June 12, 2015 (Saint-Georges, QC) – Guillaume Boivin (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies raced to victory at the 60km (40-lap) Stage 3b Criterium in Saint-Georges this evening as he and three other riders escaped and stayed away until the finish – audio interview below.

Jack Bobridge (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts was second and Matteo Dal-Cin (Can) Silber Pro Cycling was third with Angus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis finishing 4th. Tom Skujins (Lat) Hincapie Racing Team holds on to the race lead as he finished safely in 7th with the group just behind the leaders.

Boivin highlighted the return of the criterium at the 30th Tour de Beauce as the Quebec rider saw three other riders who join him in a breakaway that escaped in the first quarter of the 40-lap race.

His performance was strongly emphasized by the spectators, who had gathered along the route. An enthusiastic crowd which allows the organization to score precious points with the UCI. The criterium was not allowed by the international organization for some years in stage races.

Since last year, the UCI provided some exceptions, and this is how the Tour de Beauce was able to bring back its criterium, always popular. This is a test for the coming years and it is hoped that the UCI will fully embrace the criterium.

Especially as Guillaume Boivin gave quite a show. “It was fantastic,” said his manager Eric Wohlberg. “He was the instigator of the break. We were expecting a light rain and we thought it was better to be in the break if the road became slippery.”

“I was very motivated,” commented Boivin. “Because my family was here and I wanted to perform well. I knew Hincapie, the team with the yellow jersey, would leave from a breakaway that was not dangerous in the standings. When we left, there was some strong guys with me, Jack Bobridge (second) and Matteo Dalcin (third), powerful riders. I told the guys that Hincapie would let us go, that we were not a problem for them. My strategy was to try very hard to breakaway in the first 10 laps, and if that didn’t work, we would bring Eric Young in a sprint.”

Interview with Guillaume Boivin

The caravan of the Tour de Beauce now travels to Quebec City, a popular stage for cyclists with a 12:15pm to departure time at Parc de la Francophonie – photos and results below.

Results

1. Guillaume Boivin (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 1:22:13
2. Jack Bobridge (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts
3. Matteo Dal-Cin (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
4. Angus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
5. Tyler Magner (USA) Hincapie Racing Team 0:13
6. Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Cycling Team
7. Amets Txurruka Ansola (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
8. Alexander Ray (Nzl) Silber Pro Cycling
9. Tom Skujins (Lat) Hincapie Racing Team
10. Ruben Antonio Almeida Guerreiro (Por) Axeon Cycling Team
11. Eduard Prades Reverter (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
12. Stephen Hyde (USA) Astellas Cycling Team
13. Brecht Dhaene (Bel) Astellas Cycling Team
14. Dion Smith (Nzl) Hincapie Racing Team
15. Dan Gardner (Gbr) Astellas Cycling Team

GC after Stage 3b
1. Tom Skujins (Lat) Hincapie Racing Team 10:48:52
2. Amets Txurruka Ansola (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:09
3. Pello Bilbao Lopez De Armentia (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:10
4. Dion Smith (Nzl) Hincapie Racing Team 0:13
5. Ryan Roth (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 0:22
6. Jordan Cheyne (Can) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme 0:31
7. Eduard Prades Reverter (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:46
8. James Oram (Nzl) Axeon Cycling Team 0:55
9. Ruben Antonio Almeida Guerreiro (Por) Axeon Cycling Team 1:119
10. Robert Britton (Can) Team Smartstop 1:23

Points Classification

1. Eduard Prades Reverter (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 31 points
2. Dion Smith (Nzl) Hincapie Racing Team  30
3. Amets Txurruka Ansola (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 29
4. Tom Skujins (Lat) Hincapie Racing Team 28
5. Jack Bobridge (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 27
6. Tyler Magner (USA) Hincapie Racing Team 23
7. Ryan Roth (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 21
8. Bilbao Lopez De Arment (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros 19
9. Brendan Canty (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 18
10. Guillaume Boivin (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 18

Mountain Classification

1. Mauricio Ortega (Col) Orgullo Antioqueno 26 points
2. Guillaume Boivin (Can) Optum P/B Kelly Benefit Strategies 25
3. Amets Txurruka Ansola (Esp) Aja Rural-Seguros RGA  25
4. Robin Carpenter (USA) Hincapie Racing Team 23
5. Michael Le Rossignol (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 20
6. Bilbao Lopez De Armen C (Esp) Aja Rural-Seguros RGA 16
7. Jack Bobridge (Aus) Team Budget Forklifts 15
8. Ruben Antonio Guerreiro (Por) Axeon Cycling Team 15
9. Tom Skujins (Lat) Hincapie Racing Team 14
10. Oscar Clark (USA) Hincapie Racing Team 10

Best Young Rider
1. Dion Smith (Nzl) Hincapie Racing Team

Full results here.