Peter Sagan wins Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec

Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) scored the 100th victory of his young but storied career, taking out the 2017 GP de Quebec with a powerful burst of speed in the final 50m.

The world champion had a clean pair of wheels on second-placed Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing), with Michael Matthews (Sunweb) sliding in for third. It was a repeat win for Sagan, who triumphed here last year in similar circumstances over Van Avermaet.

"It's like if you stamp the same results from last year," Sagan said. "The style of the race was very similar. The last kilometre, Rigoberto Urán attacked like always, and then went for the same in the last 100 meters."

Urán's teammates tried to counter his move in the final 200m, attacking on the right side of the road. But the Sunweb lead-out man for Matthews swung into their path, forcing Tom-Jelte Slagter to come around the long way. Sagan kept his cool and waited until there was a clear path up the centre, then blasted up the road to victory.

"It was hectic in the final. I decided I had to start at, I don't know, 100 metres, 150," Sagan said. "Thanks to my team. Bora-Hansgrohe did an amazing job. They were pulling all day at the front, and we were able to control the last three laps."

When asked about taking the 100th win of his career, Sagan was pleased but philosophical.

"100 is very nice. It's a nice number. But maybe it's better to live a hundred years," he said. "It's very nice but it's never enough. Once you're happy with something, you don't grow up, and we have to grow up always."

Van Avermaet never looked to be in contention once Sagan went, and explained, "I lost Sagan's wheel a little when he went, and I couldn't have come past him, so I am pretty happy about my race. I would love to win here but second is not too bad."

The Olympic champion has been building his form back after a hugely successful Spring Classics campaign and said he's happy with his form and feeling confident for his defense of the GP de Montreal title.

"For me, the most important thing is that I still have a lot of power in my legs over the last kilometer and from there, whether you win or not, is all in the details. Today I was second, and hopefully, when we go to Montreal, I can repeat the same result as last year."

How it unfolded

The first leg of the week's pair of WorldTour one-days kicked off under cloudy skies in Quebec City, but the rain held off and the skies ultimately cleared to make for a sunny afternoon of racing on 16 trips around a lumpy 12.6-kilometre circuit.

Pier-Andre Côté (Canada), Tyler Williams (Israel Cycling Academy), Tosh Van der Sande (Lotto Soudal) and Baptiste Planckaert (Katusha-Alpecin) formed the day's main breakaway, getting away from the pack on the first lap and rapidly working their way to a sizable advantage.

With two and a half minutes in hand after completing the first lap, the quartet build their lead all the way up to nine and a half minutes by the fourth lap, at which point the peloton finally decided to match their pace.

Brought down to around eight minutes, the gap hovered there or thereabouts for the better part of the next hundred kilometres with little change in the race situation until Côte began struggling and lost touch with the break with 70 kilometres to go.

Back in the pack, several teams began showing more of a concerted interest in bringing things back together. Bahrain-Merida, Sky, Bora-Hansgrohe and BMC all made their presence felt at the head of affairs, and the gap to the three leaders started falling.

At 50 kilometres to go, the advantage of the break was down to 5:30. 15 kilometres later the gap was at two and a half minutes and continuing to fall.

Van der Sande and Planckaert dropped Williams in the 14th of 16 laps, pushing on as two. With Orica-Scott and Trek-Segafredo lending a hand in the chase, however, the gap was down under a minute inside the penultimate lap.

As FDJ's Olivier Le Gac tried his luck off the front, Van der Sande called it a day in the escape. With Le Gac and Van der Sande reeled in, only Planckaert remained clear heading into the final lap of the race. He didn't hold out for long, with everything brought back together for the final lap.

