June 3, 2011 (Saguenay, QC) – Three members of Denmark’s team finished in the top 5 on Stage 2 at the Coupe des Nations – Ville de Saguenay’s second stage. Hansen Lasse Norman, Christopher Juul-Jensen and Sebastian Lander respectively captured first, fourth and fifth. French Guillaume Bonnet and Italian Leonardi Gianluca for their part climbed on the second and third step of the podium.

Besides winning top honors in the 148.4km race, Lasse Norman took over the leader’s yellow jersey, as well as the white jersey for best young rider. “It was very difficult. At 400 meters of the finish, I was fourth and last in the lead group. But I was able to come back and be the first to cross the line. I was lucky,” commented the humble U23 National champion. “It is the most important victory after the Juniors Worlds’ individual pursuit,” added the athlete who is focusing on the track hoping to qualify for the Olympics at London 2012.

Armands Becis, from Latvia, successfully defended his green jersey as the best sprinter, while French Warren Barguil claimed the polka dot jersey of best climber. The 66 participants took off at high pace with multiple attacks. A few breakaways were executed but all were eventually aborted. On the third of seven laps, four riders escaped from the peloton but 12 riders counter-attacked and caught the break of four by the end of the fourth lap.

A cat-and-mouse game was playing out in the lead group. While some riders became exhausted or lagged behind due to the incessant pace, other pursuers were able to join the leaders. On the penultimate sixth lap, four athletes distanced the rest of their breakaway companions, and formed the winning break.

Quote from Team Canada Head Coach Vincent Jourdain
“As predicted, the race was pretty hard. The attacks started really early. The guys started really well with David Boily and Simon Lambert-Lemay in the first attack. Then Hugo Houle found himself in the second attack, the one that proved to be decisive. Unfortunately for us, Hugo was the only Canadian rider in the attack and was not able to keep up with the French and the Danish teams, which had 2 or 3 riders in the break. Hugo did an extraordinary job to stay in front. He deserves the recognition.”

The action continues on Saturday with the 141km Stage 3 in Kénogami.

Results

1. Hansen Lasse Norman (Den) Denmark 3:44:23
2. Guillaume Bonnet (Fra) France
3. Gianluca Leonardi (Ita) Italie
4. Christopher Juul-Jensen (Den) Denmark 0:02
5. Sebastian Lander (Den) Denmark 0:30
6. Nicola Boem (Ita) Italie
7. Emilien Viennet (Fra) France
8. Asbjørn Kragh Andersen (Den) Denmark
9. Arman Kamyshev (Kaz) Kazakhstan
10. Klemen Stimulak (Slo) Slovénie
11. Arvin Moazemi (Iri) Mixte UCI
12. Hugo Houle (Can) Canada
13. Romain Guillemois (Fra) France
14. Jimmi Sørensen (Den) Denmark
15. Natnael Berhane (Eri) Mixte UCI
16. _rtis Puj_ts (Lat) Letonie
17. Marcel Meisen (Ger) Allemagne
18. Tanner Putt (USA) USA
19. Nathan Brown (USA) USA
20. Tsgabu Grmay (Eth) Mixte UCI
21. Ad_s Flaksis (Lat) Letonie
22. Warren Barguil (Fra) France
23. Miras Bederbekov (Kaz) Kazakhstan
24. Jesper Hansen (Den) Denmark
25. Pavel Gorenc (Slo) Slovénie
26. J_nis D_kteris (Lat) Letonie
27. Yauheni Patenka (Blr) Mixte UCI 0:55
28. Arnaud Demare (Fra) France
29. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Italie
30. Jimmy Turgis (Fra) France
31. Fabian Thiel (Ger) Allemagne
32. Vladislav Gorbunov (Kaz) Kazakhstan
33. Mario Vogt (Ger) Allemagne
34. Gavin Mannion (USA) USA
35. Youcef Reguigui (Alg) Mixte UCI 1:43
36. Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Kazakhstan
37. Simon Lambert-Lemay (Can) Canada
38. Daniil Fominykh (Kaz) Kazakhstan
39. Antoine Duchesne (Can) Canada
40. Simon Nuber (Ger) Allemagne
41. Max Walsleben (Ger) Allemagne
42. Stuart Wight (Can) Canada
43. Ilya Davidenok (Kaz) Kazakhstan
44. Jani Music (Slo) Slovénie
45. Yannick Mayer (Ger) Allemagne
46. Roman Dronin (Uzb) Mixte UCI
47. Evan Huffman (USA) USA
48. Massimo Coledan (Ita) Italie 1:52
49. Ryan Eastman (USA) USA 2:25
50. Armands B_cis (Lat) Letonie 3:14
51. Owen Harrison (Can) Canada 3:14
52. Robert Jenko (Slo) Slovénie 3:14
53. Maxim Razumov (Rus) Russie 4:20
54. Maxim Pokidov (Rus) Russie 4:20
55. Roman Katyrin (Rus) Russie 4:20
56. David Boily (Can) Canada 4:20
57. Jure Bitenc (Slo) Slovénie 4:28
58. Alexander Grigoryev (Rus) Russie 7:53
59. Igor Frolov (Rus) Russie 10:21
60. Eamon Franck (USA) USA 11:09
61. Andrea Dal Col (Ita) Italie 11:09
62. Alder Torres Yuman (Gua) Guatemala 15:09
63. Walter Filad Escobar López (Gua) Guatemala 15:20
64. Aljaz Hocevar (Slo) Slovénie 15:20
65. Aldo Lore Zamora Arriaza (Gua) Guatemala
66. Loris Paoli (Ita) Italie

