July 31, 2012 (Lachine, QC) – Simon Lambert-Lemay (SpiderTech p/b C10) took this evening’s stage with brio at the Mardis Cyclistes presented by Jean Coutu bike races. He was followed across the finish by Dominic Chalifoux (Trek-Bontrager) and Pierrick Naud (Ekoï-Gaspésien)
Lambert-Lemay, 22, attacked on the 12th of 31 laps in the 50km criterium, just after an intermediate sprint. Chalifoux and Naud jumped on his wheel then and broke away from the pack of 81 cyclists. The three stayed out well in front for the rest of the race, finishing some 64 seconds ahead of the peloton.
Lambert-Lemay took advantage of slippery conditions caused by increasing rain to launch his final sprint just before the final 90 degree corner, a manoeuvre that caught his breakaway companions off guard.
“I attacked a few times before being able to lose those two guys. I knew I was in fine form and would probably pull ahead on the sprint,” Lambert-Lemay explained afterward.
Stephen Keeping (Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery) finished fourth overall and first in the peloton. Visiting Trinidad and Tobago criterium champion, Emile Abraham (independent) finished fifth. Also present in the field was reining U.S. elite criterium champion, Adam Farabaugh who just signed with the Ekoi-Gaspesien team for the remainder of the 2012 season. Farabaugh of Oswego, NY, finished in the pack.
In terms of general classification, it is still Jean-Francois Laroche (Fantino Mondello-Cycle Régis) in yellow, leading with 661 points, well ahead of Jean-Samuel Deshaies (Ekoi-Gaspesien) with 572. Keeping is in third with 496 points now.
Among the women, it was yet another victory for Elisabeth Albert (Rocky Mountain Forget Aubin), followed by Anne-Marie Morin (Specialized-Mazda-SGC) in second and Ruth McLean (Powerwatts FITTIME) in third. Albert now has a massive 419 points; almost double that of second-place Catherine Couture (independent) with 244. But Albert might find the next two stages more difficult that the Specialized team is back from Europe.
There are two more stages left to go in the 10-stage Tuesday evening series; the next race is August 7 and the grand finale is August 14 around LaSalle Park in Lachine.
Results (brief)
1. Simon Lambert-Lemy (SpiderTech p/b C10)
2. Dominic Chalifoux (Trek-Bontrager)
3. Pierrick Naud (Ekoi-Gaspesien)
4. Stephen Keeping (Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery)
5. Emile Abraham (Rossetti Team)
