclists converge to Quebec City.

(Quebec, QC – September 12, 2013) Bryan Coquard (France) of Team EuropCar won the Pro Sprint Challenge on the first day of racing at the 2013 Grands Prix cyclistes de Québec et de Montréal, coming like a rocket from behind with less than 25 meters to go to steal the win.

Coquard edged at the finish line Giacomo Nizzolo (Italy) of Team RadioShack Leopard and Moreno Hofland (Netherlands) of the Belkin Pro Cycling Team.

Zach Bell (Canada) of the Canadian National Team and Rémi Pelletier-Roy (Canada) of the Garneau-Quebecor cycling team both advanced to the semi-finals, and lost their respective duals.

For Zach Bell, the defending Champion of this event, the race was disappointed after his day on the bike was over, having won the first two rounds. “I was feeling pretty good after the first two rounds. It was a tactical error on my part. You can’t really fix it when it’s done. I’ll put this behind me moving forward,” admitted Bell, who normally rides for Champion System Pro Cycling team.

“I think I was in a gear much too small when the sprint started. Once they closed the door, a gear up would not have made a big difference. I think I should have been in a bigger gear, or jump harder. Had we all been in a drag race, I would have probably took that one,” said Zach Bell.

For Bell, this race felt unusual as he raced mostly in long distance races this year.

“The first two rides, I chose to ride with bigger gears, and using the strength I built up on the road. Old habits told me to stay in smaller gear… I wasn’t thinking about it really, and by the time I realized in which gear I was in, it was too late. I don’t have that quick leg speed jump anymore.”

A total of 24 riders took part in this event, with each of the 19 WorldTour teams offering one rider for this innovating event launched three years ago.

Five additional Canadians were part of the race: Guillaume Boivin for Cannondale Pro Cycling, Dominique Rollin of FDJ.fr, Hugo Houle with AG2R La Mondiale, as well as two other members from the Garneau-Quebecor cycling team: the Canadian Criterium Champion Pierrick Naud, as well as Geoffroy Dusseault as the Canadian Sprint Challenge winner.

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ZACH BELL TO DEFEND PRO SPRINT CHALLENGE TITLE IN QUEBEC CITY, LAUNCHES FUNDRAISER

Zach and Rebecca Bell launch Paxton’s Lights for Hope to raise funds

(Quebec, QC – September 11, 2013) Zach Bell, the reigning Canadian Road Champion, will race the 2013 Pro Sprint Challenge, for the Canadian National Team.

Bell won the Sprint event in 2012 while he was racing for Team SpiderTech powered by C10, against some of the top sprinters in the world. But Bell, who has focussed his training and racing on long distances since the Olympic Games, is unsure of what the outcome may be on Thursday.

“I can’t go into this race with too much expectations. I am a different athlete than I was last year. I am not sure how that will materialize in a short event like that. Last year, heading into this event, I was riding and training for track. This year, the shortest race I’ve won is 189km. I made the transition to old-man strength pretty quick. That being said, I think I still have some speed. Having the experience and knowing how to win that drag is gonna be useful. Hopefully I’ll be able to replicate results from last year.”

Sprinters from each UCI WorldTour team will tackle a one-kilometer course, starting and finishing on La Grande Allée at the Parc de la Francophonie. The event is a single elimination format, with the top two winners of each heat moving on to the next round until the big final, when a winner will be declared.

Seven additional Canadians will be part of the spectator-friendly event: Guillaume Boivin for Cannondale Pro Cycling, Dominique Rollin of FDJ.fr, Hugo Houle with AG2R La Mondiale, David Veilleux of Team Europcar, as well as three members from the Garneau-Quebecor cycling team: Remi Pelletier-Roy,  Canadian Criterium Champion Pierrick Naud, as well as Geoffroy Dusseault as the Canadian Sprint Challenge winner.

BELL LAUNCHES ‘PAXTON’S LIGHTS FOR HOPE’

While racing this weekend, Bell will have further motivation beyond purely results: the memory of his late son, Paxton. And to honour his life, he and his wife Rebecca are launching a special fundraising campaign.

Bell launched this week the “Paxton Lights for Hope” campaign. As a legacy to honor the memory of Paxton and all families who have experienced hope and loss of loved ones, Rebecca and Zach are launching the Paxton’s Lights of Hope campaign. An annual campaign to support BC Women’s Hospital’s Newborn ICU and to engage families who have been through a Newborn ICU or other challenging experience around the health of a loved one.