Successive attacks by Sean De Bie (Lotto Soudal), Kenny Elissonde (Sky) and Roman Kreuziger (Orica-Scott) all came up short with Sagan's Bora-Hansgrohe squad playing a big part in reeling in the moves. When Urán's familiar strike on the long uphill drag to the line on the Grande Allée was brought to heel, it came down to the sprinters, with Sagan timing his move to perfection for the repeat win.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe5:00:31
2Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 1 - Cell 2
3Michael Matthews (Aus) Team SunwebRow 2 - Cell 2
4Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 3 - Cell 2
5Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 4 - Cell 2
6Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale-DrapacRow 5 - Cell 2
7Petr Vakoc (Cze) Quick-Step FloorsRow 6 - Cell 2
8Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Cannondale-DrapacRow 7 - Cell 2
9Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto SoudalRow 8 - Cell 2
10Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 9 - Cell 2
11Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 10 - Cell 2
12Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 11 - Cell 2
13Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension DataRow 12 - Cell 2
14Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La MondialeRow 13 - Cell 2
15Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale-DrapacRow 14 - Cell 2
16Sergio Henao (Col) Team SkyRow 15 - Cell 2
17Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La MondialeRow 16 - Cell 2
18Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-SegafredoRow 17 - Cell 2
19Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar TeamRow 18 - Cell 2
20Jesus Herrada (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 19 - Cell 2
21Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 20 - Cell 2
22Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica-ScottRow 21 - Cell 2
23Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha-AlpecinRow 22 - Cell 2
24Oscar Gatto (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-ScottRow 24 - Cell 2
26Grega Bole (Slo) Bahrain-MeridaRow 25 - Cell 2
27Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 26 - Cell 2
28Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJRow 27 - Cell 2
29Guillaume Boivin (Can) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 28 - Cell 2
30Carlos Barbero (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 29 - Cell 2
31Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 30 - Cell 2
32Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 31 - Cell 2
33Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-ScottRow 32 - Cell 2
34Rick Zabel (Ger) Katusha-AlpecinRow 33 - Cell 2
35Pieter Serry (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 34 - Cell 2
36Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo0:00:12
37Mathias Frank (Swi) AG2R La MondialeRow 36 - Cell 2
38Timo Roosen (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 37 - Cell 2
39Julien Vermote (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 38 - Cell 2
40Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Team SkyRow 39 - Cell 2
41Valerio Conti (Ita) UAE Team Emirates0:00:17
42Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Quick-Step FloorsRow 41 - Cell 2
43Marco Marcato (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 42 - Cell 2
44Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Quick-Step FloorsRow 43 - Cell 2
45Simon Geschke (Ger) Team SunwebRow 44 - Cell 2
46Rúben Guerreiro (Por) Trek-SegafredoRow 45 - Cell 2
47Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-DrapacRow 46 - Cell 2
48Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team SunwebRow 47 - Cell 2
49Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team SunwebRow 48 - Cell 2
50Nathan Brown (USA) Cannondale-DrapacRow 49 - Cell 2
51Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Team SkyRow 50 - Cell 2
52Bruno Langlois (Can) CanadaRow 51 - Cell 2
53Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-SegafredoRow 52 - Cell 2
54Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Dimension DataRow 53 - Cell 2
55Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Orica-ScottRow 54 - Cell 2
56Antoine Duchesne (Can) Canada0:00:25
57Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Cannondale-DrapacRow 56 - Cell 2
58Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-ScottRow 57 - Cell 2
59Simone Petilli (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 58 - Cell 2
60Winner Anacona (Col) Movistar TeamRow 59 - Cell 2
61Michael Schär (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 60 - Cell 2
62Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 61 - Cell 2
63Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 62 - Cell 2
64Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha-AlpecinRow 63 - Cell 2
65Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) FDJRow 64 - Cell 2
66Michal Golas (Pol) Team SkyRow 65 - Cell 2
67Cyril Gautier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:00:38
68Luka Pibernik (Slo) Bahrain-Merida0:00:41
69Mitch Docker (Aus) Orica-ScottRow 68 - Cell 2
70Jay McCarthy (Aus) Bora-HansgroheRow 69 - Cell 2
71Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ0:00:48
72Jose Herrada (Spa) Movistar Team0:00:51
73Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 72 - Cell 2
74Olivier Le Gac (Fra) FDJ0:01:01
75Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica-Scott0:01:06
76Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 75 - Cell 2
77Jack Burke (Can) CanadaRow 76 - Cell 2
