September 2011 ~ MIROIR DU CYCLISME

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Alberto Faria Da Costa (Moviestar) © Pasquale Stalteri

Top Ten Results/ Résultats, Top 10:

1 FARIA DA COSTA, Rui Alberto (MOV) 5:20:18

2 FEDRIGO, Pierrick (FDJ) 5:20:18 00:00

3 GILBERT, Philippe (OLO) 5:20:20 00:02

4 ROELANDTS, Jurgen (OLO) 5:20:20 00:02

5 DENIFL, Stefan (LEO) 5:20:20 00:02

6 PIETROPOLLI, Daniele (LAM) 5:20:22 00:04

7 MARCATO, Marco (VCD) 5:20:22 00:04

8 JVICHOT, Arthur (FDJ) 5:20:22 00:04

9 NOCENTINI, Rinaldo (ALM) 5:20:22 00:04

10 WEGMANN, Fabian (LEO) 5:20:22 00:04

Canadian Riders/ Coureurs Canadiens

11. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Cervelo
22. David Veilleux (Can) Team Europcar
54. Michael Barry (Can) Sky Procycling 0:34

62. Francois Parisien (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10 4:43

66. Svein Tuft (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10 4:43

108. Ryan Roth Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10 8:24
DNF Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ

DNF Ryan Anderson Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
DNF Bruno Langlois Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
DNF Will Routley Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10

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David Veilleux (Europcar) Top Quebec rider © Pasquale Stalteri

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE (Only available in English)

By Laura Robinson: Pedal Magazine

September 11, 2011 (Montreal, QC) – In a stunning upset, Tour de France stage winner, Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Por) Movistar Team out-dueled the favourites on the final lap to claim the 205.1km Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal win, his first World Tour victory. Pierrick Fedrigo (FDJ) part of the final 3-rider break finished second while the top-ranked Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) surged at the end to land on the podium in third.

The sun gods were smiling again the world’s top riders gathered on Mount Royal to do battle once again for the Grand Prix Cycliste Montreal, round two of the Canadian World Tours. Following the rider introductions and welcome speeches, a moment of silence was observed to remember those who lost their lives ten years ago on September 11th when the World Trade Centre was attacked by terrorists. And then a celebration of life commenced.

With a start on Avenue des Pins, cyclists hit the Mount Royal climb less than a minute from the start-for the first of seventeen ascents, and later a shorter but steeper, Ecole Polytechnique climb, hit them at the University of Montreal.

The course demands climbing abilities as well as fast descents and corners that require the best technique. In the end it was a courageous break of three that triumphed as they were chased down to the line by the peloton in one of the most exciting finishes ever on this circuit.

For the final five laps the flurry of attacks made for an exciting race as riders formed groups ranging from three and twenty-five tried to break away and establish a gap that would stick but no one could get away until halfway thru the final lap.

All attempts were swallowed up until Movistar’s Costa from Portugal, who rode a brilliant and courageous race, turned his last lap, three-man break into the final sprint of lifetime as they were about to be swallowed by the hungry pack.

Gilbert made a valiant kick at the end but could only manage third at two seconds back, still remarkable given his earlier bike problems and then crash on one of the corners. Fourth place went to Gilbert’s teammate, Jurgen Roelandts also from Belgium, who was able to catch the third rider in the final break, Stefan Denifl (Leopard Trek) of Austria, who ended up 5th.

The top Canadian was Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Cervelo) who challenged near the end but the cards were not in his favour and he finished at 4 seconds back in 11th. “It’s a tough course,” he commented post race. “I tried my best up the University climb on the final lap but wasn’t able to make the headway needed. Still I’m happy with my race and to finish the season in Canada at the GP Montreal.”

Costa, who won Stage 8 at the Tour de France this year, was beaming. “This is the result of good homework preparing for this race,” said Costa. “The Movistar riders trained hard,” added Team director Yvon Ledannois. “We said we had to make sure that we didn’t make the long trip to Canada to come home empty handed. The Movistar riders were at the front in Quebec City and in Montreal.”

Costa went on to explain that he wasn’t afraid of the peloton catching the break once they had descended the University of Montreal climb and saw that they only had one kilometre to go. “We never really thought that it would go any other way. The only thing to think of was that Fedrigo was the man to beat.”

Meanwhile Fedrigo was extremely pleased. He had missed the Tour de France after six months of trying to find out what was wrong with him. He had Lyme’s Disease and is still in recovery mode. “I was out of competition, I had cramps. This was a lot of work.” He added that he’s taking one race at a time and cannot predict if he will be at the road world championships in Copenhagen.

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Early breakaway attempt © Pasquale Stalteri

Peleton chasing breakaway © Pasquale Stalteri

Gilbert, who won the Quebec City World Tour on Friday which gave him the lead in the World Tour ranking, had a race filled with frustration. At one point he needed a new bike and had to be paced back on to the peloton by his teammates and then soon after he was involved in a crash on one of the tight corners.

