Costa claims GP Montreal

Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Movistar) out-paced a late-race breakaway of three to secure the victory at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal on Sunday.

The Portuguese climber won the drag race to the line ahead of Pierrick Fedrigo (FDJ) in second. It was the third win of the season for the 25-year-old after his Tour de France stage win at Super Besse and the overall victory in the Vuelta a la Comunidad de Madrid.

“This is a very important victory because it is a WorldTour win,” Costa said. “The Tour win was also a special victory, obviously, because the Tour is the Tour and that is the biggest race that you can win at. But, I felt really strong today and I think I had a really strong team.”

Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec winner Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) put in a stunning final bid to catch the trio ahead and sprinted from a chasing group, but fell short catching only Stefan Denifl (Leopard Trek) but failing to close down the two seconds to the riders ahead.

Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Cervelo) earned the events Best Canadian Rider award for finishing 11th place on the day. Danny Pate (HTC-Highroad) won the King of the Mountain (KOM) compeition, while Yukiya Arashiro (Europcar) secured the Most Aggressive rider award for his lengthy time spent in the breakaway.

"I can’t say that I am disappointed to race here in Canada, Quebec City and Montreal," said Hesjedal who came into the races as a favourite. "For me, it is a very important part of the season. Even if I was last both days I would still have enjoyed myself."

Last lap furry over Mont Royal

Costa launched an attack out of a fading breakaway on the last climb up the circuit’s decisive Mont Royal. He was quickly followed by Rigoberto Uran (Sky Pro Cycling) and Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Cervelo). Behind the trio, several riders made their respective attacks including Robert Gesink (Rabobank).

A three-man move was the next to go on the descent through the city streets that included Costa, Fedrigo and Denfil. "The problem in the finale was that I was a little bit out of competition and had cramps," said Fedrigo, who is recovering from Lyme disease. "I’m not at my best level but I am on my way back."

A fierce chase from behind was led by Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Cervelo) in an attempt to close the roughly seven-second gap to the three breakaway riders with five kilometres to go.

Olympic gold medalist Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) was the next to make a move out of the chase group. However, the tactics between the chase group resulted in the breakaway gaining an additional 10 seconds on the descent along Ste-Catherine down to the finish line on Avenue du Parc.

Gilbert started the small bunch sprint behind the breakaway riders with roughly 800 metres to go and passed Denfil at the line for third place.

"We came down the climb with a 15-second lead and so we were pretty confident that we would stay away," Costa said. "We never looked back. Once the red flame was over, the only thing left in my mind was to win. There was not thinking of anything else. I knew that Fedrigo was the man to beat and I went for it."

Four men make the breakaway on Mont Royal

The peloton lined up on Avenue du Parc for the second annual UCI WorldTour Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal on September 11, in a moment of silence in memory of the 9/11 tragedy.

The 205.7km race took place on a challenging circuit previously used as a World Championships course in 1974, Olympic Games in 1976, a men’s World Cup in the 1980s and 1990s, and a women’s World Cup in the 1990s and 2000s.

The riders contested 17 laps of a 12.1km loop that started along Avenue du Parc at the base of circuit’s significant ascent up Mont Royal. Riders descended the Chemin Remembrance and the Cote des Neiges before beginning a technical battle through the downtown streets surrounding the Universite de Montreal. The continued along a lengthy descent down the Cote Ste-Catherines back onto Avenue du Parc to the finish line.

A breakaway of 18 riders rode off the front of an aggressive peloton on the first climb over Mont Royal. The peloton merged back together on the lengthy descent along Ste-Catherines. Sylvester Szmyd (Liquigas-Cannondale) stretched his legs over the climb on the third lap picking up points toward the KOM competition.

Danny Pate (HTC-Highroad) was the next to go over Mont Royal on the fourth lap. He was later joined by Danilo Di Luca (Katusha), Yukiya Arashiro (Europcar) and Anthony Geslin (FDJ).

Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) was forced to take a bike change due to a mechanical at the start of the fifth lap, and luck continued to elude Gilbert as he was forced off his bike a second time, this time crashing into the course fence at the end of the fifth lap. He utilized help from teammates Maarten Neyens and Oscar Pujol to get back into the peloton on Mont Royal at the start of lap six.

