#GPCQM🇨🇦 2 laps to go and it's been a really strong effort so far from Frank van den Broek and Shmidt who lead the chasing bunch by 1'22" with 25km remaining 👍🏻
Pogacar neutralized by insanely strong Lotto-Dstny, but buddy Matthews does manage to do it again in Quebéc
CyclingSaturday, 14 September 2024 at 10:59
Michael Matthews has won the 13th edition of the GP Québec. In a long race of over 200 kilometers, spread over 16 laps of 12.6 kilometers, he was eventually the strongest in a sprint. It was Matthews's third victory in the Canadian one-day race after winning in Quebéc in 2018 and 2019. Top favorite Tadej Pogacar tried but was ultimately happy for his buddy Matthews.
The Quebec GP was traditionally the opener of a two-part Canadian race, with the Montreal GP remaining on Sunday. A leading group was quickly formed on a challenging street circuit, which included 186 elevation gains per lap. Artem Shmidt (INEOS), Frank van den Broek (dsm-firmenich PostNL), Antonio Polga, Filippo Ridolfo (Team Novo Nordisk), and Felix Hamel and Jonas Walton of the Canadian selection found each other. They got a motivated peloton behind them with Intermarché-Wanty and Lotto Dstny.
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Frank van den Broek
Van den Broek and Shmidt remain, Healy deals first punch
The two Belgian formations rode ahead of Biniam Girmay and Arnaud De Lie, although the six leaders still got a solid lead. Five minutes maximum, with Van den Broek handling most of the work in the leading group. With the Côte de la Montagne and Côte des Glacis in the local lap, Polga and Ridolfo were already caught in the first fifty kilometers. Only Hamel remained on behalf of the Canada duo, heading toward the race's halfway point.
Entering the final eighty kilometers, things went too fast for Hamel as well, leaving us with Van den Broek and Shmidt. Two youngsters saw their lead reduced from first a good five minutes to just under five minutes. That was because procontinental formations like Tudor and Uno-X also showed up at the front. Therefore, it was waiting for an attack to launch the finale. That one came 62 kilometers from the end - and five laps to go - from Ben Healy on the Côte des Glacis. UAE-Team Emirates rushed this first teaser.
Read more below the photo.
Ben Healy opened the ball in Canada
UAE-Team Emirates picks up pace, Laurance gives up
As expected, the day's first attack was the go-ahead to kick it off. The status quo went overboard; there could be racing! Fredrik Dversnes of Uno-X tried to ride away but saw it was pointless when he only got away alone. Bahrain-Victorious pushed forward, but UAE-Team Emirates pulled through on the Côte de la Montagne. Pogacar was already keen on the front, but at this stage, it was purely a question of who could not join them. Axel Laurance of Alpecin-Deceuncink and Corbin Strong of Israel-Premier Tech were the crucial victims of the pace, and Girmay had all the trouble to stay with it.
Meanwhile, Van den Broek and Shmidt kept up the pace. The peloton stalled a bit in places, so the leading duo began the final forty kilometers with just under four minutes remaining. With thirty kilometers to go, it was still just under three minutes. The peloton thus seemed to have everything under control, but Van den Broek and Shmidt still looked pretty fresh. That's all well and good, but the gap suddenly shrank with Uno-X, Lotto-Dstny, and UAE joining forces on every hill that followed. Gil Gelders (Soudal-Quick Step) and Alex Baudin (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) were thus also riding a bit aimlessly in between.
Read more below the photo.
Can Pogacar tear the fast men apart?
On the second-to-last lap, it all slid together so carefully. Two more times, the combination Côte de la Montagne and Côte des Glacis, with an attack by Jan Tratnik (Visma | Lease a Bike), who first brought the peloton back to Gelders and Baudin. Van den Broek and Shmidt were thanked at fourteen kilometers from the end after a 190 (!) kilometer solo. Immediately, UAE seized the race head-on again with Tim Wellens, with Pogacar not far behind. Many riders had no interest in a sprint, but could they unload the fast men? They then had one more lap of 12.6 kilometers to do so...
Juan Ayuso kept the pace high for UAE but couldn't prevent Matteo Jorgenson from blasting off on a stretch of descent on behalf of Visma. The American created a nice gap in the kilometers that followed, but he still had those frantic climbs to cross. With only ten seconds, Jorgenson started it, and Julian Alaphilippe dashed over. The Frenchman looked back and had Pogacar and Jorgenson with him and three (!) from Lotto-Dstny. Jenno Berckmoes, Maxim Van Gils, and De Lie were able to answer the attacks, even when Pogacar went himself and so suddenly found himself up against three of the Belgians in the final kilometer.
Everything for De Lie in the sprint, but Berckmoes and Van Gils could not hold on. The peloton closed in, so we again had a lot of candidates who could win. We almost forgot that Matthews was one of them. He had not been in front all day but won with a mighty punch.
Results GP Quebec 2024
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Il Lombardia 2024
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The Pogacar effect: How Tadej has shaped the career of Matthews in a crucial way
Can Decathlon AG2R's big budget strike back against the 'Big Four' this spring?
Finally, Nys performed great again: "Remove Van der Poel and I would ride solo in front the whole race"
Wyseure overjoyed after podium spot in Zonhoven and impressed with Van der Poel's presence: "Phenomenal"
Both on podium, but different emotions for Brand and Bäckstedt: "I struggle with that turn every year"
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Latest Comments
- Well explained, thanks for the clarity! Daniel DantasDanieldantas20-12-2024
- This is the kind of 'news' that belongs in a cheap tabloid. No matter how boring the offseason gets, nobody wants to read this.
santiagobenites19-12-2024 - I wish we could have seen him try. He'd absolutely get dropped before Pogi overtakes his domestiquesVeganpotter10-12-2024
- Talk is cheap! Next year barring crashes with a healthy team... all well be on track! Some need to talk to make a headline!mootman27-11-2024
- I do not see this event listed on HBO Max Sports Online? Can anyone confirm? Thanks!
MrYuck23-11-2024 - It seemed that he was focusing forward at the time of the crash, after seeing a quick video snippet. But one thing I think he should focus on more intently is breaking a bad habit he has, right now. And that is his constant looking over his shoulders. He does that so much, that I am very sure it is not good for him. Simply watch videos of the greats of CX and you will see very little of that constant looking over their shoulders. That is a behavior that betrays a bit of insecurity on his part. He shouldn't be so concerned, incessantly, about what is over his shoulder. He needn't worry they didn't all disappear. He neds to keep his focus more ahead of himself, and he needs to pay a bit more attention to himself, in a confident manner. It is very frustrating to watch, because it is apparent that he has a lot of potential, and is in much better shape thwan many of his competitors, but the mental game needs to be sharpened more, because that part of strategy plays a huge part in the final results
reemmo022-11-2024 - hahahaha love this shit! I didnt even watched the race, but reading all the gossip articles of how stupid this is!Zatoichi19-11-2024
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024