“Honestly I thought I had a superb result. I crashed and I was really scared after that I might not be able to race at the Worlds. But I managed to get back on the bike and race and felt better and better. There was even a point when I tried to bridge the gap to the breaking group on the last lap. The pace was very high and it is always good for me when the pace is high.

Gilbert charged from behind in the final stretch to the finish as the peloton was bearing down on the three leaders. “Five hundred metres was probably the longest sprint of the season,” he said of the effort needed to catch Denifl. “There was not more I could do.

At the finish Gilbert graciously made a speech to the crowd. “I really wanted to say thank Canada publicly. I realized there were many people cheering me… I didn’t know that I had so many fans here. I was surprised cycling is a really popular sport here in Canada, not only in Europe.”

At the post race press conference Hesjedal continued, “I can’t say I am disappointed to race here in Canada, Quebec City and Montreal. It’s an important part of the season. In the last few days I’ve enjoyed myself. It’s difficult to compare my results from last year (referring to his fourth place in 2010). “You can see the level here – how strong it was. Our team was strong – we were there both days.” When asked about how the end of the last lap went for him, he said that his radio wasn’t working and it was hard to know exactly where everyone was.

Hesjedal added these are his last races of the season, as he will not be riding for Canada at the Road World Championships. “The course is more suited to sprinters. It doesn’t make sense to head back to Europe and try to perform on a course where there likely will be a bunch finish. I had seventy-nine race days and will do the Tour Down Under next year. January comes pretty quickly.”

Fans had chalked in Hesjedal’s name on the course and throughout the 12.1km circuit throngs of crowds went wild. Thousands of spectators made Mount Royal their destination while some made picnics on the spacious parks and hills – it was generally one big cycling love-in.

The peloton was split early in race with 50-60 riders forming a lead group but the first serious break of the day came soon after on the third lap with USA’s Danny Pate (HTC-Highroad) riding aggressively up Mount Royal. He was followed by Italy’s Danilo Di Luca (Katusha), Anthony Geslin (FDJ) of France, and Yukiya Arashiro (Europcar) of Japan. The 4-rider break sustained itself for fourteen of seventeen laps and had a 6+ minute lead at one point but by lap 12 the gap was down to 3:14 as Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank attacked and then teammate Grischa Niermann took a pull as the leaders were now within reach.

Di Luca eased up and was reeled in as Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Esp) Sky Procycling and Danilo Wyss (Sui) BMC Racing attacked with Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quickste joining them. They caught Geslin and Arashiro but Pate wanted the Climber’s jersey and stayed away longer to claim it.

Meanwhile on the fifteenth lap with three to go Svein Tuft (SpiderTech) jumped and tried to bridge to the lead chase group. Five more riders, including Canadian David Veilleux (Europcar) jumped as well and caught him. Soon after they merged with four lead chasers and they reeled in Pate.

As the group rounded the straightaway to the finish Canada’s Veilleux tried a solo break and started the penultimate lap on his own but was quickly swallowed up but the 10-strong chase group with the pack close behind.

From there it was jump after jump, but as Hesjedal noted, with riders like Gilbert, Robert Gesink of Rabobank, and Levi Leipheimer of Radioshack constantly attacking, and a fast pace it was very difficult for any marked rider to sustain a lead.

A group of 15 with Tom Danielson (USA) Garmin-Cervelo) and Michael Barry (Can) Sky) along with Tuft and Veilleux tried to get away but Gilbert and Gesink responded from behind. Tuft and Veilleux were dropped as Barry put the pressure on they were shut down.

On the last lap Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky Procycling was up there with Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling and Christian VandeVelde (USA) Garmin-Cervelo but they couldn’t get away either.

Suddenly the winning break formed with Fedrigo, Denifl and Costa as the Polytechnique University climb approached. Gesink sensing the danger attacked from behind as Sanchez and Hesjedal joined him. But Costa and his partners were not easy prey and with 3km to go the gap was not coming down.

As the chasers wobbled in their efforts to collaborate and reel in the leaders the finish line approached and Costa sensing victory launched his final assault to take a well-deserved win.

