September 6, 2007 (Le Palais, France) – The Canadian team fulfilled its main objective in the opening stage of the Tour de l’Avenir: stay out of trouble.

The combination of 123 nervous riders and narrow, twisty roads contributed to numerous crashes during the 148.5 km stage, held on the island of Belle-Île-en-Mer. Stéphane Poulhies of the French national team won the stage from a five-man breakaway, which finished the stage 58 seconds ahead of the pack.

Keven Lacombe was the top Canadian finisher, in 13th place. Christian Meier (21st) and Brad Fairall (45th) both also finished in the main field, while Ryan Anderson and David Veilleux both lost a handful of seconds after getting caught behind small splits on the final climb to the finish.

“I had really good legs but the uphill finish wasn’t good for me,” said Lacombe. “I think I have the legs to have a good result on a flat stage.”

Eric Boily had the toughest day of the Canadians: the Quebecer was caught out by an acceleration in the field after fetching bottles for his teammates and finished the stage 21 minutes down.

On Friday, the riders tackle the 164.5 km second stage that crosses the Morbihan region of Britanny, from Quiberon to Saint-Jean-la-Poterie.

Results

1. Stéphane Poulhies (Fra) France A 3.40.17 (40.45 km/h)
2. Aleksey Kunshin (Rus) Russia
3. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Netherlands
4. Marcel Wyss (Swi) Switzerland
5. Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Latvia
6. Dario Cataldo (Ita) Italy 0.58
7. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Belgium
8. Rafaa Chtioui (Tun) Mixed
9. Jonas-Aaen Jörgensen (Den) Denmark
10. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Netherlands
11. Andrius Buividas LIT Lithuania
12. Dominic Klemme (Ger) Germany
13. Keven Lacombe (Can) Canada
14. Pawel Wachnik (Pol) Poland
15. Nelson Rocha (Por) Portugal
16. José Mendes (Por) Portugal
17. Lars Boom (Ned) Netherlands
18. Jos Van Emden (Ned) Netherlands
19. Ignatas Konovalovas LIT Lithuania
20. Tom Leezer (Ned) Netherlands
21. Christian Meier (Can) Canada
22. Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Netherlands
23. Paul Voss (Ger) Germany
24. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Noraway
25. Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) France A
26. Dries Van Der Ginst (Bel) Belgium
27. Oleg Chuzhda (Ukr) Ukraine
28. Thomas Kvist (Den) Denmark
29. Ivan Rovny (Rus) Russia
30. Yoann Offredo (Fra) France B
31. Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Belgium
32. Fabio Taborre (Ita) Italy
33. Craig Lewis (USA) US National Team
34. Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Belgium
35. Laurent Beuret (Swi) Switzerland
36. Florian Morizot (Fra) France B
37. Michael Randin (Swi) Switzerland
38. Andre Steensen (Den) Denmark
39. Haijun Ma (Alg) Mixed
40. Jakob Bering (Den) Denmark
41. Jose Herrada SPA Spain
42. Peter Stetina (USA) US National Team
