Lapthorne takes comeback victory

Darren Lapthorne (Rapha Condor) has claimed his first victory since returning to the sport at Canada's Tour de Beauce, resisting attempts by a surging peloton to recapture him. The Australian rider lifted the pace with two kilometres remaining and held a mere one hundred metre gap to the finish line.

The Victorian broke away 31.5 kilometres into the 161 kilometre stage, which was made all the more challenging by fog and damp conditions. Peter Stetina (Felt-Holowesko Partners-Garmin) was allowed off the front of the peloton with Lapthorne as he attacked.

The two men stayed ahead alone for 10 kilometres, until Canadian rider Phillip Cortes (Garneau-Club Chaussure) successfully bridged across to what become a lasting move.

Racing was brought to a stand still for nearly six minutes following the day's third climb. A wooden bridge following the descent was deemed too slippery to race across, so officials stopped the leaders while the peloton caught up and crossed the bridge. The three riders were then sent ahead by the same margin they'd started with as racing re-commenced.

His Beauce victory is Lapthorne's first at an International Cycling Union-ranked event since returning at January's Jayco Bay Series. Lapthorne, a former Australian Open Road Champion, had considered leaving the sport permanently after putting his career on hold to join father Dale search for sister Britt in Croatia after she went missing last September. Britt's body was later recovered floating off a resort in Croatia, but mystery continues to surround the circumstances of her death.

Swiss rider Danilo Wyss (BMC Racing Team) continues to lead the race overall.