Les Mardis Cyclistes: August 9, 2011 Benjamin Martel wins stage 9

Benjamin Martel / Finish line © Pasquale Stalteri

Lyman / Roy late breakaway © Pasquale Stalteri

Peleton under heavy downpour © Pasquale Stalteri

More photos below ...

Stage 9 results:  Top 5:

1. Benjamin Martel (Team Spirit GTH Cannondale)
2. Hugues Lapointe (Nativo Davinci)
3. Mathieu Roy (Gaspesien / Passion Vélo)
4. Jean-François Laroche (Fantino Mondello Regis)
5. Dominic Chalifoux (Trek-Bontrager)
Full results

Stage 9 race summary:

• Race started late and ran under dark and slippery conditions due to heavy rain.
• Many short and unsuccessful breakaway attempts throughout the race.
• Eric Lyman and Mathieu Roy breakaway with 10 laps to go and are later joined by Dominc Chalifoux but are caught by the peleton with 2 laps remaining.
• Benjamin Martel gets away in the final lap and wins the stage
  

Other notes of interest:

• The Garneau-Club Chausseurs team was present in full force with newly minted "Senior 1" Quebec criterium champion Miguel Agreda Rojas and NZ powerhouse Brett Tivers but under less than ideal racing conditions, both riders did not place.
• Defending champion Jean-François Laroche (Fantino Mondello Regis) holds onto the yellow jersey heading into the final stage with a significant but not insurmountable lead over Mathieu Roy (Gaspesien / Passion Vélo).
•  Benjamin Martel (Team Spirit GTH Cannondale) is now in 4th place overall just behind Quebec "Maitre A" criterium champion Dominic Chalifoux (Trek-Bontrager).

Official press release below

Click to enlarge images

release by Mardis Cyclistes

Montréal, August 9, 2011–Benjamin Martel (Team Spirit Cannondale) won the ninth stage in pouring rain with an after-dark finish. Martel, 37, launched his attack with only two laps to go in the 31-lap, 50km race. Cautious cyclists rode slowly this evening with Martel stopping the clock at 1:06:37 for an average speed of 45kmh, the slowest of the nine races run to date in this 34th season of the Mardis Cyclistes series. Some eight seconds later, the pack followed Martel with Hugues Lapointe (Nativo Devinci) finishing second and Mathieu Roy (Gaspésien) in third. They were closely followed by defending champion Jean-François Laroche (Fantino Mondello) and by Dominic Chalifoux (Trek Bontrager).

Only 62 cyclists were on the start line and many of them DNF’d before the finish. Erik Lyman (Team Spirit) and Mathieu Roy (Gaspésien) broke away from the pack with 10 laps to go, but were swallowed up by the pack at two laps from the finish. That was the moment Martel chose to launch his attack.

“It was a strategic win and also a team victory,” said Martel. “Team Spirit rode very well this evening and it feels great to end up on the podium. I hate riding in the rain and braked hard on the turns. Perhaps I owe this victory in part to my experience and endurance.” His teammate, Lyman, finished in tenth position.

In the general classification, Laroche built up his lead to 765 cumulative points and will be riding next Tuesday’s race in the yellow leader’s jersey. Roy is a distant second place at 561 points with Chalifoux follows in third at 551 points. The grand finale on August 16 will see a doubling of points. This means that next week’s winner could pick up to 300 points and might be able to wrestle the title away from Laroche.

Posted in: Les Mardis Cyclistes 2011,News,Pasquale Stalteri,Races 2011,Reportage