September 10, 2017 (Montreal, Que.) – Antoine Duchesne (Team Canada) was the top Canadian as Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates attacked from a lead group of six riders on the final lap to claim his first WorldTour victory winning the 8th annual Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal. Jesus Herrada (Esp) Movistar Team was second and Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale – Drapac Pro Cycling Team was third.

Duchesne led the strong Canadian contingent finishing 42nd. The race was highlighted by an early break featuring Matteo Dal-Cin (Can) Team Canada and Benjamin Perry (Can) Israel Cycling Academy, similar to last year, but the duo were caught without about 40km setting up the final attacks.

Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal Report

Diego Ulissi outwitted his breakaway companions in a nail-biting finale to win the 8th Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal ahead of Spain’s Jesus Herrada and Dutchman Tom-Jelte Slagter. Better known for his six stage victories at the Giro d’Italia, the UAE Team Emirates leader led the successful move on the final lap to upset the pre-race favourites and sprint for his best victory to date in a one-day race.

Frenchman Tony Gallopin (Lotto Soudal), member of the six-man break which included Belgian Jan Bakelants and Dutchman Bauke Mollema, tried to force the decision by attacking with 1.5 km to go. But Ulissi was the fastest on the final stretch and easily overpowered his opponents.

Taken off guard in an eventful finale with countless attempts, race favourites Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe and titleholder Greg Van Avermaet were forced to concede defeat with two kilometers to go as the chase failed to find momentum.

Canadian road champion Matteo Dal-Cin (Team Canada) and compatriot Benjamin Perry (Israel Cycling Academy) broke clear off the gun. The peloton gave them the go-ahead and their lead rose to just over 6 minutes after 20 km. Several counter attacks and a steady effort by Cannondale Drapac Professional Cycling Team brought the gap down.

At km 43, UAE Team Emirates Ben Swift raised the tempo and the peloton split into two groups. While Van Avermaet managed to stay in the first group with former winner Simon Gerrans and fellow-Australian Michael Matthews, Sagan found himself trapped in the second bunch, which trailed the first by about a minute.

But the Sagan group made it back at kilometer 55. The world champion replied in similar fashion on lap number 8, when he briefly attacked with a teammate with 105 km to go before being reeled in. Cannondale Drapac kept leading the way with Alex Howes and Lawson Craddock up front and Dal-Cin and Perry were finally caught shortly after kilometer 120.

At the junction, Team Sunweb and Lotto Soudal seized the reins and took turns to increase the pace, dropping several riders. Ian Boswell (Team Sky) made his move on the 12th lap (km 140), quickly followed by Eritrea’s Natnael Berhane (Team Dimension Data).

The two were later joined by Michael Albasini (Orica-Scott) and Edward Ravasi (UAE Team Emirates). But the break was run down at kilometer 164. With 38 km to go, Canada’s Guillaume Boivin (Israel Cycling Academy) also tried his luck before Alberto Bettiol (Cannondale Drapac Professional Cycling Team) countered and went on his own.

He was later joined by Gianluca Brambilla (Quick Step Floors), Lukas Pöstlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe), Dylan Teuns (BMC Racing Team), Danilo Wyss (BMC Racing Team), Roman Kreuziger (Orica-Scott), Matthias Frank (AG2R La Mondiale), Valerio Conti (UAE Team Emirates) and Enrico Gasparotto (Bahrain-Merida).

The nine were caught with two laps to go and the next attacker was Jan Bakelants (AG2R La Mondiale), who moved up on the descent. The Belgian was later part of a 16-man group who broke clear on the last lap and included Tony Gallopin (Lotto Soudal), Jesus Herrada (Movistar Team), Bakelants, Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo), Ulissi and Slagter.

The final break of six parted with their companions in the last ascent of Camillien-Houde and were left to battle it out for final victory. They managed to keep the pack at bay, setting the stage for Ulissi to take the final laurels.

“I had been looking for a victory in a one-day classic for a long time and the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal was the perfect one for me as I finished third last year,” said Diego Ulissi. “In the finale when we saw that the favourites like Greg Van Avermaet or Peter Sagan were not there in the leading group I started to believe in my chances.”

“I knew I was probably the fastest in this group but you never know. I want to thank my teammates like Conti and Marcato who did a great job to help me. I haven’t talked to (Italian selector) Davide Cassani about the world championships but if he had questions my answer was this.”

Second-placed Jesus Herrada commented, “It’s a very hard race, I’m glad to be on the podium, it’s a great satisfaction. In the finale, we were a strong group of riders while Van Avermaet and Sagan did not have teammates with them. It played in our favor.”

Cannondale-Drapac’s Slagter in third added, “I want to thank my teammates for we were the only team who decided to take the reins and make the race hard. It was the plan to lead early on and then go first with Alberto Bettiol while I had to wait for the very last minute. It nearly worked even if I would have preferred to be in the middle of the podium than in third place.”