“I hope I can make this campaign a lasting legacy and success in honor of my son and to improve the outcomes for others in the future. After a fight that seemed to last an eternity, it was obvious he could not survive. Paxton passed quietly cradled in his mother’s arms. The perfect picture of an infant that never had the chance to show his true colours,” said Zach. “Even though our lives together were so short, Rebecca and I loved him and will continue to love him with all our hearts.”

Funds will be raised through the sale of Limited Edition Paxton’s Lights of Hope Candles from these websites: www.paxtonslights.com or www.bcwomensfoundation.org. Candles will be delivered to your family in time for your Thanksgiving gathering. These pure soy candles are made by Granville Island Candle Company just for the Campaign and each candle will burn for 50+ hours. Please order your candles by October 5th, 2013 in order to receive them by Thanksgiving.

As a united cycling community, let’s help Zach and Rebbeca by purchasing a candle and light in memory of all those newborns and babies who received assistance from BC Women’s Hospital — and especially those who passed from this world without the opportunity to grow old, make friends, and enjoy life.

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CYCLING CANADA ANNOUNCES TEAM HEADING TO THE 2013 ROAD CYCLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

A strong contingent to compete for Canada at upcoming Road Cycling World Championships

(Ottawa, ON – September 11, 2013) Cycling Canada is proud to announce the cyclists selected to compete for Canada at the upcoming 2013 UCI Road World Championships to be held in Toscana, Italy, from September 22 to 29, 2013.

The women’s elite field is headlined by Joelle Numainville of Optum p/b Kelly Benefits Strategies, the 2013 Canadian Road Champion in both the road race and time trial. Denise Ramsden of Optum p/b Kelly Benefits Strategies, who represented Canada at the 2012 Olympic Games alongside Numainville, will also be racing at World Championships. 2011 Canadian Champion Véronique Fortin of Pasta-Zara will also suit up for Canada, as well as Leah Kirchmann from Optum p/b Kelly Benefits Strategies, Karol-Ann Canuel from Vienne-Futuroscope and Lex Albrecht from Now of Novartis.

In the espoir (U23) men category, two-time reigning espoir Canadian Road Champion Antoine Duchesne of Bontrager Pro Cycling Team will represent Canada as the lone rider for Canada in the road race, Duchesne is fresh off a strong performance with the Canadian National Team at the Tour of Alberta, and will suit up in that same uniform for the upcoming Grand Prix cycliste de Québec et de Montréal. Current Canadian time trial champion, Alexander Cataford of Garneau-Quebecor cycling team, will take on the world in the time trial. Cataford is also enjoying a strong season, fresh off a stellar performance at the Tour of Alberta, finishing as the second best Canadian rider thanks to an astonishing solo effort in the third stage finishing in Drumheller.

In the junior category, four girls will be wearing the maple leaf with Kinley Gibson of Edmonton headlining the crew. In the men’s junior race, six boys will be heading over to Italy to race, notably Hendrick Pineda of Montreal, Jack Burke of Toronto and William Elliot of Barrie. Canada secured five starters for the men junior road race. Jack Burke will only race the time trial.

“We have a solid team in place for these World Championships, a team that has proven to be successful from the beginning of the season on roads all across the World,” said Jacques Landry, High Performance Director and Head Coach at Cycling Canada.

Both Joëlle Numainville and Karol-Ann Canuel are enjoying success close to the World championships, both winning a stage at the Tour de l’Ardèche in France. Earlier this season, Canuel took the fifth place at the World Cup race in Plouay. Lex Albrecht also won a medal at the Jeux de la Francophonie, in France, on the weekend.

Three coaches will be heading to Florence to manage these athletes, with Gord Fraser leading the men elite group, Denise Kelly managing the women elite and junior riders, while Luc Arseneau managing the junior and espoir men group.

The elite men selections will be announced at a later date.

The 2013 UCI Road World Championships will be broadcasted on television in Canada on SportsnetOne and live on the UCI YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/ucichannel. Check your local listings for more information on the television broadcast.

