June 08, 2014 (Chicoutimi, QC) – It is with an active and aggressive fourth stage that first Grand Prix cycliste de Saguenay ended on Sunday, with four days of racing that took place in the districts of La Baie and Chicoutimi, in Saguenay.

And the race came down to one second in the general classification, with Jure Kocjan of Team SmartStop winning the stage and grabbing the bonification that comes with it, putting him atop the standings by one second.

The 149 km stage, raced under a bright sun and scorching temperatures, would be the final stage of the Grand Prix. With Eric Young (Optum-Kelly Benefits) holder of the yellow jersey from the first stage onwards chased by Canadian Pierrick Naud (Garneau-Quebecor) and Jure Kocjan of Team SmartStop only a few seconds back in the general classification and both thirsty for a victory, nothing was taken for granted at the start line along the beautiful Saguenay river.

The race started as expected with a very fast rhythm, right on the front lap with many teams wanting to put pressure on the yellow jersey. A small break of three riders started the festivities, riding together for five laps. The peloton managed well the break, and kept a perfect control. In the seventh of 14 laps, the peloton had enough and bridged.

Led by Vitaliy Popkov of Team ISD Continental, another break took off very quickly after the capture of the first break. A chase group formed, and the two groups showed a gap of over 3:30 on the main bunch. In the twelfth lap, with two to go, the two groups formed, and the race once again became one group. Popkov delivered a remarkable performance, racing alone at the front, for more than 50 km in temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius. A flat tire ended his journey at the front as the chase group merged with him.

When the bunch formed again with less than two laps to go, a 9-man break took off and took advantage of a crash in the peloton with 1.5 laps to get a 30-second lead on the group, but in the last lap, the group was bridged once again. Early the last lap, the two group merged and the race because one again.

On the last climb in the last lap, the peloton split up in two groups, with the green jersey of Pierrick Naud and Jure Kocjan in the front group and the yellow jersey of Eric Young in the second group. The lead group took over 40 seconds on the back group, and the Grand Prix title became a sprint race between Kocjan and Naud.

At the finish line, Jure Kocjan Team Smartstop edged the young Danish Asjborn Kragh Andersen to win the stage, and grab the 10 bonus seconds attached to victory. These ten bonus seconds earned him the title of becoming the first winner of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Saguenay.

A Special mention to Pierrick Naud who climbed in all of the four times on the stage podium showcased in this first Grand Prix Cycliste de Saguenay. Today, he took the third place, and four bonus seconds.

THE JERSEYS
The yellow jersey was won by Jure Kocjan, finishing the 560km race by only one second in the general classification over Canadian Pierrick Naud of Garneau-Quebecor. This Grand Prix has been so tight that the Yellow and Green jersey winner were determined by the time bonus in the stage classification. Winning this final stage, Kocjan collected 10 bonus seconds, while Naud collected only four by finishing third. Kocjan also won the green jersey, by one point, over Naud in this epic race to the end.

The Italian rider Luca Benedetti of team Amore & Vita-Selle SMD easily won the polka dot jersey as winner of the King of the Mountain classification. Benedetti scored big on the second two stages, and finished the Grand Prix cycliste with 28 points, 13 more than his nearest rival and teammate Michael Woods.

Asbjørn Kragh Andersen of the Danish team Christina Watches-Kuma was the best young rider (U23) in the general classification, returning home with the white jersey. He finished fourth in the general classification thanks to his second place in the fourth stage.

The majority of teams present in Saguenay are now travelling to Beauce, where they will take part in the 29th edition of the Tour de Beauce, a five-day stage race, starting Wednesday.

