June 21/98 11:51 am - Beauce Stage 6 reports

Posted by Editor on 06/21/98
 

GP de Beauce
Here are some more results from last nights criterium in St-Georges:

1. Mark Walters (Mercury)1:05:27
2. Peter Wedge (Radio Energie) at 0:01
3. Frank McCormack (Saturn)0:10
4. Thomas Konecy (ZVVZ)
5. Raimondas Romsas (ZVVZ)
7. Charles Dionne (Radio Energie)
11 Eric Wohlberg (Espoirs de Lavalle)
19 Mathieu Fagnan (Beau Republik) all s.t.

No real changes to the top positions in GC after the criterium. Peter Wedge moves from 15th to 14th and Mark Walters from 21st to 19th.

The final stage is just now starting. It is a 180 km road race through rolling country, with the finish in St-Georges downtown with a 4 lap circuit containing an 18 percent grade climb in it.

Andreas Hestler withdrew from the race this morning, leaving only Neil Grover on the Team Canada Squad. Grover told us that he has never raced here before and wanted to finish the race. Go Neil!!

The weather is hot and sunny and with this course should provide a very tough day of racing.

PS: Happy Father‚s Day Dad!! and to all dad‚s out there, get on your bike today and go for a ride!! This is your day.

Report 1

At the 25 km mark there is a 2 man break. Barely into the stage (6km) Joshua Thornton (US National) and Dominique Perras (Espoirs de Lavalle) went off. At the 20 km mark they had 1:30 on the pack. At 22 km Perras dropped Thornton, who is now 15 seconds back, and has 1:20 on the pack.

A number of riders did not start this morning‚s final stage. Seamus McGrath, Michael Barry, Skip Spangenburg (winner stage 2) were all non-starters, and Bill Hurley abandoned 20 km into today‚s stage. There were 135 starters at stage 1 in Quebec City on Tuesday and 72 started this mornings stage.

Report 2

At the 45 km mark Perras has 3:15 on the pack. Thornton is 40 seconds behind Perras and another rider, Chad Kozak (Beau Republik has gone away from the pack and has a 1:35 lead on them. The pack is staying together and is not chasing at this point.Report 3

Perras still away alone

He has 3:30 on the pack at the 60 km mark. Thornton and Kozak are 1:50 behind Perras, with the pack 1:40 behind them.

There was a crash in the pack just after the KOM sprint and a number of riders went down.

Report 4

GP Beauce Stage 6: Report- - Perras still away but the pack is on the hunt

Josh Hall launched an attack from the pack at about 77 km and got within 40 seconds of the leaders before tiring. At the 90 km mark Perras was joined by Kozak and the pair had put 2:00 between themselves and the pack.

At 100 km the pack, lead by Saturn has decided it it time to go and are just about to overtake Josh Hall and have closed the gap between themselves and the two leaders to 1:30


Report 5

GP Beauce Stage 6: Report- - That‚s Bike racing
A lot can change in a short time. It looked as if Josh Hall was about to be caught by a hard chasing pack not 10 km ago. Instead the pack has backed off and Josh has gone ahead to catch the two leaders (Perras and Kozak) and the three are working together and have opened up the gap again. WHEW!!



GP Beauce Stage 6: Report - Not much change

At 120 km the gap had again dropped to 1:45. The pack, led by Saturn, began to attack after the final KOM and at one point had the difference down to 50 seconds. Now, at 130 km, the gap is back up to 1:20, possibly due to the heat or the pack knows that once they get to the final 4 lap circuit they can reel in the two remaining riders (Kozak has been dropped, and dropped out of the race) with a lot less effort.

Report 7
GP Beauce Stage 6: Report - Break is Caught

At 155km, the 2 leaders (Perras and Hall) have been caught after a massive effort by team Saturn. St-Georges is 10 km away, where the pack will enter circuit, with an 18 percent grade climb on each of the 4 laps (the finish is at the top of the hill!).

It is so hot the officials have approved feeds right up until the end of the race. Normally feeding stops during the final 30km.

Attrition in the pack has been substantial. Estimates are that just 55 riders remain of the 72 who set out this morning.

Report 8

GP Beauce Stage 6: Report - And the winner isThomas Konecny (ZVVZ) after 180 km.

After the pack caught the two leaders, nothing really happened until the finishing circuit. Saturn then took control of the pack and pushed the pace until only 18 were left to contest the final „sprint‰ up the 18 percent grade to the finish. But in the end the pack strung out for the final climb and Thomas Koncny (ZVVZ) took the win.

1. Koncny (ZVVZ)
2. David Clinger (Mercury)
3. Thomaz Brozyna (MROZ)

More information to come as the results become official.