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CANADIAN DELEGATION – 2013 UCI ROAD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – Toscana, ITA

JUNIOR WOMEN

  • Kinley Gibson (18 – Edmonton, AB) [Individual Time Trial & Road Race]
  • Marie-Ève Poisson (18 – Trois-Rivières, QC) [Road Race]
  • Dafné Theroux-Izquierdo (17 – Ste-Thérèse, QC) [Road Race]
  • Tessa Pinckston (17 – Vancouver, BC) [Road Race]

JUNIOR MEN

  • Jack Burke (18 – Toronto, ON) [Individual Time Trial]
  • Adam Jamieson (17 – Barrie, ON) [Individual Time Trial & Road Race]
  • William Elliot (18 – Barrie, ON) [Road Race]
  • Hendrick Pineda (18 – Montreal, QC) [Road Race]
  • Félix Lapointe (16 – St-Lambert-de-Lauzon, QC) [Road Race]
  • Sean MacKinnon (17 – Hamilton, ON) [Road Race]

ESPOIRS MEN

  • Alex Cataford (20 – Ottawa, ON) [Individual Time Trial]
  • Antoine Duchesne (21 – Blainville, QC) [Road Race]

ELITE WOMEN

  • Joëlle Numanville (25 – Laval, QC) [Individual Time Trial & Road Race]
  • Denise Ramsden (22 – Yellowknife, NWT) [Individual Time Trial & Road Race]
  • Lex Albrecht (26 – Montreal, QC) [Road Race]
  • Véronique Fortin (33 – Gatineau, QC) [Road Race]
  • Leah Kirchmann (23 – Winnipeg, MB) [Road Race]
  • Karol-Ann Canuel (25 – Amos, QC) [Road Race]
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RYAN ROTH ADDED TO CANADIAN NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER FOR WORLD TOUR RACES

Michael Woods forced to withdraw from team following injury at Tour of Alberta

(Quebec, QC – September 11, 2013) Ryan Roth of Guelph, Ontario (Champion System Pro Cycling) will ride the two UCI World Tour races this weekend, in Québec on Friday and Montreal on Sunday.

Roth, the 2012 Canadian Road Race Champion, comes in at the last minute to replace Michael Woods of Garneau-Québecor, who suffered from a broken collarbone in the third stage of the Tour of Alberta.

“Those are two of my favorite races of the world. I am really excited to be racing for Canada, with the National Team. I’ll be among friends, so that will be fun. First things first, I have to recover from the racing last week at the Tour of Alberta. I have been racing six days in Alberta and need to freshen up. Those two races will be really hard. I don’t know really what to expect for the races,” said Roth.

Of the eight-man roster, seven raced for their respective teams and the National Team at the Tour of Alberta. Notably, Ryan Anderson won the Best Canadian Jersey while racing for Optum p/b Kelly Benefits Strategies.

Zach Bell, the current Canadian Champion with Champion System Pro Cycling, crashed in the first stage and was shaken up, but felt better as the week progressed. Bell is the current Champion of the Pro Sprint Challenge, and will be defending his title on Thursday at this year’s edition of the fan-friendly event.

“The health is on the mend. Certainly improving daily, but not 100% recovered yet. The injury didn’t interfere too much at the tour of Alberta. It’s certainly a little more intense at the WorldTour level. We’ll see how it goes, but it should be ok,” reassured Bell.

Bruno Langlois, of the continental cycling team Garneau-Quebecor, will be riding on his hometown streets of Quebec City wearing the National Team uniform. Last year at the Grand Prix cycliste de Québec, Langlois won the King of the Mountain jersey.

With the National Team, Antoine Duchesne of Bontrager Pro Cycling Team was part of the wining break on Stage 4, and won the Most Aggressive Rider jersey for the last stage. Duchesne has had success on the Quebec City course at Tour de Beauce, taking the second place on a very similar course downtown Québec. Rob Britton of Team Raleigh was also at the Tour of Alberta with the Canadian National Team.

Nic Hamilton of Jelly Belly Cycling Team was part of two major breaks in Alberta, he who raced in his native province. Marsh Cooper of Optum p/b Kelly Benefits Strategies, will once more suit up in the national team uniform. Cooper was part of the Canadian team at the Tour de Beauce, helping Christian Meier ride to the third place of the overall classification.

Thursday night will be held the Pro Sprint Challenge, before Friday’s UCI World Tour Grand Prix cycliste de Québec. The teams will then travel via train to Montreal on Saturday, and race on Sunday the Grand Prix cycliste de Montréal.

