Tour de Beauce 2012 Photos June 12 - 17

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2011 and 2009 Tour de Beauce overall winners, Francisco Mancebo (Competitive Cyclist) and Svein Tuft (Team Canada) called up first before the stage 1 start	Departing Lac-Etchemin before returning 162 km later	Mancebo and Craig Lewis (Champion System)
The peloton spread across the road. Clearly, the pace on this climb wasn't very fast.	Ken Hanson (Optum p/ Kelly Benefit Strategies) wins the first KOM ahead of Flavio de Luna (SpiderTech p/b C10) and David Williams (Competitive Cyclist)	The peloton once again spread across the road
Competitive Cyclist planning their attack	The break had over 8 minutes at this point	Joe Eldridge (TT1) leads the chase
Champion System takes over the front	One of the steepest climbs on stage 1	Matthias Friedemann (Champion System) would take 3rd on the day
Ken Hanson (Optum p/ Kelly Benefit Strategies) also won the 2nd KOM ahead of breakmates Flavio de Luna (SpiderTech p/b C10) and David Williams (Competitive Cyclist Racing Team)	Climb and descent perspective	The break beginning to lose time at this point
Peloton and bridge panoramic	Teams sharing the workload	Champion System about to absorb the break
Flavio De Luna (left, Spidertech) takes the 2nd Sprint	The break was allowed to dangle out front until they were caught with 17 km to go	Francisco Mancebo (Competitive Cyclist) countered attacked with Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare) and Sebastian Salas (Optum p/b Kelly Benefits), but when Salas collided with Sutherland taking down both riders, Mancebo carried on to a solo victory for the final 4 km
Francisco Mancebo's (Competitive Cyclist) late attack succeeds with the rest of the top 10 strung out behind him on the return to Lac-Etchemin including 2nd place Ryan Roth (Spidertech p/b C10)	3rd Matthias Friedemann (Champion System), 1st Francisco Mancebo's (Competitive Cyclist) and 2nd Ryan Roth (Spidertech p/b C10)
Your stage 1 podium	Last year's winner, Francisco Mancebo's (Competitive Cyclist), has picked up where he left off

Stage 2:  Thetford-Mines → Thetford-Mines, 160 km  Full Results and Report

Race leader Francisco Mancebo (Competitive Cyclist) checks the tire pressure Christian Meier's (Team Canada) bike prior to the wet start in Thetford-Mines	070541-DSC_9386 copy.jpg	An early feed zone
The first sprint was won by Alexander Candelario (USA, Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)	Christian Meier descending followed by Jamie Sparling	Svein Tuft likes this kind of weather
Early but unsuccesful break	A perspective of the typically hilly roads in the Beauce region of Québec	This break did succeed 40 km into the 162 km stage
	More horsing around	The break on the KOMs. James Williamson (Bike NZ-Pure Black Racing), left, was later dropped from the break leaving just Jamie Sparling (Raleigh-GAC) and Craig Lewis (Champion System)
Mancebo executing the feed zone reception	Ian Burnett on the front of the chase for the Competitive Cyclist Train	Rory Sutherland watching Aldo Ino Ilesic
Fabio Calabria (Team Type 1 Sanofi) trying to bring the race back together for a sprint finish	The facial expressions of the break with Sparling leading Lewis	Craig Lewis and Jamie Sparling entering the first lap of the finishing circuits
Rory Sutherland and Ben Day leading the chase for UnitedHeathcare	Ben Day at the front now with one lap to go	The 120 km break succeeds. Craig Lewis (USA, Champion System) and his breakmate Jamie Sparling (CAN, Raleigh), blurry in the background, barely survived before...
The field sprint in full flight	Alexander Serebryakov (RUS, Team Type 1 - Sanofi) won the field sprint for 3rd	Once a member of ProTour Team Highroad before injuries slowed his career, Craig Lewis is back in fine form
Your stage 2 podium, 3rd Alexander Serebryakov (RUS, Team Type 1 - Sanofi), 1st Craig Lewis (USA, Champion System) and 2nd Jamie Sparling (CAN, Raleigh)	Yesterday's stage winner from the first day, Francisco Mancebo, finished with the field for 7th + 36s and retains his race lead	The jersey leaders

