June 16/25 14:22 pm - Milette & Brisbois Win 51st Preston Street Crits

Posted by Editoress on 06/16/25
 

A youthful repeat winner and an experienced first timer headlined the Preston Street Bicycle Races in Ottawa's Little Italy on Sunday.

Laury Milette (KDM Pack Cycling Team) of Gatineau, Quebec, repeated her 2023 victory in the women's race, while Olivier Brisebois (Cannondale Echelon p/b 4iiii) of Laval, Quebec, won the men's race at his first attempt.

Their victories capped an action-packed day of racing at the 51st edition of the Preston Street Bicycle Races. Thousands of spectators, dozens of vendors and more than 300 cyclists ranging from under 6 to over 60 enjoyed sunny skies and warm weather throughout the day.

This year's races were held on the northern variant of the Preston Street circuit, which includes a short but energy-sapping climb up Anderson Street. The day kicked off with Masters, Juniors and Youth races before the Elite women took to the course for 55 minutes plus five laps of the one-kilometre loop.

Milette was part of an early move of nine riders that split the field from the opening lap. The first three primes (intermediate sprint prizes) were picked up by Whitney Surgenor, Skyler Goudswaard and Karen Duquette, all of The Cyclery Racing, but as the group shrank to seven riders Milette came to the fore, picking up the next three primes. Milette then hung back in the final five laps, but any concerns that she had burned her matches too early were laid to rest as she and Goudswaard got a small gap on the rest of the field, and Milette took the sprint ahead of Goudswaard, while Annie Scott won the bunch sprint for third.

"I felt pretty good all race, but it was super hard to get away so I knew that maybe it was going to be a sprint," said Milette, who did not have any teammates to work with. "I still tried to get away on the last little climb and do what I did two years ago and finish alone on the line, but in the end I was just with Skyler; we got away just the two of us and it was headwind on the last section so I figured I would just launch later, and in the end it was the right strategy."

It was a profitably day for Milette, who not only received the $1,000 first prize, but also won hundreds of dollars in primes, took the Mike Plummer best local prize, and won her weight in beer on the famous beer scale, courtesy of the Tooth and Nail Brewing Company.

After a break for the ever-popular kids' under 6 and under 7 races - with proceeds going to the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario - the Elite men took over for the final event of the day, scheduled for 75 minutes plus five laps.

Three-time winner and local favourite Matteo Dal-Cin (Passion Project) was an early attacker but wasn't able to build a lead of more than 10 seconds. Next rider up the road was 18-year-old Gabriel Tilli (Ignite Junior Cycling), staying away for more than six laps but never gaining more than 15 seconds on the pack.

After 50 minutes of racing Brisebois won a prime and the field briefly blew to pieces, reforming with a break of nine riders about 10 seconds ahead of the bunch. Again, the gap never got over 10 seconds and the race came back together a few laps later.

Finally, just as the clock ran down and the race entered its last five laps, Tilli attacked again and immediately gained 15 seconds. It was a valiant 'suicide' attack, but he was reeled back in on the final lap under pressure from Axel Froner (riding for the Dutch team CT Giant Store Assen), former winner Derrick St. John, and the Cannondale Echelon p/b 4iiii squad.

Entering the final straight, Brisebois timed his final sprint perfectly, beating Dal-Cin by two bike lengths, with 16-year-old Carter DeVeer (Ignite Junior Cycling) finishing third.

"We tried to make the race as hard as possible so everyone else would be tired at the end, and when people are tired you can play your cards in the sprint," said Brisebois, who took home more than 140 Tooth and Nail beers in addition to his $1,000 first prize and multiple primes. "It's a nice course, but surprisingly hard with the little climb, which seems easy but with the number of laps we're doing it wears you down. It was a great ambiance, a good course, we'll be back for sure."

Bike Race Ottawa would like to extend a big thank you to our volunteers, and of course to our sponsors: Waterford Property Group, Tooth and Nail Brewing Co., SRAM, MyVelofit, Bushtukah, Eurosports, and the other generous suppliers who contributed prizes and primes.

Preston Street will be back on Father's Day next year: June 21, 2026.

Report courtesy Kris Westwood, Bike Race Ottawa

Results from the Preston Street Criterium in Otawa on June 15th