By Laura Robinson: Pedal Magazine

Full Results

1. Rui Alberto Faria Costa (Por) Movistar Team 5:20:18

2. Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) FDJ

3. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto 0:00:02

4. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto

5. Stefan Denifl (Aut) Leopard Trek

6. Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre – ISD 0:00:04

7. Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team

8. Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ

9. Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale

10. Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Leopard Trek

11. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Cervelo

12. Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Quickstep Cycling Team

13. Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar

14. Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team

15. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling

16. Tony Gallopin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne

17. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi

18. Ben Hermans (Bel) Team RadioShack

19. George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team

20. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quickstep Cycling Team

21. Anders Lund (Den) Leopard Trek

22. David Veilleux (Can) Team Europcar

23. Simone Ponzi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale

24. Luis Pasamontes Rodriguez (Esp) Movistar Team

25. Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) HTC-Highroad

26. Peter Stetina (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo

27. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team

28. Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team 0:00:10

29. Hayden Roulston (Nzl) HTC-Highroad

30. Miguel Minguez Ayala (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi

31. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ

32. Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi

33. Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Pro Team Astana

34. Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Lampre – ISD

35. Gustav Larsson (Swe) Saxo Bank Sungard

36. Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team

37. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team RadioShack

38. Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Katusha Team

39. Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Esp) Movistar Team

40. André Steensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:00:14

41. Bruno Pires (Por) Leopard Trek

42. Mauro Finetto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:00:16

43. Timothy Duggan (USA) Liquigas-Cannondale

44. Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale

45. Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling

46. Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team

47. Jesús Herrada Lopez (Esp) Movistar Team 0:00:21

48. Simon Clarke (Aus) Pro Team Astana

49. Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale

50. Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Esp) Sky Procycling 0:00:28