78Nuno Bico (Por) Movistar TeamRow 77 - Cell 2
79Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Katusha-AlpecinRow 78 - Cell 2
80Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Katusha-AlpecinRow 79 - Cell 2
81Stephen Cummings (GBr) Dimension DataRow 80 - Cell 2
82Heinrich Haussler (Aus) Bahrain-MeridaRow 81 - Cell 2
83Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) Bora-Hansgrohe0:01:12
84Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe0:01:15
85Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) FDJ0:01:25
86Benoit Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ0:01:38
87Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:01:43
88Kenny Elissonde (Fra) Team SkyRow 87 - Cell 2
89Sebastian Henao (Col) Team SkyRow 88 - Cell 2
90Natnael Berhane (Eri) Dimension DataRow 89 - Cell 2
91Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:01:56
92Krists Neilands (Lat) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 91 - Cell 2
93Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Soudal0:02:08
94Jack Bauer (NZl) Quick-Step FloorsRow 93 - Cell 2
95Bram Tankink (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 94 - Cell 2
96Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Trek-SegafredoRow 95 - Cell 2
97Gregory Daniel (USA) Trek-SegafredoRow 96 - Cell 2
98Georg Preidler (Aut) Team SunwebRow 97 - Cell 2
99Ryan Anderson (Can) CanadaRow 98 - Cell 2
100Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 99 - Cell 2
101Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Bahrain-Merida0:02:31
102Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale0:02:33
103Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team SunwebRow 102 - Cell 2
104Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) UAE Team EmiratesRow 103 - Cell 2
105Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-Segafredo0:02:49
106Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro Team0:02:53
107Matteo Dal-Cin (Can) Canada0:03:02
108Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale-DrapacRow 107 - Cell 2
109Guy Sagiv (Isr) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 108 - Cell 2
110Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Bora-HansgroheRow 109 - Cell 2
111Kristijan Durasek (Cro) UAE Team EmiratesRow 110 - Cell 2
112Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 111 - Cell 2
113Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension DataRow 112 - Cell 2
114Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Bahrain-Merida0:03:26
115Juraj Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe0:03:41
116Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing TeamRow 115 - Cell 2
117Ben Swift (GBr) UAE Team Emirates0:04:27
118Ian Boswell (USA) Team SkyRow 117 - Cell 2
119Amael Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing TeamRow 118 - Cell 2
120Thomas Leezer (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 119 - Cell 2
121Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:04:53
122Mihkel Räim (Est) Israel Cycling Academy0:05:59
123Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 122 - Cell 2
124Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team0:06:04
125Jhonatan Restrepo (Col) Katusha-Alpecin0:10:23
126Tyler Williams (USA) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 125 - Cell 2
127Ruben Plaza (Spa) Orica-ScottRow 126 - Cell 2
128Victor De La Parte (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 127 - Cell 2
129Léo Vincent (Fra) FDJRow 128 - Cell 2
130Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 129 - Cell 2
131Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 130 - Cell 2
132Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension DataRow 131 - Cell 2
133Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La MondialeRow 132 - Cell 2
134Twan Castelijns (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 133 - Cell 2
135Edward Ravasi (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 134 - Cell 2
136Jaco Venter (RSA) Dimension DataRow 135 - Cell 2
137Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Quick-Step Floors0:11:01
138Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 137 - Cell 2
139Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Katusha-AlpecinRow 138 - Cell 2
140Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek-Segafredo0:11:07
141Benjamin Perry (Can) Israel Cycling Academy0:11:22
142Lawson Craddock (USA) Cannondale-Drapac0:17:06
DNFPascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-HansgroheRow 142 - Cell 2
DNFPhilip Deignan (Irl) Team SkyRow 143 - Cell 2
DNFAlbert Timmer (Ned) Team SunwebRow 144 - Cell 2
DNFZico Waeytens (Bel) Team SunwebRow 145 - Cell 2
DNFHéctor Carretero (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 146 - Cell 2
DNFChristophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 147 - Cell 2
DNFÁngel Vicioso (Spa) Katusha-AlpecinRow 148 - Cell 2
DNFTosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 149 - Cell 2
DNFBorut Bozic (Slo) Bahrain-MeridaRow 150 - Cell 2
DNFJakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro TeamRow 151 - Cell 2
DNFMoreno Moser (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 152 - Cell 2
DNFPaolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 153 - Cell 2
DNFKevin Reza (Fra) FDJRow 154 - Cell 2
DNFBen O'Connor (Aus) Dimension DataRow 155 - Cell 2
DNFPier-Andre Cote (Can) CanadaRow 156 - Cell 2
DNFAlexander Cowan (Can) CanadaRow 157 - Cell 2
DNFMarc-Antoine Soucy (Can) CanadaRow 158 - Cell 2
DNFZakkari Dempster (Aus) Israel Cycling AcademyRow 159 - Cell 2

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