Stage 3:  St-Georges → Mont-Mégantic, 164 km  Full Results and Report

The rollout from St-Georges on a gorgeous day for the Queen Stage	A logging truck pulls over for the peloton	The main break getting a gap
The 1st sprint	The peloton passing through the rural landscape in southern Québec	Competitive Cyclist working at the front
The Break on the first KOM at Lac-Drolet: Russell Hampton (Raleigh-GAC), David Stephens (Garneau-Quebecor-Norton Rose), Nic Hamilton (Canadian National Team), Matt Higgins (Node4-Giordana Racing), and William Blackburn (Team Médique p/b Silber Investments)	The peloton was over 3 minutes back	The break was down to four men after William Blackburn (Team Médique) was dropped
By km 90, the four men break had six minute lead	The 2nd KOM was won by Matt Higgins (Node4 Giordana Racing), right	The break
Russell Hampton (Raleigh-GAC) is now the lone breakaway survivor	UnitedHealthcare starting the chase with 20k to go	Nic Hamilton cuts the switch
UnitedHealthcare led the peloton to the base of Mont-Mégantic (6.6 km @ 7.7% climb)	Russell Hampton (Raleigh-GAC) about to be caught at the base of the finishing climb, Mont-Mégantic (6.6 km @ 7.7% climb). He went backwards from here finishing 67th + 8:28.	Rory Sutherland ups the pace as Matt Cooke gets on his wheel
Matt Cooke	5k to go	Putting the finishing climb into perspective in the midst fo 55 sq km Parc national du Mont-Mégantic (photo credit: wikipedia)
Matt Cooke leads a strung out group to the line	Riders cresting the climb with a wall of green in the background	Matt Cooke (Exergy) takes the biggest win of his career summiting Mont-Mégantic 7s ahead of the lead group
Today's win moves Matt Cooke into second place overall	Matt Cooke and Exergy teammate Morgan Schmitt embrace with thirsty Franciso Mancebo in background	Your stage 3 podium: 3rd SUTHERLAND, Rory (UNITEDHEALTHCARE) + 7s, 1st COOKE, Mathew (EXERGY), 2nd MANCEBO, Francisco (COMPETITIVE CYCLIST) +6s

Stage 4:  St-Benoît-Labre, 20 km (TT)  Full Results and Report

	The course feature an out climb...	and a descent back to St-Benoît-Labre for 20 km in total
The Canadian National TT Champion (and GreenEdge) rider, Svein Tuft on his way to posting a winning time of 27:08 for the 20 km, out-and-back TT in St-Benoît-Labre. Tuft is now 4th overall, but 1:05 back of Rory Sutherland.	Tuft said afterwards that this was the toughest Beauce ITT he's done. "Some exciting racing coming up" this weekend.
	Spidertech p/b C10's Hugo Houle was 3rd + 46s moving him up to 2nd overall + 19s (in the best young rider kit)	The 21 year-old Spidertech rider from Ste Perpetue, Quebec is putting on a show for the home crowd this week
	Hugo Houle again	Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare) was 2nd today + 30s
KOM leader and yesterday's stage winner, Matt Cooke (Exergy), was 10th today + 1:42 for 5th overall + 1:05	The race leader and last year's overall winner, Francisco Mancebo (Competitive Cyclist), likely lost his bid for a repeat overall win as he finished 15th + 1:57 dropping him down to 7th + 1:17	Mancebo doesn't look so unhappy post race as winner, Svein Tuft, arrives back from a cool down ride
2nd and 3rd today waiting for the podium ceremony	Matt Cooke (Exergy) looking resplendent in a proper KOM kit	2nd today and now the new race leader, Aussie Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare)
	Your stage 4 ITT podium, 3rd Hugo Houle was 3rd + 46s, 1st Svein Tuft (Team Canada) 20 km in 27:08, 2nd Rory Sutherland 2nd + 30s (now 1st on GC)

