Peter Sagan wins GP de Quebec City
Van Avermaet second, Roux third
World champion Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) sprinted to the finish line to take the victory at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec City. He caught late-race attacker and defending champion Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale-Drapac) just metres from the finish line to take the win ahead of Olympic gold medallist Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) and Anthony Roux (FDJ).
"I felt like I didn't need to go full gas on the last two climbs because the end is so hard. The last kilometre was a headwind, Rigoberto tried like last year, but today it was different,” Sagan said at the finish line.
"The last kilometre was very fast after 200km. I saw Rigoberto go, and I thought maybe we would play for second place, but he slowed toward the end because it was so hard. The FDJ rider [Roux] started the sprint and I was there, OK. It was unbelievable."
After a valiant effort by Orica-BikeExchange to keep all breakaways in check for much of the 201.6km race, it was Tinkoff, Team Sky and FDJ that lead the intact field into the final decisive climb over the Rue de la Montagne with roughly four kilometres to go.
Matteo Trentin (Etixx-QuickStep) forced an attack, and was quickly followed by Gianni Moscon (Team Sky) and Etixx teammate Julian Alaphilippe. Etixx had the numbers but neither of the two were strong enough to hold Moscon in line, and the Italian powered away from them to take a small lead, along with the the top-weighted KOM points to win the mountain classification with under two kilometres to go.
Uran made a familiar surprise attack, which netted him the day’s victory last year, and it looked as though he was going to repeat that success as he powered passed Canada’s iconic Chateau Frontenac with a clear gap and only 500 metres to go. But the uphill drag, which presented a headwind to boot this year, was too much for the Colombian.
He desperately tried to make it to the finish line, but the bunch sprint ensued behind.
Roux started the gallop with 200 metres to go but only succeeded in providing a spring board for both Sagan and Van Avermaet to drag race to the line. In the end, it was Sagan who proved fastest, leaving Van Avermaet in second and Roux in third.
How it happened
It has become a tradition at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec City for an all-day breakaway to be caught in the closing two laps, while the bunch sets up for a nail-biting finale, and this year’s edition proved to be another exciting one.
A decisive break set off early and included eight riders: Valerio Agnoli (Astana), Lars Bak (Lotto-Soudal), Maxim Belkov (Katusha), Twan Castelijns (LottoNL-Jumbo), Matt Brammeier (Dimension Data), Alexandre Pichot (Direct Energie), Jan Barta (Bora-Argon 18) and Nicolas Masbourain (Canada).
They worked together for two-thirds of the race, gaining a maximum of 3:30. Barta and Masbourain battled for the first sets of lower-level KOM points on offer over the Rue de la Montagne, a steep 10 per cent grade climb each lap, and it looked as though Barta had built a solid lead in the classification, if not for the more heavily weighted sets of points offered on the last two laps.
A relatively subdued field rolled along behind, largely led by the efforts of five riders: Christian Meier (Orica-BikeExchange), Laurens De Plus (Etixx-QuickStep), Manuel Senni (BMC), and Evgney Petrov and Michael Valgren Andersen (Tinkoff).
Bak made a last-ditch attack to shed his breakaway companions, but when push came to shove Orica-BikeExchange closed it down with roughly 40km to go, setting up the true race for the day’s glory over the last three laps.
Attacks came from Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-QuickStep) and Luke Rowe (Team Sky), and although they gained a quick 40 seconds, Orica snuffed out that move on the next climb over the Rue de la Montagne with 30km, two and half laps, to go.
A larger breakaway formed next with the likes of Fabio Aru (Astana), Rui Costa and Matej Mohoric (Lampre-Merida), Brent Bookwalter (BMC) and Sean De Bie (Lotto Soudal). It looked to have the makings of a promising move if it weren’t for Lampre-Merida having two riders represented, and in the end the others weren’t willing to work together.
Mohoric tried to go alone, but he wasn’t strong enough to hold off the chasing peloton on his own and was caught by a field led by Daryl Impey (Orica-BikeExchange).
That led the way for Bora-Argon18's Paul Voss. A move that was later countered by Oliver Naesen (IAM Cycling) but they, too, were reeled back in before the last climb up the Rue de la Montagne.