GC after Stage 2

1. Hansen Lasse Norman (Den) Denmark 7:05:59
2. Guillaume Bonnet (Fra) France 00:01
3. Christopher Juul-Jensen (Den) Denmark 00:11
4. Miras Bederbekov (Kaz) Kazakhstan 00:34
5. Jesper Hansen (Den) Denmark 00:35
6. Warren Barguil (Fra) France 00:35
7. Hugo Houle (Can) Canada 00:36
8. Ad_s Flaksis (Lat) Letonie 00:38
9. Sebastian Lander (Den) Denmark 00:40
10. Nicola Boem (Ita) Italie 00:40
11. Emilien Viennet (Fra) France 00:40
12. Marcel Meisen (Ger) Allemagne 00:40
13. Klemen Stimulak (Slo) Slovénie 00:40
14. Arvin Moazemi (Iri) Mixte UCI 00:40
16. Natnael Berhane (Eri) Mixte UCI 00:40
17. Tsgabu Grmay (Eth) Mixte UCI 00:40
18. _rtis Puj_ts (Lat) Letonie 00:40
19. Arman Kamyshev (Kaz) Kazakhstan 00:40
20. Tanner Putt (Usa) USA 00:40
21. Romain Guillemois (Fra) France 00:40
22. Jimmi Sørensen (Den) Denmark 00:40
23. Nathan Brown (Usa) USA 00:40
24. J_nis D_kteris (Lat) Letonie 00:40
25. Pavel Gorenc (Slo) Slovénie 00:40
26. Gianluca Leonardi (Ita) Italie 00:50
27. Arnaud Demare (Fra) France 00:55
28. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Italie 00:59
29. Yauheni Patenka (Blr) Mixte UCI 01:05
30. Gavin Mannion (Usa) USA 01:05
31. Jimmy Turgis (Fra) France 01:05
32. Vladislav Gorbunov (Kaz) Kazakhstan 01:05
33. Fabian Thiel (Ger) Allemagne 01:05
34. Mario Vogt (Ger) Allemagne 01:05
35. Youcef Reguigui (Alg) Mixte UCI 01:52
36. Yannick Mayer (Ger) Allemagne 01:55
37. Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Kazakhstan 01:55
38. Ilya Davidenok (Kaz) Kazakhstan 01:55
39. Roman Dronin (Uzb) Mixte UCI 01:55
40. Daniil Fominykh (Kaz) Kazakhstan 01:55
41. Stuart Wight (Can) Canada 01:55
42. Antoine Duchesne (Can) Canada 01:55
43. Simon Nuber (Ger) Allemagne 01:55
44. Simon Lambert-Lemay (Can) Canada 01:55
45. Evan Huffman (Usa) USA 01:55
46. Jani Music (Slo) Slovénie 01:55
47. Massimo Coledan (Ita) Italie 02:46
48. Ryan Eastman (Usa) USA 03:03
49. Armands B_cis (Lat) Letonie 03:18
50. Robert Jenko (Slo) Slovénie 03:24
51. Roman Katyrin (Rus) Russie 04:29
52. Maxim Pokidov (Rus) Russie 04:30
53. Maxim Razumov (Rus) Russie 04:30
54. David Boily (Can) Canada 04:30
55. Owen Harrison (Can) Canada 04:50
56. Alexander Grigoryev (Rus) Russie 08:03
57. Igor Frolov (Rus) Russie 10:31
59. Eamon Franck (Usa) USA 11:19
60. Max Walsleben (Ger) Allemagne 12:47
62. Aljaz Hocevar (Slo) Slovénie 15:30
64. Jure Bitenc (Slo) Slovénie 15:30
15. Asbjørn Kragh Andersen (Den) Denmark 00:40
63. Walter Escobar López (Gua) Guatemala
61. Alder Torres Yuman (Gua) Guatemala 15:19
58. Andrea Dal Col (Ita) Italie 11:19