Frenchman Benoît Cosnefroy broke away from the peloton on the last lap and won the 11th edition of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec on Friday.
The Australian Michael Matthews, champion of the two previous editions, won the title of vice-champion. Eritrean Biniam Girmay completed the podium.
The cream of international cyclists were back in Canada for the first time since 2019. The 147 cyclists from 21 teams will head to Montreal for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Cosnefroy pulled out of the game with several hundred meters to negotiate on the last lap.
“To be honest, it was premeditated. I wanted to attack in this difficulty, it worked,” admitted the AG2R Citroën rider who stopped the clock for the 16-lap race after four hours, 46 minutes and 56 seconds.
“It’s unbelievable, I don’t realize what’s happening to me, it’s very hard to win here,” he added.
This victory, alone, “changes my season” added the Frenchman who also underlined his love for the Quebec event.
Belgian Wout van Aert, one of the favorites in the race, finished five seconds behind Cosnefroy and secured fourth position.
Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, winner of the Tour de France in 2020 and 2021, took 24th place.
Quebecer Guillaume Boivin took the 45th rung and was the best Canadian in the running.
“I’m going to channel my frustration on Sunday’s race,” said Boivin, disappointed with his result.
The Saguenéen Antoine Duchesne, who announced his retirement the day before the competition, took the 66th place. The Groupama-FDJ team rider will take part in his last competition on Sunday in Montreal.
With 35 km to go, Quebecer Hugo Houle, Boivin’s teammate at Israel-Premier Tech, threw in the towel. The winner of a stage of the Grande Boucle in 2022 was the best Canadian on this course during the last edition.
“I didn’t have the legs today,” Houle said after the race. I suffered a lot. »
Lévisien Pier-André Côté was the 111th cyclist to cross the finish line.
Canadian Miles Carson, who led the race for about 100 kilometres, was forced to retire. Quebecers Nicolas Rivard and Nicolas Côté were also unable to complete the race.
Champion of the 2016 and 2017 editions, the Slovak Peter Sagan was forced to retire with 36 km to go.
The thread of the race:
34th kilometer: five riders, including Canadian Carson Miles, break away and give themselves a four-minute priority over the peloton.
57th kilometer: the five riders in the leading group continued to exchange leads and maintained their lead of just over four minutes.
100th km: halfway through the race, the breakaway contingent maintains its lead. The peloton did not drop any riders.
135th kilometer: Miles no longer maintains the rhythm and the group of leaders is reduced to four. The peloton is approaching nearly three minutes from the leaders.
160th km: A group of five pursuers led by the American Quinn Simmons breaks away from the peloton and is close to the leaders by less than a minute.
172nd kilometer: lThe pursuers have caught up with the leaders and the peloton is approaching a handful of seconds from the lead.
180th kilometer: at the start of the final lap, the headliners, including Tadej Pogacar and Wout van Aert, position themselves at the head of the peloton.
200th km: with 1200 meters to go, Benoît Cosnefroy gives himself a priority of several seconds. He stands up to the push of the rivals and triumphs.