Results

1. Jure Kocjan (Slo) SmartStop 3:42:38
2. Asbjorn Kragh Andersen (Den) Christina Watches
3. Pierrick Naud (Can) Garneau-Québecor
4. Serghei Tvetcov (Rou) JellyBelly p/b Maxxis
5. Ryan Roth (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team
6. Jacob Rathe (USA) JellyBelly p/b Maxxis
7. Leonardo Pinizzotto (Ita) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP
8. Charles Planet (Fra) Novo Nordisk
9. Chad Beyer (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda
10. William Routley (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
11. Anatoliy Pakhtusov (Ukr) ISD Continental
12. Tommy Nankervis (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling
13. Timothy Rugg (USA) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme
14. Léandre Bouchard (Can) Transport Lacombe
15. Viesturs Luksevics (Lat) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP
16. Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Jamis Hagens Berman
17. Bjorn Selander (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
18. Brecht Dhaene (Bel) Astellas Cycling
19. Anatoliy Budyak (Ukr) ISD Continental
20. Ian Crane (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman
21. Bruno Langlois (Can) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda
22. Michael Woods (Can) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP
23. Edson Calderon (Col) 4-72 Colombia
24. Aurélien Passeron (Fra) Silber Pro Cycling Team
25. Éric Marcotte (USA) SmartStop
26. Robbie Squire (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman
27. Jordon Cheyne (Can) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme
28. Julian Kyer (USA) SmartStop
29. Talor Shelden (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda
30. Stephen Leece (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman
31. Maxime Jenkins (USA) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme
32. Adam Matthew Farabaugh (USA) Garneau-Québecor
33. David Lozano Riba (Esp) Novo Nordisk 00:34
34. James Stemper (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda
35. Kirk Carlsen (USA) JellyBelly p/b Maxxis
36. Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Novo Nordisk
37. Stephen Hyde (USA) Astellas Cycling
38. Benjamin Perry (Can) NCCH
39. Michael Torckler (Nzl) SmartStop
40. Luca Benedetti (Ita) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP 00:37
41. Fernando Orjuela Gutierrez (Col) 4-72 Colombia 00:49
42. Jean-Michel Lachance (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team 00:49
43. Gavin Mannion (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda 00:57
44. Jacob Kauffmann (Aus) Garneau-Québecor 01:04
45. Carson Miller (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman 01:06
46. Juan José Haedo (Arg) Jamis Hagens Berman 01:06
47. Enrico Rossi (Ita) Christina Watches 01:06
48. Eric Young (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 01:09
49. Thomas Soladay (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 02:03
50. Charles Bradley Huff (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 02:03
51. Joshua Berry (USA) SmartStop 04:29
52. Brodie Talbot (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling 04:29
53. David Drouin (Can) NCCH 05:40
54. Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Christina Watches 05:40
55. Maksym Vasilyev (Ukr) ISD Continental 05:40
56. Javier Megian Leal (Esp) Novo Nordisk 06:09
57. Clay Murfet (Aus) Astellas Cycling 06:20
58. Shane Kliine (USA) SmartStop 06:20
59. Jonathan Hornbeck (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda 06:20
60. Camilo Andres Suarez Albarracin (Col) 4-72 Colombia 06:20
61. Rémi Pelletier-Roy (Can) Garneau-Québecor 06:20
62. Simon-Pierre Gauthier (Can) Garneau-Québecor 06:20
63. Williams David (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda 06:20
64. Matt Green (Gbr) Astellas Cycling 06:20
65. Alexis Cartier (Can) Transport Lacombe 07:00
66. Jimmi Sorensen (Den) Christina Watches 07:00
67. Yean Stefan Rodriguez Sepulveda (Col) 4-72 Colombia 07:00
68. Joonas Henttala (Fin) Novo Nordisk 07:00
69. Yors Santofimio (Col) 4-72 Colombia 07:00
70. Nicolas Lefrançois (Fra) Novo Nordisk 07:00
71. Jake Tanner (Gbr) Christina Watches 08:19
72. Vitaliy Popkov (Ukr) ISD Continental 08:21
73. Christopher Uberti (USA) Astellas Cycling 08:22
74. Elliot Doyle (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team 09:43
DNF Daniel Durango (Col) 4-72 Colombia
DNF James Gene Piccoli (Can) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP
DNF Antonio Di Batista (Ita) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP
DNF Ryan Aitcheson (Can) Astellas Cycling
DNF Sam Witmitz (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling
DNF Joshua Lucas Galloway Prete (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling
DNF Jesse Kerrison (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling
DNF Alex Wohler (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling
DNF Sebastian Forke (Ger) Christina Watches
DNF Volodymyr Dzhus (Ukr) ISD Continental
DNF Tyler Wren (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman
DNF Ian Burnett (USA) JellyBelly p/b Maxxis
DNF Martin Rupes (Can) NCCH
DNF Will Elliot (Can) NCCH
DNF Olivier Brisebois (Can) Norco Premier Tech
DNF Jeremy Durrin (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
DNF Benjamin Chartrand (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team
DNF Kristofer Dahl (Can) SmartStop
DNF Émile Jean (Can) Transport Lacombe
DNF Frédéric Cossette (Can) Transport Lacombe