Stage 5:  Ville de Québec, 125 km (circuits)  Full Results and Report

Thanks to very high placings on Thursday's summit finish and yesterday's individual time-trial, Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare) was enjoying his first morning in Yellow.	The jersey leaders (Houle [best young rider], Sutherland [race leader], Cooke [kom leader], Mancebo [points leader])	Underway
The first of approximately 11 circuits of Québec City with Lower Town and the Saint Lawrence River in the background	The peloton on the first climb of the hilly circuit	The new course (due to a worker's strike?) makes a left after the KOM
Aldo Ilesic (Team Type 1 Sanofi) driving the first, unsuccessful break	Antoine Duchesne (Garneau-Quebecor-Norton Rose) getting the main break started	Craig Lewis (Champion System) at the front of the seven man break
A few of the riders in the second, successful break were also part of the first break like Liam Holohan (Raleigh-GAC), at the front and scabby kneed Nic Hamilton (Team Canada). Nic scored enought KOM points to take the lead in the KOM competition.	Francisco Mancebo putting in a dig attempting to break clear of the GC contenders in the peloton but he was marked by Mar de Maar	Matt Cooke putting in a dig again marked by Mark de Maar
The peloton receiving the blessing of a Cardinal in front of the main Post-Office	Stage 2 winner, Craig Lewis (Champion System), Antoine Duchesne (Garneau-Quebecor-Norton Rose) and Russell Hampton (Raleigh - GAC) were part of the break	UnitedHealthcare seemed to spend the entire race at the front of the chase
On the flats in Lower Town by the Saint Lawrence river with the Château Frontenac high in the background	Vegard Stake LAENGEN (TEAM TYPE 1 SANOFI) in the break. We'll see him again later.	Russell Hampton (Raleigh - GAC) driving the break
1st and 2nd on GC (Rory Sutherland and Hugo Houle) following in the peloton	Svein Tuft (Team Canada) decided to wait for the final day to set off some fireworks	UnitedHealthCare at the front keeping the gap under control
The race getting strung out on the hill through Old Québec City	Feed zone	Passing through the gate of Old Québec City. Founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, Québec City is one of the oldest (and most beautiful) cities in North America
The one km to go marker with 2 laps remaining	1 lap to go: The peloton with UnitedHealthcare passing through the old city on the top of the hill content to let the break succeed	After 3 hours and eleven circuits, 22 year-old Norwegian Vegard Stake LAENGEN (TEAM TYPE 1 SANOFI) wins the sprint against breakmate Russell HAMPTON (RALEIGH - GAC)
Your stage 5 podium: 3rd Liam, HOLOHAN (RALEIGH - GAC) + 0:02, 1st Vegard Stake, LAENGEN (TEAM TYPE 1 SANOFI), 2nd Russell, HAMPTON (RALEIGH - GAC) s.t.

Stage 6:  Ville de St-Georges, 125 km  Full Results and Report

The jersey leaders going into today's final stage (L-to-R): Nic Hamilton (KOM), Rory Sutherland (Overall), Hugo Houle (Young), Francisco Mancebo (Points)	The rollout: 11 laps of the hilly course for 125 km in total	The talk of the race was Hugo Houle (Spidertech). Just 21 years-old and he's developed into a good all around rider. He won best young rider and finished 2nd overall just 19s back of Rory Sutherland.
The start of the first of two climbs done eleven times	Skirting past a cafe in downtown St Georges. 19 corners per lap along today's route.	A break on the first lap: Chad Beyer (Competitive Cyclist), Matthias Friedmann (Champion System Pro Cycling Team), Jamie Sparling and Liam Holohan (Raleigh-GAC), Marsh Cooper and Ken Hanson (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)
The break had a good gap at the end of the first lap	Like yesterday, Francisco Mancebo put in several digs, but each time he was marked by Marc de Maar	3rd on GC, Christian Meir (Team Canada) was watched closely by race leader, Rory Sutherland
Svien Tuft (Team Canada) put in several attacks today, but unlike last year, he wasn't able to get away for good	Canadians Marsh Cooper (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) and Bruno Langlois (Garneau-Quebecor-Norton Rose) attacked off the peloton on a climb with two laps to go	St Georges scenery
The break about to be absorbed	But the late attack by Bruno Langlois (Garneau-Quebecor-Norton Rose) and Marsh Cooper (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) stuck	Bruno Langlois (Garneau-Quebecor-Norton Rose) did most of the work in the break and was rewarded at the finish
Five road stages and five successful breaks this week. Today, veteran Canadian domestic rider Bruno LANGLOIS (GARNEAU-QUEBECOR-NORTON ROSE) won the St-Georges circuit race ahead of Marsh COOPER (OPTUM p/b KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES) + 0:02 with the GC/peloton crossing 21s later.	Marsh Cooper (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) looks over his shoulder, but the peloton was still out of view, crossing 21s later	A big win for the domestic Québec team, Garneau-Quebecor-Norton Rose
Rory Sutherland and his UnitedHealthcare handled everything thrown at them today	Bruno Langlois (Garneau-Quebecor-Norton Rose) post race	Your stage 6 podium: 3rd Matthias Friedemann (Champion System) + 21s, 1st Bruno Langlois (Garneau-Quebecor-Norton Rose), 2nd Marsh Cooper (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) + 2s
Your 2012 Tour de Beauce GC podium: 3rd Christian MEIER (TEAM CANADA) + 0:43, 1 Rory SUTHERLAND (UNITEDHEALTHCARE) 19:07:19 and 2nd Hugo HOULE (SPIDERTECH p/b C10) + 0:19	The jersey winners	UnitedHealthcare won the team competition
Lets get this party started	Sutherland's first Tour de Beauce was a roaring success. "It's a beautiful race."