Race Document: The 12th version of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec was once gained via Arnaud De Lie. The Belgian looked to be in a hopeless place to start out the overall dash, however controlled to move Corbin Robust and Michael Matthews with an outstanding dash. This is a particular victory for the nonetheless handiest 21 year-old De Lie as it’s his first triumph at WorldTour degree.
Québec’23:
The WorldTour peloton traveled to Canada for the GP de Québec and the GP de Montréal. The Québec race was once hung on Friday. The course was once similar to closing 12 months and 2019. 16 laps of 12.6 kilometres, for a complete distance of 201.6 kilometres with nearly 3,000 metres of mountaineering. It might be a fight between the puncheurs and the robust sprinters. Earlier than the beginning, Mattias Skjelmose, Valentin Madouas, Christophe Laporte, Arnaud De Lie and Matej Mohorič had been the begins of the day. After some preliminary fruitless assault makes an attempt, Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek), Mauri Vansevenant (Soudal Fast-Step), Gianmarco Garofoli (Astana Qazaqstan) and David Lozano (Group Novo Nordisk) escaped the peloton. Jonas Iversby Hvideberg attempted to sign up for them, however failed.
The lead of Vansevenant, Vacek, Lozano and Garofoli was once at 4 mins. Within the peloton, the chase was once led via the lads of Intermarché-Circus-Wanty for Biniam Girmay and Tudor for the Dane Alexander Kamp. Those groups stuck the escapees 40 kilometres from the end. The race was once about to blow up, however Ilan Van Wilder of Soudal Fast-Step crashed with a number of different riders within the feed zone. Van Wilder was once quickly again on his motorbike and was once in a position to rejoin after a chase, however the peloton was once now at most sensible velocity. There was once a brand new variety as Fausto Masnada attacked on the entrance and the retiring Daryl Impey was once in bother on the again. The Italian of Soudal Fast-Step was once pulled again, however his assault was once a catalyst for a brand new acceleration from the peloton, however once more those makes an attempt had been temporarily nipped within the bud. When coming into the closing 30 kilometres, Lidl-Trek put the drive on. This ended in a brand new variety, however there was once no cut up. We began the closing two laps of the GP de Québec with a peloton of 80 riders. An assault got here 16 kilometres from the end and it was once Ben Healy who tore the race aside. This didn’t closing lengthy, as a result of Pavel Sivakov made his transfer, however the French-Russian climber additionally didn’t escape. Nicola Conci was once the following to check out, however once more it got here to not anything.
No wreck succeeded
On the bell for the overall lap, the entrance workforce consisted of about 70 riders. A number dash appeared to be an excessively reasonable state of affairs, even if there have been a couple of quick climbs prior to the end. At the Côte de los angeles Montagne there was once an assault via Benoît Cosnefroy. The Frenchman gained in Québec closing 12 months after a overdue get away and sought after to copy that win. The Frenchman opened a promising hole, however became out to not be robust sufficient to proceed his effort. Cosnefroy was once stuck once more with simply over 2 kilometres to head and the bunch may get ready for the dash. Jumbo-Visma opened the lead-out for Laporte, however the Frenchman wasn’t located neatly. Corbin Robust was once in the fitting position and looked to be on his strategy to a shocking victory, however Arnaud De Lie got here very rapid from in the back of and sprinted handed everybody on his strategy to his first WorldTour victory.
A overdue dash from Arnaud De Lie
Race winner, Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Dstny): “As somewhat boy, I watched the race on tv and to win right here on my debut and already including this victory to my palmarès is improbable. I attempted to save lots of as a lot power till the overall dash, that was once a very powerful nowadays. As that is handiest my first time racing GP Québec, I’ve watched the previous editions repeatedly and it discovered me so much. We rode the very best race with the workforce, however I used to be somewhat some distance in opposition to the overall dash. Fortuitously I nonetheless had two teammates left who introduced me up. I needed to release early and had some paintings to do however I may take a just right velocity and held it to the road. To overcome riders comparable to Corbin Robust and Michael Matthews on finishes like those isn’t simple. So I’m over the moon with this primary victory on WorldTour degree. The GP Montréal continues to be somewhat more difficult and Maxim Van Gils will have to be our major guy for the race. However with the form I’m in, one thing may well be conceivable, who is aware of.”
Giant win for De Lie
fifth, Matej Mohorič (Bahrain-Victorious): “Nowadays, the purpose was once to watch for the overall dash as a result of we concept it will be the absolute best probability to get a end result right here. I’ve been feeling just right in recent years, and we was hoping I may take it right here to the races in Canada. The fellows did a just right activity having a look after me, and finally, Pello delivered me completely in 3rd place within the a very powerful nook on the backside of the closing steep climb with 4km to head, leaving it as much as me to complete it off. I performed it somewhat bit protected, waited for the overall dash, and didn’t somewhat have the legs to get at the podium, however fifth continues to be an excellent end result, and I’m pleased with it. I’m feeling somewhat fatigued after a protracted, a hit season and the phase after the Excursion, so I’m beginning to really feel it, however nowadays was once a just right end result, and we are hoping for every other just right run on Sunday.”
A more than pleased younger De Lie
Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec End result:
1. Arnaud De Lie (Bel) Lotto Dstny in 4:47:36
2. Corbin Robust (NZ) Israel-Premier Tech
3. Michael Matthews (Aus) Jayco AlUla
4. Alex Aranburu (Spa) Movistar
5. Matej Mohorič (Slo) Bahrain-Victorious
6. Christophe Laporte (Fra) Jumbo-Visma
7. Alexander Kamp (Den) Tudor
8. Marc Hirschi (Sui) UAE Group Emirates
9. Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Soudal Fast-Step
10. Mattias Skjelmose (Den) Lidl-Trek.
The 2023 Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec podium: Corbin Robust (Israel-Premier Tech), Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Dstny) and Michael Matthews (Jayco AlUla)
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