August 10/11 10:46 am - Mardis Lachine #9

Posted by Editoress on 08/10/11
 

Mardis Cyclistes August 9th: Benjamin Martel Wins in Pouring Rain

Benjamin Martel (Team Spirit Cannondale) won the ninth stage in pouring rain with an after-dark finish. Martel, 37, launched his attack with only two laps to go in the 31-lap, 50km race. Cautious cyclists rode slowly this evening with Martel stopping the clock at 1:06:37 for an average speed of 45kmh, the slowest of the nine races run to date in this 34th season of the Mardis Cyclistes series. Some eight seconds later, the pack followed Martel with Hugues Lapointe (Nativo Devinci) finishing second and Mathieu Roy (Gaspésien) in third. They were closely followed by defending champion Jean-François Laroche (Fantino Mondello) and by Dominic Chalifoux (Trek Bontrager).

Only 62 cyclists were on the start line and many of them DNF’d before the finish. Erik Lyman (Team Spirit) and Mathieu Roy (Gaspésien) broke away from the pack with 10 laps to go, but were swallowed up by the pack at two laps from the finish. That was the moment Martel chose to launch his attack.

“It was a strategic win and also a team victory,” said Martel. “Team Spirit rode very well this evening and it feels great to end up on the podium. I hate riding in the rain and braked hard on the turns. Perhaps I owe this victory in part to my experience and endurance.” His teammate, Lyman, finished in tenth position.

In the general classification, Laroche built up his lead to 765 cumulative points and will be riding next Tuesday’s race in the yellow leader’s jersey. Roy is a distant second place at 561 points with Chalifoux follows in third at 551 points. The grand finale on August 16 will see a doubling of points. This means that next week’s winner could pick up to 300 points and might be able to wrestle the title away from Laroche.

Women's Race: Olympic medalist claims second place

Elisabeth Albert (Rocky Mountain) won the women’s race followed by Caroline Brunet, an Olympic-medal-winning kayaker riding with Garneau-Club Chaussures-Norton Rose. Mélissa Houde (La Cabosse d'or) finished third in that contest. Albert continues to lead the series and will race next week again in the leader’s yellow jersey.

“With time, I have learned that it serves no purpose to put useless pressure,” stated Brunet. “This is my fourth Mardis race and the first time that I’ve finished on the podium. I still find crit races very difficult, but am no longer so nervous at the start of a race,” laughed Brunet. The 42-year-old won silver medals at the Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000) Olympics together with a bronze in Athens (2004). She has also won multiple gold medals at various kayak World Championships. When asked whether it was harder to get onto the podium paddling a kayak or riding a bicycle, she responded that they can both be difficult sports.

Junior and Minime Races

Olivier Miclette (VC Longueuil) won the junior men’s race ahead of Olivier Brisebois (Cycles Bernard Hinault-IMC) in second while Shawn Turcotte (Prud’Homme IGA) finished third but remains the series leader there.

For the minimes, this evening’s stage wins went to Melyssa Fortin (VC Longueuil) and to Édouard Laparé-Morin (Espoirs Laval).

All races started late because of cars on the race course early in the evening. The rain only began in earnest for the senior men’s race. Racers and spectators alike were curious about a monument near the finish line covered covered in plywood. Lachine councillor Jean-Francois Cloutier promised that the plywood would be removed at the finale on August 16th and that something (beautiful) inside would be revealed then. The Mardis Cyclistes races take place Tuesday evenings around LaSalle Park in Lachine and are free to spectators. The minimes start at 5:30 p.m. and the senior men begin at 7 p.m. The awards ceremony usually begins just after 8 p.m.

Courtesy Mardis Cyclistes

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