August 21, 2007 (Montreal, QC) — It was Kleber Ramos da Silva (Garneau Crocs) who crossed the finish first at the tenth and final 50km stage of the Mardis Cyclistes Saputo on Tuesday evening with a time of 1:01:25. He was followed by Martin Gilbert (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) and Dominique Rollin (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada).

Jean-François Laroche (Sleeman Clear TATV), who finished well back in the pack tonight, was the overall winner of the series with 914 points, followed by Nicholas Rowe (Volkswagen-Trek) at 778 and Ramos da Silva with 726 points. Ramos da Silva’s performance was all the more impressive because he missed four of the ten stages, but then won four of the six stages he raced in. Martin Rooseboom (Cycle Patrick) won the Master’s A category while Fabien Grignard (Gaspésien) won the Master’s B category. Laroche, who works as a lawyer, was up until 2 am the night before the final race working on a case and complained of being “dead tired”.

Rowe and Guillaume Boivin (EVA-Devinci) got entangled with each other’s handlebars just after the finish and crashed spectacularly with Charly Vives (Calyon/Litespeed) coming down on top of them. Rowe was taken to hospital in an ambulance and thus missed the podium presentation to receive the red (second place) jersey.

Many of the riders had just completed the 252km Louis Garneau Montreal-to-Quebec City Classic on Sunday, including Ramos da Silva.

A break composed of Eric Boily (EVA-Devinci), Greg Reain (Calyon/Litespeed), Alexandre Nadeau (Sleeman Clear TATV) and Ryan McKenzie (Volkswagen-Trek) dominated much of the last half of the race, but the pack bridged to the break during the last three laps. One spectator told us he saw numerous crashes but this was not confirmed. Gilbert raced with a replacement bib number because he apparently he’d lost his original bib. Race officials joked that he has a reputation for doing so.

The women’s Shape Cup was won by Laurie-Anne Dupont-Renaud (CIBC Wood Gundy), followed by Catherine Couture (Équipe Cascades) and Geneviève Bourgeois (Acidose Lactique). In overall standings, it was Dupont-Renaud in yellow, followed by Shanie Bergeron (Specialized-Vinci-Menikini) in red (second) and Couture in green (third).

The Laits Go race tonight was won by William Fontaine (Musique Plus), followed by team mate Marc-Antoine Lagacé and Frédéric Poisson (Velomax). Pierre-Etienne Boivin (Vélo Club Longueuil) was the surprise overall winner of the Lait’s Go Cup, a few points ahead of Poisson and Philippe-Antoine Alexandre (Club Record), who was in yellow before tonight’s race.

For the minime Hop and Go Cup, it was Joseph-Émile Lupien (Club Record) finishing first, followed by Joakim Albert (Ste-Foy-Qc Métro) and Francis Lambert-Lemay (Velo Club Longueuil). In overall points, it was Lambert-Lemay with 916 points, followed by Albert and Sébastien Boivin (Le Maillot Bleu).

Results (brief)

Senior Men
1. Kleber Ramos da Silva (Garneau Crocs)
2. Martin Gilbert (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast)
3. Dominique Rollin (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada)

Women’s Shape Cup
1. Laurie-Anne Dupont-Renaud (CIBC Wood Gundy)
2. Catherine Couture (Équipe Cascades)
3. Geneviève Bourgeois (Acidose Lactique)

Juniors Laits Go
1. William Fontaine (Musique Plus)
2. Marc-Antoine Lagacé
3. Frédéric Poisson (Velomax)

Minime Hop and Go Cup
1. Joseph-Émile Lupien (Club Record)
2. Joakim Albert (Ste-Foy-Qc Métro)
3. Francis Lambert-Lemay (Velo Club Longueuil)

Overall

Senior Men
1. Jean-François Laroche (Sleeman Clear TATV) 914
2. Nicholas Rowe (Volkswagen-Trek) 778
3. Kleber Ramos da Silva (Garneau Crocs) 726

Women’s Shape Cup
1. Laurie-Anne Dupont-Renaud (CIBC Wood Gundy)
2. Shanie Bergeron (Specialized-Vinci-Menikini)
3. Catherine Couture (Équipe Cascades)

Juniors Laits Go
1. Pierre-Etienne Boivin (Vélo Club Longueuil)
2. Frédéric Poisson (Velomax)
3. Philippe-Antoine Alexandre (Club Record)

Minime Hop and Go Cup
1. Francis Lambert-Lemay (Velo Club Longueuil)
2. Joakim Albert (Ste-Foy-Qc Métro)
3. Sébastien Boivin (Le Maillot Bleu)