July 1, 2006 (Québec City) — Dominique Rollin of Boucherville, QC, had an outstanding race on July 1, Canada Day, as he captured the men’s National Road Championship title, winning the 196 km road race. Local rider David Veilleux from Cap-Rouge, Québec, earned his second U23 Canadian Road Champion title, while Mark Breton (Charlesbourg, QC) secured his 4th consecutive title in the handisport category.

This morning, the handisport categories began Day 3 of the Tim Hortons National Championships with a 42-km road race. Local rider Mark Breton, 34, of Charlesbourg, QC (Équipe du Québec), won the Canadian Championship title in the LC1 category.

“I’m proud to have succeeded in securing my title for the fourth year in a row,” said the passionate cyclist who finished 5th in the time trial on Thursday and was 10th in the road race at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

Other Canadian Champions crowned in their respective categories were Stéphane Chaput, QC (CP category), Robert Labbé of Équipe du Québec (HCA category), and Gene de la Siega (Team Saskatchewan, BC) in Tandem.

The Elite/U23 men’s race was a super show for the spectators as the suspense lasted until the very end of the 14-lap, 14 km circuit. Québec’s Rollin won the final sprint to cross the finish line first with a time of 4:30:29, ahead of Svein Tuft who finished second and did most of the work during the long breakaway with Rollin and a small group of eight other riders.

“I was there to win,” said Rollin with a big smile, “so you must always have some more energy to put into the battle. I struggled hard against the current time trial Champion (Svein Tuft). It confirms what I am able to give and will certainly open doors for me in the future.”

Tuft, from Langley, B.C. had to settle for second place and Kevin Cunninghan, Symmetrics team owner, commented, “Rollin had a super race. Svein is really disappointed because our goal was the National Champion jersey, but tactically we played the race exactly as we’d planned.”

Dominique Perras of St-Lambert, QC (Kodakgallery.com/SierraNevada) said, “I felt good after the two first laps and started to attack but I got cramps. However, I succeeded in maintaining a good position in the breakaway. If the hills were shorter I could have attacked harder and perhaps claimed the National Champion title which was my goal because I’m a good climber! After a disappointing beginning to this season I feel more confident now.”

David Veilleux (Équipe du Québec) finished in fifth overall and is the top U23 rider. He escaped from the peloton riding aggressively after lap 10 and successfully chased down the breakaway placing 5th overall and was top Espoir. The second U23 rider, Symmetrics Christian Meier of Langley, B.C., placed 6th overall, followed by Jamie Lamb (NS) claiming third on the U23 podium.

“I’m so proud that I rode with the best riders that I have been watching for the last couple of years,” said Veilleux. “When I joined the leaders, I said to myself it must not be the breakaway but some riders who had been dropped. But in fact I was racing well and was truly riding alongside Perras, Rollin and Wohlberg!”

Ryder Hesjedal (Team Phonak) and François Parisien (Team TIAA-CREF QC) among others did not finish the race.

STILL TO COME”¦

On Sunday July 2, spectators will enjoy the presentation of the Criterium races, all categories, beginning at 8:30am. The kids’ race, for riders 4-9 years old, called the TimBits Challenge, will take place on a 1-km circuit around Québec’s Parliament. Registration for the TimBits Challenge opens at 7:00am and the race starts at 2 pm.

Full results and tomorrow’s start lists are available at www.podiumquebec.com.