43. Alexandr Kilibaev (Kaz) Kazakhstan
44. Javier Aramendia SPA Spain
45. Bradley Fairall (Can) Canada
46. Benat Intxausti SPA Spain
47. Frederik Wilmann (Nor) Noraway
48. Dalivier Ospina (Col) Mixed
49. Adrian Honkisz (Pol) Poland
50. Maciej Paterski (Pol) Poland
51. Stijn Neirynck (Bel) Belgium
52. Marius Kukta LIT Lithuania
53. Mickael Larpe (Fra) France B
54. Simon Spilak (Slo) Slovenia
55. Grega Bole (Slo) Slovenia
56. Abdelkader Belmokhtar (Alg) Mixed
57. Jérôme Coppel (Fra) France A
58. Anthony Roux (Fra) France A
59. Thomas Peterson (USA) US National Team
60. Tony Martin (Ger) Germany
61. Simon Geschke (Ger) Germany
62. Nicolas Hartmann (Fra) France A
63. Dmytro Novosad (Ukr) Ukraine
64. Martin Kohler (Swi) Switzerland
65. Gasper Svab (Slo) Slovenia
66. Diego Milan SPA Spain
67. Jean-Charles Senac (Fra) France A
68. Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Kazakhstan
69. Sondre Sortveit (Nor) Noraway
70. Viesturs Luksevics (Lat) Latvia
71. Andreas Frisch (Den) Denmark
72. Rui Costa (Por) Portugal
73. Vitor Rodrigues (Por) Portugal
74. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) US National Team
75. Stian Sommerseth (Nor) Noraway
76. Oscar Sanchez (Col) Mixed 1.13
77. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Noraway
78. Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Belgium
79. Evaldas Siskevicius LIT Lithuania
80. Sébastien Fournet Fayard (Fra) France B 1.19
81. Mathias Belka (Ger) Germany
82. Ildar Zakirov (Rus) Russia
83. Thomas Brigaud (Fra) France B
84. Cyril Bessy (Fra) France B
85. Ryan Anderson (Can) Canada 1.22
86. Oleh Opryshko (Ukr) Ukraine
87. Marcos Garcia SPA Spain
88. Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Italy
89. Herberts Pudans (Lat) Latvia 1.26
90. Sergey Shcherbakov (Rus) Russia
91. Lukasz Modzelewski (Pol) Poland
92. David Veilleux (Can) Canada
93. Andrey Klyuev (Rus) Russia 1.29
94. Adriano Malori (Ita) Italy
95. Tomasz Krupinski (Pol) Poland
96. Normunds Lasis (Lat) Latvia
97. Stefan Schafer (Ger) Germany
98. Jarlinson Pantano (Col) Mixed
99. Reto Hollenstein (Swi) Switzerland 1.34
100. Berik Kupeshov (Kaz) Kazakhstan 1.36
101. Marco Coledan (Ita) Italy 1.47
102. Chris Barton (USA) US National Team
103. Christer Rake (Nor) Noraway
104. Pawel Cieslik (Pol) Poland 1.49
105. Nazar Jumabekov (Kaz) Kazakhstan 2.02
106. Volodymyr Landyrev (Ukr) Ukraine
107. Kasper Jebjerg (Den) Denmark 2.4
108. Mathieu Deschenaux (Swi) Switzerland 5.36
109. Kristofers Racenajs (Lat) Latvia 9.59
110. Joze Senekovic (Slo) Slovenia 10.32
111. Blaz Jarc (Slo) Slovenia
112. Andriy Suralyov (Ukr) Ukraine 12.29
113. Martins Trautmanis (Lat) Latvia 13.33
114. Gediminas Kaupas LIT Lithuania
115. Alexandr Shushemoin (Kaz) Kazakhstan
116. Peter Salon (USA) US National Team
117. Kristjan Koren (Slo) Slovenia
118. Claudio Apolo (Por) Portugal
119. Eric Boily (Can) Canada 21.33
120. Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy (Kaz) Kazakhstan 32.47

