July 23, 2006 (Val-d’Or, QC) — Team Canada’s Mark Hinnen did not win a stage at the 38th Tour de l’Abitibi but he has bragging rights as the first Abitibi racer to win all three jerseys as he ends his junior career this season.

After today’s final stage criterium, Hinnen was wearing the brown jersey as overall leader and he also earned the orange points jersey as well. At last year’s competition he won the blue jersey for being the best first year junior.

Hinnen finished 6th today wisely keeping himself in the main pack as Belgium’s Sander Verhaeghe (VC Ardennes) won the stage in 1:17:45. Verhaeghe was 4 sec. ahead of Guillaume Blais-Dufour (Volkswagen/Trek) team and 8 sec ahead of Team Canada’s William Goodfellow.

Team Canada dominated the seven days of racing winning the team category as well, and also won the Blue jersey for 1st year junior champion. This is the first time in the history of the Tour de l’Abitibi that the same team has won all championships.

This is also the third time that the top three riders overall are members of the same team – France did it in 1981 and the USA in 1997. Hinnen’s total time was 11:51:35 secs, 15 secs ahead of teammate William Goodfellow. He also had a total of 81 points winning the points category overall.

The 2006 Tour de l’Abitibi is now history and next week Canadian rider will compete at the Mardis Cyclists de Lachine and from August 10-13 will head to Spa, Belgium for the Junior Road World Championships.

Results

Stage 8

1. Sander Verhaeghe (Bel) VC Ardennes 1:17:45
2. Guillaume Blais-Dufour (Can) Volkswagen Trek 1:17:49
3. William Goodfellow (Can) Team Canada 1:17:53
4. Rikiya Shinohara (Jap)
5. Lars Andersson (Swe)
6. Mark Hinnen (Can) Team Canada
7. Geoff O’Toole (Can) Atlantic Cycling Center
8. Thomas Chamon (Bel) SG Macs
9. Tony Guinhut (Fra) Pole Espoirs.
10. Cédrick Bourgeois (Can) Team Québec

Final GC

1. Mark Hinnen (Can) 11:51:35
2. William Goodfellow (Can) 0:15
3. Guillaume Boivin (Can) 0:36
4 Charlie Bryer (Can) 0:43
5. Kevin Soller (USA) 0:59
6. Sander Verhaeghe (Bel) Lotto Davitamon VC Ardennes 1:08
7. Vincent Blouin (Can) Québec 1:23
8. Masakazu Ito (Jpn) 1:24
9. Lars Andersson (Swe) 1:25
10. Julian Arredondo (Col) Colombie 1:26

Points Final Ranking

1. Mark Hinnen (Can) Team Canada 81
2. Sander Verhaeghe (Bel) VC Ardenes 74
3. Guillaume Blais Dufour (Can) Volkswagen Trek 60
4. Cole House (USA) Baraboo Sharks 46
5. David Nadeau (Can) Team Québec 44

– Brown jersey (Tour champion) – Mark Hinnen (Canada)
– Orange jersey (points champion) – Mark Hinnen (Canada)
– Blue jersey (best first junior) – Guillaume Boivin (Canada)

Complete results: www.tourabitibi.qc.ca