June 14, 2015 (Quebec City, QC) – In a thrilling finish to the 30th Tour de Beauce, Benjamin Perry (Silber Pro Cycling), Canada’s reigning U23 Men’s champ, claimed the final 122.4km Stage 5 Saint-Georges Circuit as Pello Bilbao Lopez De Armentia (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA upstaged Tom Skujins (Lat) Hincapie Racing Team for the overall victory.

Bilbao took second on the final stage to move up in the top spot on the GC with Canada’s Robert Britton (Team Smartstop) in third to claim 8th overall. The three escaped on the final lap following multiple attacks throughout the stage and stayed away to finish.

Ryan Roth (Can) Silber Pro Cycling was the top Canuck finishing 5th overall while Guillaume Boivin (Can) Optum P/B Kelly Benefit Strategies, who was in one of the breaks on this stage and was also active in previous stages, took second in the KOM Classification.

Tour de Beauce Stage 5 Final Report

Pello Bilbao has come full circle for the Spanish team Caja Rural by capturing the yellow jersey of the overall winner of the 30th Tour de Beauce in the final minutes of an urban stage presented in Saint-Georges.

This was ond of the few times in the history of this event sanctioned by the UCI that the yellow jersey was decided on the last stage. Caja Rural won three of six stages in total, as well as the overall team classification.

Holder of the yellow jersey since the second stage, Toms Skujins (Slo) Hincapie saw the victory slip through his fingers in under the last two laps, despite his continued efforts and those of his teammate Dion Smith. “We did everything the right way,” explained Smith, who finished third overall in addition to don the jerseys of the winner in the points and Best Young.

“When he took the break, we did not panic, we just wanted to keep the gap to less than a minute to protect the jersey. Caja Rural has worked hard in the last four laps, they put the pressure on us. Personally, I’m glad I won two jerseys and we are second and third in the general classification,” added Smith.

The joy was greatest on the team of the overall winner, and Bilbao was hoisted up by his teammates to celebrate this victory and later they celebrated their classification victory with champagne on stage.

This was also Bilbao’s first major career victory. “Hincapie worked very hard until two laps to go, and they controlled the race,” said Bilbao. “We took advantage of a moment of weariness from them to attack, because we saw a great opportunity. I am impressed by our performance. I had some doubts about my form and after the time trial on Friday, which was not very good for us, I didn’t know what to expect.”

Interview with Pello Bilbao

The day also belong to Silber Pro Cycling’s Benjamin Perry who claimed the fifth stage, ahead of Bilbao and Britton. “I played my cards and I expected good opportunities. I was well positioned in the last two laps, so as not to tire me. This is my career-best result, and I am very happy for my team to be able to win the stage,” said Perry at the finish.

Interview with Benjamin Perry

His victory was doubly pleasing for Silber’s sports director, Gord Fraser, first because he was happy for his riders and secondly because it reminded him of the many stages he himself has won in Beauce.

“I’m really happy for him,” said Fraser. “He’s very talented. We have three of the top four Canadians in our team. Today we had to play our cards tight. I told the guys take advantage of their opportunities.”

Results

1. Benjamin Perry (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 3:03:38
2. Pello Bilbao Lopez De Armentia (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
3. Robert Britton (Can) Team Smartstop
4. Carlos Barbero Cuesta (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 3:03:54
5. Ryan Roth (Can) Silber Pro Cycling
6. Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Cycling Team
7. Dion Smith (Nzl) Hincapie Racing Team
8. Amets Txurruka Ansola (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
9. Jure Kocjan (Slo) Team Smartstop
10. Eduard Prades (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA

Final GC

1. Pello Bilbao Lopez De Armentia (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 17:03:18
2. Tom Skujins (Lat) Hincapie Racing Team 0:15
3. Dion Smith (Nzl) Hincapie Racing Team 0:22
4. Amets Txurruka Ansola (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:24
5. Ryan Roth (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 0:42
6. Eduard Prades Reverter (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 1:01
7. James Oram (Nzl) Axeon Cycling Team 1:10
8. Robert Britton (Can) Team Smartstop 1:19
9. Lachlyn Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 1:52
10. Ruben Antonio Almeida Guerreiro (Por) Axeon Cycling Team 1:54

Points Classification
1. Dion Smith (Nzl) Hincapie Racing Team 53  points
2. Amets Txurruka Ansola (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 49
3. Pello Bilbao Lopez De Armentia (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 47

7. Ryan Roth (Can) Silber Pro Cycling 33
9. Robert Britton (Can) Team Smartstop 28

Mountain Classification
1. Mauricio Ortega (Col) Orgullo Antioqueno 48 points
2. Guillaume Boivin (Can) Optum P/B Kelly Benefit Strategies 28
3. Amets Txurruka Ansola (Esp) Aja Rural-Seguros RGA  25

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

Full results here.