GC after Stage 1

1. Stéphane Poulhies (Fra) France A 3.40.02
2. Aleksey Kunshin (Rus) Russia 0.09
3. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Netherlands
4. Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Latvia 0.14
5. Marcel Wyss (Swi) Switzerland 0.15
6. Yoann Offredo (Fra) France B 1.07
7. Lars Boom (Ned) Netherlands 1.11
8. Maciej Paterski (Pol) Poland 1.12
9. Dario Cataldo (Ita) Italy 1.13
10. Nikolas Maes (Bel) Belgium
11. Rafaa Chtioui (Tun) Mixed
12. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Netherlands
13. Andrius Buividas LIT Lithuania
14. Dominic Klemme (Ger) Germany
15. Keven Lacombe (Can) Canada
16. Pawel Wachnik (Pol) Poland
17. Nelson Rocha (Por) Portugal
18. José Mendes (Por) Portugal
19. Jos Van Emden (Ned) Netherlands
20. Ignatas Konovalovas LIT Lithuania
21. Tom Leezer (Ned) Netherlands
22. Christian Meier (Can) Canada
23. Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Netherlands
24. Paul Voss (Ger) Germany
25. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Noraway
26. Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) France A
27. Dries Van Der Ginst (Bel) Belgium
28. Oleg Chuzhda (Ukr) Ukraine
29. Thomas Kvist (Den) Denmark
30. Ivan Rovny (Rus) Russia
31. Kristof Vandewalle (Bel) Belgium
32. Fabio Taborre (Ita) Italy
33. Craig Lewis (USA) US National Team
34. Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Belgium
35. Laurent Beuret (Swi) Switzerland
36. Florian Morizot (Fra) France B
37. Michael Randin (Swi) Switzerland
38. Andre Steensen (Den) Denmark
39. Haijun Ma (Alg) Mixed
40. Jakob Bering (Den) Denmark
41. Jose Herrada SPA Spain
42. Peter Stetina (USA) US National Team
43. Alexandr Kilibaev (Kaz) Kazakhstan
44. Javier Aramendia SPA Spain
45. Bradley Fairall (Can) Canada
46. Benat Intxausti SPA Spain
47. Frederik Wilmann (Nor) Noraway
48. Dalivier Ospina (Col) Mixed
49. Adrian Honkisz (Pol) Poland
50. Stijn Neirynck (Bel) Belgium
51. Marius Kukta LIT Lithuania
52. Mickael Larpe (Fra) France B
53. Simon Spilak (Slo) Slovenia
54. Grega Bole (Slo) Slovenia
55. Abdelkader Belmokhtar (Alg) Mixed
56. Jérôme Coppel (Fra) France A
57. Anthony Roux (Fra) France A
58. Thomas Peterson (USA) US National Team
59. Tony Martin (Ger) Germany
60. Simon Geschke (Ger) Germany
61. Nicolas Hartmann (Fra) France A
62. Dmytro Novosad (Ukr) Ukraine
63. Martin Kohler (Swi) Switzerland
64. Gasper Svab (Slo) Slovenia
65. Diego Milan SPA Spain
66. Jean-Charles Senac (Fra) France A
67. Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Kazakhstan
68. Sondre Sortveit (Nor) Noraway
69. Viesturs Luksevics (Lat) Latvia
70. Andreas Frisch (Den) Denmark
71. Rui Costa (Por) Portugal
72. Vitor Rodrigues (Por) Portugal
73. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) US National Team
74. Stian Sommerseth (Nor) Noraway
75. Oscar Sanchez (Col) Mixed 1.28
76. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Noraway
77. Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Belgium
78. Evaldas Siskevicius LIT Lithuania
79. Jonas-Aaen Jörgensen (Den) Denmark 1.33
80. Sébastien Fournet Fayard (Fra) France B 1.34
81. Mathias Belka (Ger) Germany
82. Ildar Zakirov (Rus) Russia
83. Thomas Brigaud (Fra) France B
84. Cyril Bessy (Fra) France B
85. Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Italy 1.36
86. Ryan Anderson (Can) Canada 1.37
87. Oleh Opryshko (Ukr) Ukraine
88. Marcos Garcia SPA Spain
89. Herberts Pudans (Lat) Latvia 1.41
90. Sergey Shcherbakov (Rus) Russia
91. Lukasz Modzelewski (Pol) Poland
92. David Veilleux (Can) Canada
93. Andrey Klyuev (Rus) Russia 1.44
94. Adriano Malori (Ita) Italy
95. Tomasz Krupinski (Pol) Poland
96. Normunds Lasis (Lat) Latvia
97. Stefan Schafer (Ger) Germany
98. Jarlinson Pantano (Col) Mixed
99. Reto Hollenstein (Swi) Switzerland 1.49
100. Berik Kupeshov (Kaz) Kazakhstan 1.51
101. Marco Coledan (Ita) Italy 2.02
102. Chris Barton (USA) US National Team
103. Christer Rake (Nor) Noraway
104. Pawel Cieslik (Pol) Poland 2.04
105. Nazar Jumabekov (Kaz) Kazakhstan 2.17
106. Volodymyr Landyrev (Ukr) Ukraine
107. Kasper Jebjerg (Den) Denmark 2.55
108. Mathieu Deschenaux (Swi) Switzerland 5.51
109. Kristofers Racenajs (Lat) Latvia 10.14
110. Joze Senekovic (Slo) Slovenia 10.47
111. Blaz Jarc (Slo) Slovenia
112. Andriy Suralyov (Ukr) Ukraine 12.44
113. Martins Trautmanis (Lat) Latvia 13.48
114. Gediminas Kaupas LIT Lithuania
115. Alexandr Shushemoin (Kaz) Kazakhstan
116. Peter Salon (USA) US National Team
117. Kristjan Koren (Slo) Slovenia
118. Claudio Apolo (Por) Portugal
119. Eric Boily (Can) Canada 21.48
120. Yevgeniy Nepomnyachshiy (Kaz) Kazakhstan 33.02