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TEAM CANADA – GRAND PRIX CYCLISTES QUEBEC ET MONTREAL

  • Ryan ANDERSON (Vancouver, BC/Optum Kelly Benefits)
  • Zach BELL (North Vancouver, BC/Champion Systems Pro Cycling)
  • Rob BRITTON (Victoria, BC/Team Raleigh)
  • Marsh COOPER (Delta, BC/Optum-Kelly Benefit)
  • Antoine DUCHESNE (Québec, QC/Bontrager Cycling Team)
  • Nic HAMILTON (Victoria, BC/Jelly Belly Cycling)
  • Bruno LANGLOIS (Québec, QC/Garneau Quebecor Cycling Team)
  • Ryan ROTH (Guelph, ON/ Champion Systems Pro Cycling)
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ROHAN DENNIS WINS TOUR OF ALBERTA; RYAN ANDERSON WINS BEST CANADIAN AWARD

2013 Tour of Alberta rolls out in Calgary

(Calgary, AB – September 08, 2013) Rohan Dennis of Team Garmin-Sharp won the inaugural Tour of Alberta, crossing the finish line after more than 800 kilometers over five days, while Ryan Anderson of Vancouver, BC, who grew up in Spruce Grove, AB near Edmonton, took the Best Canadian Jersey honours in eighth place of the overall classification.

Dennis, 23, took possession of the yellow jersey on Day 4, in the third stage finishing in Drumheller. Despite not being in the winning break yesterday, none of the GC contenders were, keeping his jersey for the last day. With a short final stage that finished in a sprint, as expected, no time were gained on the leader, securing him his first race win outside of his native Australia.

Dennis completed the six-day race with an 18 second lead of Brent Bookwalter of BMC Racing team, and 30-second lead on Damino Caruso of Cannondale Pro Cycling.

“It feels pretty good actually. I didn’t expect this. I kept saying it was a goal of mine to come here. I rode really well in the prologue,” said Dennis, donning the yellow jersey. “It was a sprinter’s race, and Peter Sagan has been performing really well, in Utah and Colorado. It’s really a great honour to come home with a win, and it was completely unexpected. This race will always be close to me. Hopefully I can come back next year and prepare for Worlds, and trying to back up my win this year.”

On the last stage, Peter Sagan of Cannondale Pro Cycling crossed the line in a sprint finish, well ahead of the peloton for a typical sprint finish, in front of over 50 000 people gathered in the finishing circuits downtown Calgary.

Ryan Anderson of Vancouver, BC riding with Optum-Kelly Benefits Strategies won the Best Canadian Jersey, rolling in downtown Calgary wearing the red jersey. Anderso, who finished eighth in today’s final stage,  had a great read on the decisive move on the third stage, and jumped in break that went all the way to the finish line, with a 17-minute gap on the main group.

“It’s definitely special for Optum-Kelly Benefits, and for me as well. Being the first year of this race, and able to come and be on the podium for the last three days, in front of all the crowds, is something special for me. I was glad to be a part of this first year and take the Best Canadian Jersey,” said Anderson.

“I’m not too surprised about all the crowd. Alberta has always been known for supporting and rallying behind big events. I expected the crowds to be good, and they were. Even along the way, the school kids came out to cheer, and it was fantastic.”

As for the National Team, Antoine Duchesne of Québec, QC had the performance of his life yesterday, making the break and the chase to finish in fifth place, winning the most aggressive rider jersey for the last stage.

“It was a really nice race. I missed my chance in the third stage heading to Drumheller. I am really satisfied with yesterday’s break. I was in the good break yesterday, and today I was active. Again today I was part of some early breaks. I just missed the long break that stood. At the end, I helped place JS [Jean-Sébastien Perron] for the final sprint. It was a good race for the whole team. It was a first for pretty much all of us, racing at this level. Everyone rode well, and it’s fun to see that Canadians can do well in big races.”

Duchesne will now travel to Quebec City, along with seven other guys including Anderson, to suit up for the National team at the Grand Prix cycliste Québec et Montréal. “I feel comfortable on the Quebec City course. The form is really good right now. I’ll do my very best and get the most of that WorldTour race.”

Gord Fraser was pleased with the first edition of this Tour of Alberta, and how his young riders withstood the pressure of racing with big teams.

“I think the race as a whole was a great success. The organizers pulled off a great year for the first year. They have overcome a lot with the unfortunate floods they had here a few months ago, and they pulled it off,” said Gord Fraser, Director Sportif for Cycling Canada.

