Les Mardis Cyclistes: June 28, 2011 David Veilleux wins stage 4

Stage 4 Results : Top 5:

1 David Veilleux  (Europcar)
2 Jean- Michel Lachance (Rocky Mountain-Desjardins)
3 Antoine Duchesne (Garneau-Club Chaussures)
4  Jean Francois Laroche (Fantino Mondello Cycles Regis)

5 Mathieu Roy (Gaspésien /Passion Vélo)


Leaders after 4 stages:

1  Jean Francois Laroche (Fantino Mondello Cycles Regis)
2  Martin Gilbert  (SpiderTech p/b  C10)
3  David Veilleux  (Europcar)
4  Mathieu Roy (Gaspesien)
5  Dominic Chalifoux (Trek-Bontrager)

Complete results and stage 4 points summary

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Release by the Mardis Cyclistes

David Veilleux (Europcar), the freshly-minted Canadian criterium champion, won this evening’s fourth stage of the 2011 Mardis Cyclistes bicycle races.

Veilleux was part of a breakaway of three cyclists who left the pack on the 21st lap of the 31-lap race. Many of the 67 competing cyclists were tired after an intermediate sprint; that is the moment Veilleux, Jean-Michel Lachance (Rocky Mountain) and Antoine Duchesne (Garneau) chose to attack.

Lap after lap, the breakaway group built up their lead to finish some 36 seconds ahead of the pack. On the last lap, Veilleux surprised his two breakaway companions with an explosive attack. Duchesne was dropped while Lachance was barely able to hang on. Veilleux finished with a clear victory.

“It was not easy to win here. I tried to breakaway earlier in the race, but everyone else was on my wheel [following me] so I waited. When Jean-Michel attacked, I went forward with him,” said Veilleux, a 23 year-old from Quebec City. “With the wind, I had to give it all I had to win. We kept up a good pace to keep the pack behind us.”

Veilleux finished the 50km race in 1:02:04, giving an average speed of 48.3 km/h. His breakaway companions seemed just happy to share the podium with a cyclist of Veilleux’s calibre. His team, Europcar, is racing in the 2011 Tour de France from July 2—24 although Veilleux did not make the cut for that event.

“I have no regrets about finishing second,” commented Lachance, 24, of Quebec City. “It’s great to finish on the podium,” added Duchesne, 19, of Blainville.

Canada’s top men’s team, Spidertech, was largely absent this evening’s Mardis race. “Most of my team mates are now on vacation now that the national championships are over,” explained Bruno Langlois, one of only two Spidertech cyclists there. “Most Tuesdays we’re fighting over who can be here, but not this week. My legs are still tired from the nationals this weekend.” Guillaume Boivin was the other team member present; Olympic cyclist Martin Gilbert (Spidertech) who usually ends up on the podium was away.

Defending champion Jean-François Laroche (Fantino Mondello) finished only fourth this evening, but increased his cumulative points because of the absence of Gilbert. Laroche now leads the series after four of ten stages and will be wearing the coveted yellow jersey at next Tuesday’s race. Veilleux is now third in cumulative points, behind Gilbert.

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