51. Matteo Trentin (Ita) Quickstep Cycling Team

52. Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team

53. Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ 0:00:32

54. Michael Barry (Can) Sky Procycling 0:00:34

55. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo

56. Brian Vandborg (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:00:38

57. Rubén Plaza Molina (Esp) Movistar Team

58. Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 0:00:40

59. Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Sky Procycling 0:00:43

60. Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:00:44

61. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:03:44

62. Francois Parisien (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10 0:04:43

63. Edward King (USA) Liquigas-Cannondale

64. Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team

65. Benjamin King (USA) Team RadioShack

66. Svein Tuft (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10

67. Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale

68. Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale

69. Martin Mortensen (Den) Leopard Trek

70. Leonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne

71. Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky Procycling

72. Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJ

73. Mikel Landa Meana (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi

74. Francesco Reda (Ita) Quickstep Cycling Team

75. Egor Silin (Rus) Katusha Team

76. Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne

77. Michel Kreder (Ned) Team Garmin-Cervelo

78. Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team

79. Óscar Pujol Muñoz (Esp) Omega Pharma-Lotto 0:04:48

80. Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:04:56

81. John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale

82. Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Leopard Trek

83. Thomas Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo

84. Philip Deignan (Irl) Team RadioShack

85. Marcello Pavarin (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team

86. Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Garmin-Cervelo

87. Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Team Europcar 0:06:53

88. Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Team Europcar

89. Grégory Rast (Sui) Team RadioShack

90. David Loosli (Sui) Lampre – ISD

91. Danny Pate (USA) HTC-Highroad

92. Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ

93. Tristan Valentin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne 0:08:24

94. Kristijan Koren (Slo) Liquigas-Cannondale

95. Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre – ISD

96. Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre – ISD

97. Michael Mørkøv (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard

98. Daniel Navarro Garcia (Esp) Saxo Bank Sungard

99. Bart De Clercq (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto

100. Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team

101. Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team

102. Julien Vermote (Bel) Quickstep Cycling Team

103. Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling Team

104. Pavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha Team

105. Yannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing Team

106. Enrique Sanz (Esp) Movistar Team

107. Gatis Smukulis (Lat) HTC-Highroad

108. Ryan Roth (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10

109. Javier Iriarte (Esp) Movistar Team

110. Caleb Fairly (USA) HTC-Highroad

111. Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing Team

112. Laurent Didier (Lux) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:10:24

DNF Jos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team

DNF Maarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling Team

DNF Thomas Peterson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo

DNF David Zabriskie (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo

DNF Maarten Neyens (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto

DNF Klaas Lodewyck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto

DNF Sven Vandousselaere (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto

DNF Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Omega Pharma-Lotto

DNF Jeremy Hunt (Gbr) Sky Procycling

DNF Christian Knees (Ger) Sky Procycling

DNF Mikel Astarloza (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi

DNF Alan Perez Lezaun (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi

DNF Romain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel-Euskadi

DNF Iván Velasco Murillo (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi

DNF Brice Feillu (Fra) Leopard Trek

DNF Alessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing Team

DNF Thimothy Roe (Aus) BMC Racing Team

DNF Danilo Wyss (Sui) BMC Racing Team

DNF Tejay Van Garderen (USA) HTC-Highroad

DNF Patrick Gretsch (Ger) HTC-Highroad

DNF Marco Pinotti (Ita) HTC-Highroad

DNF Alfredo Balloni (Ita) Lampre – ISD

DNF Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre – ISD

DNF Enrico Magazzini (Ita) Lampre – ISD

DNF Jesús Hernandez Blazquez (Esp) Saxo Bank Sungard

DNF Manuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Team RadioShack

DNF Robert Hunter (RSA) Team RadioShack

DNF Jason McCartney (USA) Team RadioShack

DNF Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Katusha Team

DNF Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Katusha Team

DNF Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Katusha Team

DNF Petr Ignatenko (Rus) Katusha Team

DNF Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Katusha Team

DNF Allan Davis (Aus) Pro Team Astana

DNF Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana

DNF Maxim Gourov (Kaz) Pro Team Astana

DNF Sergey Renev (Kaz) Pro Team Astana

DNF Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy (Kaz) Pro Team Astana

DNF David Arroyo Duran (Esp) Movistar Team

DNF Addy Engels (Ned) Quickstep Cycling Team

DNF Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quickstep Cycling Team

DNF Martin Elmiger (Sui) AG2R La Mondiale

DNF Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale

DNF Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale

DNF Wouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team

DNF Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team

DNF Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar

DNF Jerome Cousin (Fra) Team Europcar

DNF Tony Hurel (Fra) Team Europcar

DNF Saïd Haddou (Fra) Team Europcar

DNF Cédric Pineau (Fra) FDJ

DNF Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ

DNF Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne

DNF Rémi Cusin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne

DNF Jean-Eudes Demaret (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne

DNF Romain Zingle (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne

DNF Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10

DNF Ryan Anderson (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10

DNF Bruno Langlois (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10

DNF Lucas Euser (USA) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10

DNF Will Routley (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C1

Photo: Click to Enlarge

Top Ten Results/ Résultats, Top 10:

1 GILBERT, Philippe (OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO) 5:03:08
2 GESINK, Robert (RABOBANK) 5:03:08 00:00
3 URAN, Rigoberto (SKY) 5:03:17 00:09
4 WEGMANN, Fabian (LEOPARD TREK) 5:03:22 00:14
5 LEIPHEIMER, Levi (RADIOSHACK) 5:03:23 00:15
6 LEUKEMANS, Björn (VACANSOLEIL) 5:03:31 00:23
7 PONZI, Simone (LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE) 5:03:31 00:23
8 MARCATO, Marco (VACANSOLEIL) 5:03:33 00:25
9 CIOLEK, Gerald (QUICK STEP) 5:03:38 00:30
10 CLARKE, Simon (ASTANA) 5:03:55 00:47

Canadian Riders/ Coureurs Canadiens

14. Michael Barry (Can) Sky Procycling 0:01:23
20. Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ
22. David Veilleux (Can) Team Europcar
27. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-Cervelo 0:01:39
39. Svein Tuft (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10
40. Ryan Roth (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10

DNF Francois Parisien (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10

DNF Ryan Anderson (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10

DNF Zachary Bell (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10

DNF Martin Gilbert (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10

DNF Will Routley (Can) Team SpiderTech Powered By C10

Gilbert "Mission Accomplished"

“It was an extremely difficult race because Team Sky took over from the start. It went extremely fast. In the last third, everybody was tired. Nobody was able to attack because there was a strong headwind. It was hard to control because I had no team-mate. I panicked a bit, I was on my own and I was not sure how to get out of it."

"Then Rabobank opened up the race and it went clearly better. It’s always easier between strong men. I tried to go at the start of the last lap but the group behind kept organised. I relaxed and tried to recuperate. In the last climb, I put the high gear and made the difference."

"For the first time this season I was a little stressed because I had only six points to take for the World Tour Ranking but they were six hard points. Finally it turns out for the best."

"In Montreal, I’ll be under far less pressure. It’s already mission accomplished for me.”`

Gilbert: « Mission Accomplie »

« C’était une course très difficile parce que Team Sky a assuré le rythme dès le départ. Ça roulait extrêmement vite. Durant le dernier tiers de l’épreuve tout le monde était fatigué et personne n’était en mesure d’attaquer parce qu’il y avait un fort vent de face. Je n’avais pas de coéquipier pour m’appuyer et c’était difficile de contrôle : j’étais seul, j’ai paniqué un moment, et je ne voyais pas comment j’allais m’en sortir.»

«C’est à ce moment que les Rabobank sont entrés en action. Ils ont déverrouillé la course et, à partir de ce moment, les choses se sont mises en place pour moi. C’est toujours plus facile quand on est juste entre « costauds ». J’ai tenté un démarrage au début du dernier tour, mais le groupe est resté organisé. J’ai donc coupé mon effort pour relaxer et récupérer. J’ai mis le gros braquet dans la dernière bosse et j’ai fait la différence.»

«Pour la première fois cette saison j’étais un peu nerveux parce que je n’avais que 6 points d’avance au classement World Tour. Mais c’était 6 gros points et en bout de ligne tout s’est bien passé pour moi.»

«J’aurai moins de pression à Montréal, ma mission est déjà accomplie ! »