May 26/06 1:52 am - Tour de Beauce Announces Teams and Courses for 2006

Posted by Editoress on 05/26/06
 

Tour de Beauce 2006
Courtesy Tour de Beauce

Teams

The organizers of the Tour de Beauce anticipate hosting 21 teams, comprising of nearly 150 riders for the start of the 21th edition on June 13th.

The organizers are satisfied with the quality of the selected teams that shall contribute, this year again, to a close competition.

Canada's representation will be great again this year with the following teams : Symmetrics, with Svein Tuft 2nd in Beauce last year and Brandon Crichton, best young rider in 2005 ; Italpasta - Ontario ; Volkswagen-Trek, Team Québec, and the National team with Dominique Rollin, winner of stage two last year. Team Garneau - Optik, with rising star David Veilleux, and Montreal based Calyon - Litespeed will take the start for the first time in Beauce.

The United States are sending 5 teams this year: Continental pro team Navigators Insurance, TIAA - CREF with Canadian road champion François Parisien , Jittery Joe's - Zero Gravity, team Priority Health and team Fioridifrutta.

Amongst the foreing teams Australia will be well positioned with two teams: SouthAustralia.com and FRF Courrier Caravello. British team DFL - Cyclingnews - Litespeed will be the only returning international team from 2005 edition. Mexican team Tecos-Trek will be back after a two year absence. Team Sparkasse from Germany, Murphy & Gunn/Newlyn from Ireland and National teams from New-Zealand and the Netherlands will complete the peloton.

Courses

Tthe Tour de Beauce returns this year with a tested formula on the courses since several of the layouts of last year will be revisited by the cyclists who will find however some modifications on their way, in particular the return of the stage of the Mount-Mégantic.

The launching of the 21st edition will be done besides on a renewed course of the stage Lake-Etchemin/Lake-Etchemin, a setting in legs of 155 km which will take the direction of the north of the area of Bellechasse.

On Wednesday June 14, the organizers return with the stage Saint-Joseph/Saint-Joseph for a third year of continuation. This stage considered very difficult account 180 kilometers through many rises in municipalities such as Beauceville, Saint-Severin, Scott, Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Odilon.

In a consecutive way, the riders will have to stuff the terrible rise of Mount-Mégantic at the time of the 3rd stage of Thursday June 15 rejoining Saint-George to the observatory perched at the top of the highest paved road of Quebec. It is strong to bet that some will see stars at the end of this escapade of 153 km!

The day of Friday June 16 will be once again very important for the runners since it will begin in morning by individual Time-trial of 15 km in the sector of Saint-Jean-de-la-Lande. In evening, all the population is again invited to the critérium which will be held in the downtown area of Saint-George. The athletes will cross this Forty loops of a distance of 1,5 kilometers, as from 6 p.m.

The menu of the weekend will be appreciably the same one as last year whereas Ville of Quebec will be host to stage 5 on Saturday June 17 as of midday close to the Park of the Francophonie, on Grande-Allée. A somewhat modified urban circuit of 12,5 kilometers will lead the cyclists to descend Côte de l'Église and to skirt the river on the Champlain boulevard before attacking the côte Gilmore to 10 recoveries!

After having given a whole spectacle to people of Quebec, the cyclists will buckle this 21st Tour by giving their last blows of pedals under the applause of people of Beauce, at the time of from now on traditional urban circuit of 11 km in the middle of Saint-George. It is thus at the end of these 12 loops that the winner will be proclaimed.

Partners

The Tour de Beauce are proud to confirm the return of major sponsors for the event's 21st edition which will be presented from June 13 to June 18 2006.

Tour de Beauce, the only Canadian event on the UCI America Tour would like to recognize the return of faithful partners such as Hydro Quebec, Desjardins, Bell Canada, Le Georgesville and Procycle (via its Rocky Mountain brand).

In addition to these sponsors, much support comes from governmental partners such as Tourisme Québec, Emploi-Québec, Ministère de l'Éducation des Sports et du Loisir and Bureau de la Capitale nationale from the provincial side and and Canada Economic Development, Sport Canada and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada on the federal side.

Many official providers are also there to help the organization: Mavic,, iclic, Tourisme Chaudière-Appalaches, Biemme, Image de Mark, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, Look media, Zoom media, CLD Beauce-Sartigan, Pepsi, Mix 99.7 and Cool fm, Thule, Journal de Québec, Mab Profil, CHOI Radio X and IGA extra.

It is also important to salute the excellent collaboration of many municipal and provincial organizations such as the cities of Québec, Saint-Georges, Saint-Joseph, Lac-Etchemin and Mont-Mégantic. The organization also thanks for the collaboration of all visited towns, the Sûreté du Québec, the municipal police departments and the Ministère des Transports du Québec that each year allow the elaboration of international class courses.

Finally, a good number of regional businesses also participate as members of the Amis du Tour de Beauce. And thanks to all the volunteers which contribute to the success of the organization.