Final GC

1. Jure Kocjan (Slo) SmartStop 13:10:02
2. Pierrick Naud (Can) Garneau-Québecor 00:01
3. Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Jamis Hagens Berman 00:13
4. Asbjorn Kragh Andersen (Den) Christina Watches 00:14
5. Ian Crane (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman 00:15
6. Éric Marcotte (USA) SmartStop 00:16
7. Aurélien Passeron (Fra) Silber Pro Cycling Team 00:16
8. Ryan Roth (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team 00:16
9. Brecht Dhaene (Bel) Astellas Cycling 00:17
10. Serghei Tvetcov (Rou) JellyBelly p/b Maxxis 00:17
11. Talor Shelden (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda 00:18
12. Jacob Rathe (USA) JellyBelly p/b Maxxis 00:18
13. Bruno Langlois (Can) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda 00:18
14. Anatoliy Pakhtusov (Ukr) ISD Continental 00:19
15. Leonardo Pinizzotto (Ita) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP 00:20
16. Léandre Bouchard (Can) Transport Lacombe 00:20
17. Viesturs Luksevics (Lat) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP 00:20
18. Edson Calderon (Col) 4-72 Colombia 00:20
19. Timothy Rugg (USA) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme 00:20
20. Charles Planet (Fra) Novo Nordisk 00:20
21. Tommy Nankervis (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling 00:20
22. Anatoliy Budyak (Ukr) ISD Continental 00:20
23. Michael Woods (Can) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP 00:20
24. Chad Beyer (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda 00:20
25. William Routley (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strateg 00:20
26. Maxime Jenkins (USA) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme 00:20
27. Robbie Squire (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman 00:20
28. Stephen Leece (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman 00:20
29. Bjorn Selander (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strateg 00:20
30. Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Novo Nordisk 00:45
31. James Stemper (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda 00:51
32. Michael Torckler (Nzl) SmartStop 00:51
33. Kirk Carlsen (USA) JellyBelly p/b Maxxis 00:52
34. Benjamin Perry (Can) NCCH 00:54
35. David Lozano Riba (Esp) Novo Nordisk 00:54
36. Luca Benedetti (Ita) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP 00:55
37. Eric Young (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strateg 01:09
38. Fernando Orjuela Gutierrez (Col) 4-72 Colombia 01:09
39. Jean-Michel Lachance (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team 01:09
40. Gavin Mannion (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda 01:17
41. Jacob Kauffmann (Aus) Garneau-Québecor 01:21
42. Carson Miller (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman 01:26
43. Adam Matthew Farabaugh (USA) Garneau-Québecor 02:08
44. Thomas Soladay (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strateg 02:23
45. Jordon Cheyne (Can) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme 03:06
46. Charles Bradley Huff (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strateg 03:45
47. Stephen Hyde (USA) Astellas Cycling 04:15
48. Joshua Berry (USA) SmartStop 04:49
49. Brodie Talbot (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling 04:49
50. Enrico Rossi (Ita) Christina Watches 05:41
51. Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Christina Watches 06:00
52. Javier Megian Leal (Esp) Novo Nordisk 06:29
53. Jonathan Hornbeck (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda 06:40
54. Juan José Haedo (Arg) Jamis Hagens Berman 06:40
55. Matt Green (Gbr) Astellas Cycling 06:40
56. Williams David (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda 06:40
57. Nicolas Lefrançois (Fra) Novo Nordisk 07:20
58. Joonas Henttala (Fin) Novo Nordisk 07:20
59. Jimmi Sorensen (Den) Christina Watches 07:40
60. Shane Kliine (USA) SmartStop 07:44
61. Maksym Vasilyev (Ukr) ISD Continental 07:48
62. Clay Murfet (Aus) Astellas Cycling 08:28
63. Christopher Uberti (USA) Astellas Cycling 08:38
64. Vitaliy Popkov (Ukr) ISD Continental 08:38
65. Jake Tanner (Gbr) Christina Watches 08:39
66. Yors Santofimio (Col) 4-72 Colombia 09:08
67. Elliot Doyle (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team 10:03
68. Yean Stefan Rodriguez Sepulveda (Col) 4-72 Colombia 10:41
69. Rémi Pelletier-Roy (Can) Garneau-Québecor 10:50
70. Simon-Pierre Gauthier (Can) Garneau-Québecor 14:07
71. Julian Kyer (USA) SmartStop 20:02
72. Camilo Andres Suarez Albarracin (Col) 4-72 Colombia 24:48
73. Alexis Cartier (Can) Transport Lacombe 26:59
74. David Drouin (Can) NCCH 28:18