"Honestly, I think that third place is a superb result because I crashed and I was really scared," Gilbert said. "When I hit the ground I told myself maybe it was over for the world championships. I managed to get back on the bike and I felt better as the race went."

The breakaway of four riders continued to work well together increasing their gap to 6:30. The gap dropped significantly to four minutes during laps seven, eight and nine. Rabobank and Sky Pro Cycling were responsible for setting a strong tempo.

Di Luca made use of his time off the front of the field by picking up the majority of KOM points at the top of Mont Royal each lap. The leaders gap decreased to 2:45 minutes with five laps to go, as strong climbers back in the peloton rallied toward the front of the field before Mont Royal. The four were reeled back in on the 15th lap.

The demise of an all-day breakaway of four rider led to a new and larger group of opportunist that included David Veilleux (Europcar), Svein Tuft (SpiderTech p/b C10), Michael Barry (Sky Pro Cycling), Tom Danielson (Garmin-Cervelo), Maarten Wynants (Rabobank), Danny Pate (HTC-Highroad), Gregory Rast (RadioShack), Cristiano Salerno (Liquigas-Cannondale), Gorazd Stangelj (Astana), Alberto Faria (Movistar), Francesco Reda (Quick Step), Jean-ChristophePeraud (AG2R-La Mondiale), Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil-DCM) and Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis Le Credit).

Barry made his move on the ascent with two laps to go opening up a small gap ahead of his breakaway companions. His move was later countered by Peraud on the shorter and steeper ascents through the city.

