August 27, 2018 (Poitiers, France) – Canada’s Hugo Houle (Astana Pro Team) was just off the final podium placing a career-best 4th overall at the recent 5-stage Tour Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle Aquitaine that wrapped up Aug. 24.

Houle earned three top-10 results almost landing on the 22.9 km Stage 4 ITT podium where he finished 4th. Arnaud Démare (Fra) Groupama – FDJ won all five stages for an unprecedented overall victory.

Results

Stage 1 – August 21 – Jonzac to Cognac – 192.8km
1. Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 4:46:49
2. Matteo Moschetti (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
3. Matteo Malucelli (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec
4. Thomas Boudat (Fra) Direct Energie
5. Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
6. Jérémy Lecroq (Fra) Vital Concept Club
7. Michaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
8. Rudy Barbier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
9. Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Vital Concept Club
10. Hugo Houle (Can) Astana Pro Team

Stage 2 – August 22 – Segonzac to Melle – 189km
1. Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 4:39:20
2. Matteo Malucelli (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec
3. Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
4. Andrea Vendrame (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec
5. Thomas Boudat (Fra) Direct Energie
6. Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Vital Concept Club
7. Hugo Houle (Can) Astana Pro Team
8. Michael Gogl (Aut) Trek-Segafredo
9. Enrique Sanz Unzue (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias
10. Evaldas Siskevicius (Ltu) Delko Marseille Provence KTM

Stage 3 – August 23 – Gençay to Couhé – 98km
1. Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 2:12:00
2. Matteo Malucelli (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec
3. Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
4. Jérémy Lecroq (Fra) Vital Concept Club
5. Brenton Jones (Aus) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
6. Matteo Moschetti (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
7. Thomas Boudat (Fra) Direct Energie
8. Marco Maronese (Ita) Bardiani CSF
9. Marco Benfatto (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec
10. Kévin Le Cunff (Est) St Michel-Auber 93

14. Hugo Houle (Can) Astana Pro Team

Stage 4  – August 23 – Champagné-Saint-Hilaire to Couhé – 22.9km
1. Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:29:08
2. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Direct Energie 0:07
3. Yoann Paillot (Rus) St Michel-Auber 93 0:13
4. Hugo Houle (Can) Astana Pro Team 0:33
5. Michael Gogl (Aut) Trek-Segafredo 0:44
6. Jérémy Cabot (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole 0:45
7. Seid Lizde (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec 1:00
8. Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale 1:01
9. Julien Antomarchi (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
10. Maxime Bouet (Fra) Fortuneo-Samsic 1:10

Stage 5 – August 24 – Brioux-sur-Boutonne to Poitiers 156km
1. Arnaud Démare (Fra) Groupama – FDJ 3:26:51
2. Jonas Van Genechten (Bel) Vital Concept Cycling Club
3. Matteo Malucelli (Ita) Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec
4. Rudy Barbier (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale
5. Lilian Calmejane (Fra) Direct Energie
6. Evaldas Siskevicius (Ltu) Delko – Marseille Provence KTM
7. Anthony Maldonado (Fra) St Michel – Auber 93
8. Michaël Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis Solutions Crédits
9. Sergei Shilov (Rus) Gazprom – RusVelo
10. Pierre Barbier (Fra) Roubaix – Lille Métropole

17. Hugo Houle (Can) Astana Pro Team

Final GC
1. Arnaud Démare (Fra) Groupama – FDJ 15:33:32
2. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Direct Energie 0:54
3. Yoann Paillot (Fra) St Michel – Auber 93 1:00
4. Hugo Houle (Can) Astana Pro Team 1:08
5. Michael Gogl (Aut) Trek – Segafredo 1:23
6. Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) Ag2r La Mondiale 1:40
7. Julien Antomarchi (Fra) Roubaix – Lille Métropole 1:43
8. Sergei Chernetckii (Rus) Astana Pro Team 1:50
9. Maxime Bouet (Fra) Team Fortuneo – Samsic 1:57
10. Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek – Segafredo 1:57