August 11, 2006 – François Parisien (TIAA-CREF) gave up Wednesday (Aug. 9) on the fourth and final stage, a 136 km route between Culoz and Belley, at the Tour de l’Ain. The 24-year-old Canadian road champion from the Montreal suburb of Repentigny was fighting a virus and did well in the first two stages but abandoned at the first relay station. Parisien’s teammate, Will Frischkorn, who was suffering from the same virus, was forced to abandon the day before.

The final stage was won by Patrice Halgand (FRA, Crédit Agricole) while fellow Frenchman Cyril Dessel (AG2R Prévoyance) won the overall with a time of 14:56:53.

Parisien said he was encouraged by his strong performance earlier at the Tour de l’Ain adding, “Without this illness, I could have finished within five minutes of Dessel.” Parisien is planning to race again this Sunday at Spain’s Urkiola Igoera-Subida Urkiola.