Back in the field, Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) launch an attack over the climb and was followed by top climbers Robert Gesink (Rabobank) and Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Cervelo). The peloton reunited on the descent down onto the technical city streets, in continued pursuit of the 14-man breakaway ahead with a mere nine-second lead.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Rui Alberto Faria Costa (Por) Movistar Team5:20:18
2Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) FDJRow 1 - Cell 2
3Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto0:00:02
4Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Omega Pharma-LottoRow 3 - Cell 2
5Stefan Denifl (Aut) Leopard TrekRow 4 - Cell 2
6Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Lampre - ISD0:00:04
7Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 6 - Cell 2
8Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJRow 7 - Cell 2
9Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRow 8 - Cell 2
10Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Leopard TrekRow 9 - Cell 2
11Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Team Garmin-CerveloRow 10 - Cell 2
12Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Quickstep Cycling TeamRow 11 - Cell 2
13Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 12 - Cell 2
14Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 13 - Cell 2
15Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky ProcyclingRow 14 - Cell 2
16Tony Gallopin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 15 - Cell 2
17Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 16 - Cell 2
18Ben Hermans (Bel) Team RadioShackRow 17 - Cell 2
19George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 18 - Cell 2
20Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quickstep Cycling TeamRow 19 - Cell 2
21Anders Lund (Den) Leopard TrekRow 20 - Cell 2
22David Veilleux (Can) Team EuropcarRow 21 - Cell 2
23Simone Ponzi (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 22 - Cell 2
24Luis Pasamontes Rodriguez (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Jan Ghyselinck (Bel) HTC-HighroadRow 24 - Cell 2
26Peter Stetina (USA) Team Garmin-CerveloRow 25 - Cell 2
27Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 26 - Cell 2
28Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team0:00:10
29Hayden Roulston (NZl) HTC-HighroadRow 28 - Cell 2
30Miguel Minguez Ayala (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 29 - Cell 2
31Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJRow 30 - Cell 2
32Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 31 - Cell 2
33Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Pro Team AstanaRow 32 - Cell 2
34Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 33 - Cell 2
35Gustav Larsson (Swe) Saxo Bank SungardRow 34 - Cell 2
36Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 35 - Cell 2
37Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team RadioShackRow 36 - Cell 2
38Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Katusha TeamRow 37 - Cell 2
39Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 38 - Cell 2
40André Steensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard0:00:14
41Bruno Pires (Por) Leopard TrekRow 40 - Cell 2
42Mauro Finetto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale0:00:16
43Timothy Duggan (USA) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 42 - Cell 2
44Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 43 - Cell 2
45Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky ProcyclingRow 44 - Cell 2
46Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quickstep Cycling TeamRow 45 - Cell 2
47Jesús Herrada Lopez (Spa) Movistar Team0:00:21
48Simon Clarke (Aus) Pro Team AstanaRow 47 - Cell 2
49Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 48 - Cell 2
50Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Sky Procycling0:00:28
51Matteo Trentin (Ita) Quickstep Cycling TeamRow 50 - Cell 2
52Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing TeamRow 51 - Cell 2
53Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ0:00:32
54Michael Barry (Can) Sky Procycling0:00:34
55Christian Vande Velde (USA) Team Garmin-CerveloRow 54 - Cell 2
56Brian Vandborg (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard0:00:38
57Rubén Plaza Molina (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 56 - Cell 2
58Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team0:00:40
59Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Sky Procycling0:00:43
60Maciej Paterski (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale0:00:44
61Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:03:44
62Francois Parisien (Can) Team Spidertech Powered By C100:04:43
63Edward King (USA) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 62 - Cell 2
64Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 63 - Cell 2
65Benjamin King (USA) Team RadioShackRow 64 - Cell 2
66Svein Tuft (Can) Team Spidertech Powered By C10Row 65 - Cell 2
67Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 66 - Cell 2
68Cristiano Salerno (Ita) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 67 - Cell 2
69Martin Mortensen (Den) Leopard TrekRow 68 - Cell 2
70Leonardo Fabio Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 69 - Cell 2
71Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky ProcyclingRow 70 - Cell 2
72Anthony Geslin (Fra) FDJRow 71 - Cell 2
73Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 72 - Cell 2
74Francesco Reda (Ita) Quickstep Cycling TeamRow 73 - Cell 2
75Egor Silin (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 74 - Cell 2
76Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 75 - Cell 2
77Michel Kreder (Ned) Team Garmin-CerveloRow 76 - Cell 2
78Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 77 - Cell 2
79Óscar Pujol Muñoz (Spa) Omega Pharma-Lotto0:04:48
80Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Saxo Bank Sungard0:04:56
81John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 80 - Cell 2
82Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Leopard TrekRow 81 - Cell 2
83Thomas Danielson (USA) Team Garmin-CerveloRow 82 - Cell 2
84Philip Deignan (Irl) Team RadioShackRow 83 - Cell 2
85Marcello Pavarin (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 84 - Cell 2
86Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Garmin-CerveloRow 85 - Cell 2
87Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Team Europcar0:06:53
88Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Team EuropcarRow 87 - Cell 2
89Grégory Rast (Swi) Team RadioShackRow 88 - Cell 2
90David Loosli (Swi) Lampre - ISDRow 89 - Cell 2
91Danny Pate (USA) HTC-HighroadRow 90 - Cell 2
92Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJRow 91 - Cell 2
93Tristan Valentin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne0:08:24
94Kristijan Koren (Slo) Liquigas-CannondaleRow 93 - Cell 2
95Grega Bole (Slo) Lampre - ISDRow 94 - Cell 2
96Simon Spilak (Slo) Lampre - ISDRow 95 - Cell 2
97Michael Mørkøv (Den) Saxo Bank SungardRow 96 - Cell 2
98Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Saxo Bank SungardRow 97 - Cell 2
99Bart De Clercq (Bel) Omega Pharma-LottoRow 98 - Cell 2
100Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 99 - Cell 2
101Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 100 - Cell 2
102Julien Vermote (Bel) Quickstep Cycling TeamRow 101 - Cell 2
103Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 102 - Cell 2
104Pavel Brutt (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 103 - Cell 2
105Yannick Eijssen (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 104 - Cell 2
106Enrique Sanz (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 105 - Cell 2
107Gatis Smukulis (Lat) HTC-HighroadRow 106 - Cell 2
108Ryan Roth (Can) Team Spidertech Powered By C10Row 107 - Cell 2
109Javier Iriarte (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 108 - Cell 2
110Caleb Fairly (USA) HTC-HighroadRow 109 - Cell 2
111Jeffry Louder (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 110 - Cell 2
112Laurent Didier (Lux) Saxo Bank Sungard0:10:24
DNFJos Van Emden (Ned) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 112 - Cell 2
DNFMaarten Wynants (Bel) Rabobank Cycling TeamRow 113 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Peterson (USA) Team Garmin-CerveloRow 114 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Zabriskie (USA) Team Garmin-CerveloRow 115 - Cell 2
DNFMaarten Neyens (Bel) Omega Pharma-LottoRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFKlaas Lodewyck (Bel) Omega Pharma-LottoRow 117 - Cell 2
DNFSven Vandousselaere (Bel) Omega Pharma-LottoRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFJussi Veikkanen (Fin) Omega Pharma-LottoRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFJeremy Hunt (GBr) Sky ProcyclingRow 120 - Cell 2
DNFChristian Knees (Ger) Sky ProcyclingRow 121 - Cell 2
DNFMikel Astarloza (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 122 - Cell 2
DNFAlan Perez Lezaun (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 123 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Sicard (Fra) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 124 - Cell 2
DNFIván Velasco Murillo (Spa) Euskaltel-EuskadiRow 125 - Cell 2
DNFBrice Feillu (Fra) Leopard TrekRow 126 - Cell 2
DNFAlessandro Ballan (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 127 - Cell 2
DNFThimothy Roe (Aus) BMC Racing TeamRow 128 - Cell 2
DNFDanilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 129 - Cell 2
DNFTejay Van Garderen (USA) HTC-HighroadRow 130 - Cell 2
DNFPatrick Gretsch (Ger) HTC-HighroadRow 131 - Cell 2
DNFMarco Pinotti (Ita) HTC-HighroadRow 132 - Cell 2
DNFAlfredo Balloni (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 133 - Cell 2
DNFMatteo Bono (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 134 - Cell 2
DNFEnrico Magazzini (Ita) Lampre - ISDRow 135 - Cell 2
DNFJesús Hernandez Blazquez (Spa) Saxo Bank SungardRow 136 - Cell 2
DNFManuel Antonio Leal Cardoso (Por) Team RadioShackRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFRobert Hunter (RSA) Team RadioShackRow 138 - Cell 2
DNFJason McCartney (USA) Team RadioShackRow 139 - Cell 2
DNFFilippo Pozzato (Ita) Katusha TeamRow 140 - Cell 2
DNFDanilo Di Luca (Ita) Katusha TeamRow 141 - Cell 2
DNFSerguei Ivanov (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFPetr Ignatenko (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFNikolay Trusov (Rus) Katusha TeamRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFAllan Davis (Aus) Pro Team AstanaRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFDmitriy Fofonov (Kaz) Pro Team AstanaRow 146 - Cell 2
DNFMaxim Gourov (Kaz) Pro Team AstanaRow 147 - Cell 2
DNFSergey Renev (Kaz) Pro Team AstanaRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFYevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy (Kaz) Pro Team AstanaRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Arroyo Duran (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 150 - Cell 2
DNFAddy Engels (Ned) Quickstep Cycling TeamRow 151 - Cell 2
DNFJérôme Pineau (Fra) Quickstep Cycling TeamRow 152 - Cell 2
DNFMartin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La MondialeRow 153 - Cell 2
DNFSébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFBlel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFWouter Mol (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFFrederik Veuchelen (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling TeamRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFPierre Rolland (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFJerome Cousin (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 159 - Cell 2
DNFTony Hurel (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 160 - Cell 2
DNFSaïd Haddou (Fra) Team EuropcarRow 161 - Cell 2
DNFCédric Pineau (Fra) FDJRow 162 - Cell 2
DNFDominique Rollin (Can) FDJRow 163 - Cell 2
DNFMickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 164 - Cell 2
DNFRémi Cusin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 165 - Cell 2
DNFJean-Eudes Demaret (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 166 - Cell 2
DNFRomain Zingle (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En LigneRow 167 - Cell 2
DNFJonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Team Spidertech Powered By C10Row 168 - Cell 2
DNFRyan Anderson (Can) Team Spidertech Powered By C10Row 169 - Cell 2
DNFBruno Langlois (Can) Team Spidertech Powered By C10Row 170 - Cell 2
DNFLucas Euser (USA) Team Spidertech Powered By C10Row 171 - Cell 2
DNFWill Routley (Can) Team Spidertech Powered By C10Row 172 - Cell 2

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Kirsten Frattini
Deputy Editor

Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.

Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.

She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.

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