Tradition held true as the field made the left hand turn onto the Rue de la Montagne one last time, setting up the fireworks for the last kilometres of the race through old Quebec City.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team | 5:07:13 |
2 | Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team | |
3 | Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ | |
4 | Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac | |
5 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica-BikeExchange | |
6 | Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data | |
7 | Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
8 | Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo | |
9 | Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
10 | Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac | |
11 | Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team Katusha | |
12 | Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
13 | Rui Costa (Por) Lampre - Merida | |
14 | Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
15 | Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale-Drapac | |
16 | Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ | |
17 | Guillaume Boivin (Can) Canadian National Team | |
18 | Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
19 | Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
20 | Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Trek-Segafredo | 0:00:08 |
21 | Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
22 | Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
23 | Martin Elmiger (Swi) IAM Cycling | |
24 | Frank Schleck (Lux) Trek-Segafredo | |
25 | Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Cannondale-Drapac | |
26 | Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale | |
27 | Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale-Drapac | |
28 | Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
29 | David Tanner (Aus) IAM Cycling | |
30 | Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
31 | Mikel Nieve (Spa) Team Sky | |
32 | Sam Oomen (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
33 | Bruno Langlois (Can) Canadian National Team | 0:00:14 |
34 | Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team | |
35 | Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar Team | |
36 | Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct Energie | |
37 | Diego Rosa (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
38 | Tom Boonen (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:00:16 |
39 | Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | 0:00:18 |
40 | Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team | |
41 | Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team | |
42 | Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data | |
43 | Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar Team | |
44 | David Drouin (Can) Canadian National Team | |
45 | Oliver Zaugg (Swi) IAM Cycling | |
46 | Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling | 0:00:23 |
47 | Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:00:29 |
48 | Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky | 0:00:33 |
49 | Timo Roosen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | 0:00:35 |
50 | Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo | |
51 | Paul Voss (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
52 | Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 | 0:00:39 |
53 | Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
54 | Andre Cardoso (Por) Cannondale-Drapac | 0:00:47 |
55 | Cyril Gautier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:00:53 |
56 | Simone Petilli (Ita) Lampre - Merida | |
57 | Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Team | |
58 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff Team | 0:00:59 |
59 | Nikolas Maes (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:01:02 |
60 | Grégory Rast (Swi) Trek-Segafredo | |
61 | Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data | |
62 | Jon Izaguirre (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:01:24 |
63 | Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing Team | 0:01:56 |
64 | Matteo Trentin (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:02:03 |
65 | Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
66 | Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre - Merida | 0:02:24 |
67 | Moreno Hofland (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
68 | Oliver Naesen (Bel) IAM Cycling | |
69 | Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | |
70 | Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Argon 18 | |
71 | Aleksei Tsatevich (Rus) Team Katusha | |
72 | Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-BikeExchange | |
73 | Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky | |
74 | Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Team Katusha | |
75 | Olivier Le Gac (Fra) FDJ | |
76 | Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff Team | |
77 | Winner Anacona (Col) Movistar Team | |
78 | Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) FDJ | |
79 | William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ | 0:02:46 |
80 | Julien Berard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:02:52 |
81 | Reto Hollenstein (Swi) IAM Cycling | |
82 | Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale | |
83 | Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
84 | Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | |
85 | Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team | |
86 | Matej Mohoric (Slo) Lampre - Merida | |
87 | Dominik Nerz (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
88 | Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
89 | Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica-BikeExchange | |
90 | Philip Deignan (Irl) Team Sky | |
91 | Toms Skujins (Lat) Cannondale-Drapac | |
92 | Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:03:01 |
93 | Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
94 | Francisco Ventoso (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:03:48 |
95 | Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ | 0:03:57 |
96 | Antonio Pedrero (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:04:07 |
97 | Jarlinson Pantano (Col) IAM Cycling | |
98 | Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Orica-BikeExchange | 0:04:52 |
99 | Michael Valgren (Den) Tinkoff Team | |
100 | Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo | |
101 | Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | |
102 | Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre - Merida | 0:05:00 |
103 | Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff Team | |
104 | Bryan Coquard (Fra) Direct Energie | 0:05:02 |
105 | Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct Energie | 0:05:14 |
106 | Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:05:36 |
107 | Laurens De Plus (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
108 | Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Soudal | 0:06:00 |
109 | Joseph Rosskopf (USA) BMC Racing Team | |
110 | Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
111 | Benjamin Perry (Can) Canadian National Team | |
112 | Steve Morabito (Swi) FDJ | |
113 | Natnael Berhane (Eri) Dimension Data | |
114 | Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Direct Energie | |
115 | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto Soudal | 0:08:40 |
116 | Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
117 | Angel Vicioso (Spa) Team Katusha | |
118 | Jesus Herrada (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:09:17 |
DNF | Oscar Gatto (Ita) Tinkoff Team | |
DNF | Michal Kolár (Svk) Tinkoff Team | |
DNF | Lawson Craddock (USA) Cannondale-Drapac | |
DNF | Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Lotto Soudal | |
DNF | Adriano Malori (Ita) Movistar Team | |
DNF | Sebastian Henao (Col) Team Sky | |
DNF | Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky | |
DNF | Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky | |
DNF | Xabier Zandio (Spa) Team Sky | |
DNF | Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Peter Velits (Svk) BMC Racing Team | |
DNF | Maxim Belkov (Rus) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Simon Spilak (Slo) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Team Katusha | |
DNF | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
DNF | Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | |
DNF | Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica-BikeExchange | |
DNF | Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica-BikeExchange | |
DNF | Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-BikeExchange | |
DNF | Christian Meier (Can) Orica-BikeExchange | |
DNF | Julian Arredondo (Col) Trek-Segafredo | |
DNF | Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek-Segafredo | |
DNF | Jérémy Maison (Fra) FDJ | |
DNF | Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Maxat Ayazbayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Eros Capecchi (Ita) Astana Pro Team | |
DNF | Twan Castelijns (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
DNF | Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | |
DNF | Luka Pibernik (Slo) Lampre - Merida | |
DNF | Fredrik Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
DNF | Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
DNF | Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
DNF | Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | |
DNF | Jonathan Fumeaux (Swi) IAM Cycling | |
DNF | Matt Brammeier (Irl) Dimension Data | |
DNF | Youcef Reguigui (Alg) Dimension Data | |
DNF | Songezo Jim (RSA) Dimension Data | |
DNF | Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) Dimension Data | |
DNF | Yohann Gene (Fra) Direct Energie | |
DNF | Fabien Grellier (Fra) Direct Energie | |
DNF | Angelo Tulik (Fra) Direct Energie | |
DNF | Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct Energie | |
DNF | Jan Barta (Cze) Bora-Argon 18 | |
DNF | Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Argon 18 | |
DNF | Alexander Cataford (Can) Canadian National Team | |
DNF | Matteo Dal-Cin (Can) Canadian National Team | |
DNF | Nigel Ellsay (Can) Canadian National Team | |
DNF | Nicolas Masbourian (Can) Canadian National Team |
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