“It would be nice to have more diversity on the course with stages, in terms of profiles and such. All in all, they handled the organizational aspect, the volunteers, getting the word out very well… The fans were incredible. Just today in Calgary, there were probably over 50 000 people on that circuit. Hats off to the organizers. I am looking forward to next year.”

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2013 TOUR OF ALBERTA – RESULTS, STAGE 3

1. Peter Sagan Slovakia | Cannondale Pro Cycling 2:42:20

2. Luka Mezgec Slovenia | Team Argos-Shimano +0

3. Robert Forster Germany | UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling +0

4. Luke Keough United States | UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling +0

5. Nicholai Brochner Denmark | Bissell Pro Cycling +0

6. Charles Huff United States | Jelly Belly P/b Kenda +0

7. Brent Bookwalter United States | BMC Racing Team +0

8. Ryan Anderson Canada | Optum P/b Kelly Benefit Strategies +0

9. Tomas Vaitkus Lithuania | ORICA GreenEDGE +0

10. Pierrick Naud Canada | Equipe Garneau-Québecor +0

==========

28. Antoine Duchesne Canada | Canadian National Team +:07

46. Garrett Mcleod Canada | Canadian National Team +:07

52. Jean-Sebastien Perron Canada | Canadian National Team +:07

63. Jean-Michel Lachance Canada | Canadian National Team +:15

72. Rob Britton Canada | Canadian National Team +:38

73. Stuart Wight Canada | Canadian National Team +:38

76. Ryan Aitcheson Canada | Canadian National Team +:38

100. Derrick St John Canada | Canadian National Team +1:35

2013 TOUR OF ALBERTA – GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Rohan Dennis Australia | Team Garmin-Sharp 17:48:40

2. Brent Bookwalter United States | BMC Racing Team +:18

3. Damiano Caruso Italy | Cannondale Pro Cycling +:30

4. Patrick Gretsch Germany | Team Argos-Shimano +:31

5. Robert Gesink Netherlands | Belkin Pro Cycling Team +:41

6. Robert Sweeting United States | 5-Hour Energy P/b Kenda +:54

7. Francisco Mancebo Spain | 5-Hour Energy P/b Kenda +:55

8. Ryan Anderson Canada | Optum P/b Kelly Benefit Strategies +:56

9. Matthias Friedemann Germany | Champion System Pro Cycling +1:19

10. Steven Kruijswijk Netherlands | Belkin Pro Cycling Team +1:22

=========

21. Antoine Duchesne Canada | Canadian National Team +8:26

52. Jean-Michel Lachance Canada | Canadian National Team +18:18

53. Rob Britton Canada | Canadian National Team +18:20

66. Jean-Sebastien Perron Canada | Canadian National Team +18:59

68. Garrett Mcleod Canada | Canadian National Team +19:04

85. Derrick St John Canada | Canadian National Team +20:12

89. Ryan Aitcheson Canada | Canadian National Team +20:26

92. Stuart Wight Canada | Canadian National Team +20:31

2013 TOUR OF ALBERTA – THE STAGES

Prologue: Tuesday, September 3; Edmonton (7.3 km)

Stage 1: Wednesday, September 4; Strathcona County to Camrose (158.1 km)

Stage 2: Thursday, September 5; Devon to Red Deer (174.8 km)

Stage 3: Friday, September 6; Strathmore to Drumheller (169.8 km)

Stage 4: Saturday, September 7; Black Diamond/Foothills (169.9 km)

Stage 5: Sunday, September 8 – Okotoks to Calgary (129.4 km)

2013 TOUR OF ALBERTA – THE JERSEYS

Province of Alberta Leader Jersey (Yellow): Rohan Dennis Australia | Team Garmin-Sharp 17:48:40

SUBWAY® Sprint Jersey (Green): Peter Sagan Slovakia | Cannondale Pro Cycling 40pts

Budweiser Crown King of the Mountains Jersey (Red Polka Dots): Tom Jelte Slagter Netherlands | Belkin Pro Cycling Team 37 pts

CWB Best Young Rider Jersey (White): Rohan Dennis Australia | Team Garmin-Sharp 17:48:40

Best Canadian Jersey (Red): Ryan Anderson Canada | Optum P/b Kelly Benefit Strategies +:56

/by
 
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