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 | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica-BikeExchange | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre - Merida | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
12 | Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
13 | Rui Costa (Por) Lampre - Merida | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
15 | Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Yoann Offredo (Fra) FDJ | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
17 | Guillaume Boivin (Can) Canadian National Team | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
20 | Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Trek-Segafredo | 0:00:08 |
21 | Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Martin Elmiger (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
24 | Frank Schleck (Lux) Trek-Segafredo | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
25 | Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
29 | David Tanner (Aus) IAM Cycling | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
30 | Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre - Merida | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
31 | Mikel Nieve (Spa) Team Sky | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Sam Oomen (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Bruno Langlois (Can) Canadian National Team | 0:00:14 |
34 | Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
35 | Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar Team | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
36 | Antoine Duchesne (Can) Direct Energie | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
37 | Diego Rosa (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
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 | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
41 | Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
42 | Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
43 | Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar Team | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
44 | David Drouin (Can) Canadian National Team | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
45 | Oliver Zaugg (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
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 | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Paul Voss (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 | 0:00:39 |
53 | Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | Row 52 - Cell 2 |
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 | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Team | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
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 | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
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 | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre - Merida | 0:02:24 |
67 | Moreno Hofland (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Oliver Naesen (Bel) IAM Cycling | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 68 - Cell 2 |
70 | Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Aleksei Tsatevich (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 70 - Cell 2 |
72 | Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-BikeExchange | Row 71 - Cell 2 |
73 | Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | Olivier Le Gac (Fra) FDJ | Row 74 - Cell 2 |
76 | Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff Team | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Winner Anacona (Col) Movistar Team | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) FDJ | Row 77 - Cell 2 |
79 | William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ | 0:02:46 |
80 | Julien Berard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:02:52 |
81 | Reto Hollenstein (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 80 - Cell 2 |
82 | Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 83 - Cell 2 |
85 | Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team | Row 84 - Cell 2 |
86 | Matej Mohoric (Slo) Lampre - Merida | Row 85 - Cell 2 |
87 | Dominik Nerz (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 86 - Cell 2 |
88 | Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 87 - Cell 2 |
89 | Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica-BikeExchange | Row 88 - Cell 2 |
90 | Philip Deignan (Irl) Team Sky | Row 89 - Cell 2 |
91 | Toms Skujins (Lat) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:03:01 |
93 | Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
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 | Row 96 - Cell 2 |
98 | Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Orica-BikeExchange | 0:04:52 |
99 | Michael Valgren (Den) Tinkoff Team | Row 98 - Cell 2 |
100 | Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 100 - Cell 2 |
102 | Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre - Merida | 0:05:00 |
103 | Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff Team | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
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 | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
108 | Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Soudal | 0:06:00 |
109 | Joseph Rosskopf (USA) BMC Racing Team | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
110 | Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 109 - Cell 2 |
111 | Benjamin Perry (Can) Canadian National Team | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
112 | Steve Morabito (Swi) FDJ | Row 111 - Cell 2 |
113 | Natnael Berhane (Eri) Dimension Data | Row 112 - Cell 2 |
114 | Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Direct Energie | Row 113 - Cell 2 |
115 | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto Soudal | 0:08:40 |
116 | Bert De Backer (Bel) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 115 - Cell 2 |
117 | Angel Vicioso (Spa) Team Katusha | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
118 | Jesus Herrada (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:09:17 |
DNF | Oscar Gatto (Ita) Tinkoff Team | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Michal Kolár (Svk) Tinkoff Team | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lawson Craddock (USA) Cannondale-Drapac | Row 120 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kris Boeckmans (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 121 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Adriano Malori (Ita) Movistar Team | Row 122 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sebastian Henao (Col) Team Sky | Row 123 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team Sky | Row 124 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Luke Rowe (GBr) Team Sky | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Xabier Zandio (Spa) Team Sky | Row 126 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team | Row 127 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team | Row 128 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Peter Velits (Svk) BMC Racing Team | Row 129 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Maxim Belkov (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Vladimir Isaychev (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 131 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Simon Spilak (Slo) Team Katusha | Row 132 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Team Katusha | Row 133 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 134 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 135 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica-BikeExchange | Row 136 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica-BikeExchange | Row 137 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-BikeExchange | Row 138 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Christian Meier (Can) Orica-BikeExchange | Row 139 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Julian Arredondo (Col) Trek-Segafredo | Row 140 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Stijn Devolder (Bel) Trek-Segafredo | Row 141 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jérémy Maison (Fra) FDJ | Row 142 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 143 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Maxat Ayazbayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team | Row 144 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Eros Capecchi (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 145 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Twan Castelijns (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 146 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo | Row 147 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Luka Pibernik (Slo) Lampre - Merida | Row 148 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Fredrik Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 149 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 150 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 151 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 152 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jonathan Fumeaux (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 153 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Matt Brammeier (Irl) Dimension Data | Row 154 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Youcef Reguigui (Alg) Dimension Data | Row 155 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Songezo Jim (RSA) Dimension Data | Row 156 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) Dimension Data | Row 157 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Yohann Gene (Fra) Direct Energie | Row 158 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Fabien Grellier (Fra) Direct Energie | Row 159 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Angelo Tulik (Fra) Direct Energie | Row 160 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Direct Energie | Row 161 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jan Barta (Cze) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 162 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Argon 18 | Row 163 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alexander Cataford (Can) Canadian National Team | Row 164 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Matteo Dal-Cin (Can) Canadian National Team | Row 165 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nigel Ellsay (Can) Canadian National Team | Row 166 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nicolas Masbourian (Can) Canadian National Team | Row 167 - Cell 2 |
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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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