Results

1. Diego Ulissi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 5:22:29
2. Jesus Herrada (Esp) Movistar Team
3. Tom-Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale-Drapac
4. Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
5. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo 0:06
6. Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal 0:11
7. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:16
8. Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb
9. Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
10. Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Cannondale-Drapac
11. Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
12. Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal
13. Petr Vakoc (Cze) Quick-Step Floors
14. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
15. Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal
16. Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
17. Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-Scott
18. Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data
19. Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
20. Sergio Henao Montoya (Col) Team Sky
21. Sébastien Reichenbach (Sui) FDJ
22. Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal
23. Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-Scott
24. Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac
25. Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick-Step Floors 0:25
26. Grega Bole (Slo) Bahrain-Merida 0:33
27. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Orica-Scott 0:55
28. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Sunweb 1:15
29. Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Quick-Step Floors 1:17
30. Jack Bauer (NZl) Quick-Step Floors
31. Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing Team
32. Mathias Frank (Sui) AG2R La Mondiale 1:31
33. Peter Kennaugh (Gbr) Team Sky 1:34
34. Jasha Sutterlin (Ger) Movistar Team 1:38
35. Pieter Serry (Bel) Quick-Step Floors 1:40
36. Julien Vermote (Bel) Quick-Step Floors
37. Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Israel Cycling Academy
38. Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
39. Danilo Wyss (Sui) BMC Racing Team
40. Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Katusha-Alpecin
41. Valerio Conti (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
42. Antoine Duchesne (Can) CAN
43. Michael Albasini (Sui) Orica-Scott
44. Lukas Pöstlberger (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe
45. Michal Golas (Pol) Team Sky
46. Oscar Gatto (Ita) Astana Pro Team
47. Michael Schar (Sui) BMC Racing Team
48. Winner Andrew Anacona (Col) Movistar Team
49. Andrey Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team
50. Lars Bak (Den) Lotto Soudal
51. Guillaume Boivin (Can) Israel Cycling Academy
52. Kenny Elissonde (Fra) Team Sky
53. Cyril Gautier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 1:53
54. Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac 1:55
55. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Bahrain-Merida 2:16
56. Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Sunweb
57. Marco Marcato (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 3:55
58. Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale-Drapac
59. Sean De Bie (Bel) Lotto Soudal
60. Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha-Alpecin
61. Jay Mc Carthy (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe
62. Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Bahrain-Merida
63. Mitchell Docker (Aus) Orica-Scott
64. Jose Herrada (Esp) Movistar Team
65. Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale
66. Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-Scott
67. Stephen Cummings (Gbr) Dimension Data
68. Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ 5:08
69. Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) Dimension Data
70. Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Katusha-Alpecin
71. Carlos Barbero (Esp) Movistar Team
72. Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
73. Simone Petilli (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
74. Timo Roosen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
75. Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
76. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) Bahrain-Merida
77. Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
78. Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) Bora-Hansgrohe
79. Luka Pibernik (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
80. Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Team Sky
81. Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
82. Sebastian Henao Gomez (Col) Team Sky
83. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
84. Moreno Moser (Ita) Astana Pro Team
85. Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
86. Bram Tankink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
87. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Cannondale-Drapac
88. Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) UAE Team Emirates
89. Rémi Cavagna (Fra) Quick-Step Floors 7:50
90. Jack Burke (Can) Canada 9:49
91. Olivier Le Gac (Fra) FDJ 9:51
92. Twan Castelijns (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
93. Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) FDJ
94. Victor De La Parte (Esp) Movistar Team
95. Nuno Bico (Por) Movistar Team
96. Natnael Berhane (Eri) Dimension Data
97. Bruno Langlois (Can) Canada
98. Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica-Scott
99. Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team Sunweb 10:00
100. Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo 11:03
101. Gregory Daniel (USA) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team
DNF Amael Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team
DNF Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team
DNF Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team
DNF Juraj Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe
DNF Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe
DNF Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
DNF Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
DNF Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Quick-Step Floors
DNF Ian Boswell (USA) Team Sky
DNF Philip Deignan (Irl) Team Sky
DNF Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Sunweb
DNF Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Sunweb
DNF Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Sunweb
DNF Zico Waeytens (Bel) Team Sunweb
DNF Ruben Plaza (Esp) Orica-Scott
DNF Hector Carretero (Esp) Movistar Team
DNF Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Katusha-Alpecin
DNF Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin
DNF Jhonatan Restrepo Valencia (Col) Katusha-Alpecin
DNF Angel Vicioso Arcos (Esp) Katusha-Alpecin
DNF Rick Zabel (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin
DNF Lawson Craddock (USA) Cannondale-Drapac
DNF Nathan Brown (USA) Cannondale-Drapac
DNF Thomas Leezer (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
DNF Kristijan _urasek (Cro) UAE Team Emirates
DNF Edward Ravasi (Ita) UAE Team Emirates
DNF Ben Swift (Gbr) UAE Team Emirates
DNF Jasper De Buyst (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Borut Bozic (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
DNF Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team
DNF Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
DNF Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ
DNF Kevin Reza (Fra) FDJ
DNF Benoit Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ
DNF Léo Vincent (Fra) FDJ
DNF Tyler Farrar (USA) Dimension Data
DNF Ben O’connor (Aus) Dimension Data
DNF Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) Dimension Data
DNF Jaco Venter (RSA) Dimension Data
DNF Ryan Anderson (Can) Canada
DNF Pier-Andre Cote (Can) Canada
DNF Alexander Cowan (Can) Canada
DNF Matteo Dal-Cin (Can) Canada
DNF Marc-Antoine Soucy (Can) Canada
DNF Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Israel Cycling Academy
DNF Krists Neilands (Lat) Israel Cycling Academy
DNF Benjamin Perry (Can) Israel Cycling Academy
DNF Mihkel Raim (Est) Israel Cycling Academy
DNF Guy Sagiv (Isr) Israel Cycling Academy
DNF Tyler Williams (USA) Israel Cycling Academy