June 25, 2006 (Montreal, Quebec) – Stage 3 of the Coupe de la Paix unfolded yesterday under a hot sun as riders took to the streets of Repentigny. Emilie Roy (Independent) won a brilliant victory in the 40 km women’s race with a time of 1:03:18. In the men’s race David Veilleux (Garneau Optik) savoured victory on his first day of competing in the four-day criterium series with a time of 1:34:19 over the 70-km course.

The women’s peloton rolled along fairly intact over the flat course around Repentigny’s Horizon Park. Halfway through the race, Émilie Roy (Québec Groupe Centrifuge) pulled away from the peloton and slowly built up a lead as the race wore on. The big question was who would come in second and it was Merrill Collins (La Bicicletta) who won the group sprint over Gina Grain (Colavita/Cooking Light) taking back the yellow jersey. Collins now has a slim 10-point lead over Grain in overall points (430 vs. 420).

Roy was very happy with her victory after experiencing four falls earlier in the season – finally, her luck seems to have changed.

In the men’s race the peloton was stretched out, and became segmented at times. Canada’s current road champ, François Parisien (TIAA-Cref) from Repentigny, took part in the race. He was very active in the peloton but unfortunately took a fall two laps from the finish. According to the rules, if a fall takes place less than 5 km from the finish in a criterium, there is no compensation and the rider suffers a penalty during the next lap.

David Veilleux (Louis Garneau Optik) was the fastest in the sprint for the win but was disappointed that his team’s strategy did not work to help his teammate Alexandre Lavallee, already well placed in overall points. Dominique Rollin (V.C. Roubaix) came in second place and is back in the yellow jersey because he won Stage 1 – Rollin is tied in overall points (540 points each) with the Australian Wes Sulzberger (southaustralia.com-AIS). Another Australian, Ashley Hutchison, took third place in yesterday’s race.

Sunday is the final and decisive stage of the 2006 Coupe de la Paix. The circuit in Blainville, a suburb north of Montreal, will be the most challenging route to date including a hill that competitors must climb many times. Some riders are excited about the prospect as Rollin said, “This will break their feet and I will make sure that it will be difficult for them!” The Australian coach indicated that his team has a secret weapon which should prove useful at the final race on Sunday.

Results

Women (40 km)

1. Emily Roy (Can) Independant 1:03:18
2. Merrill Collins (Can) La Bicicletta
3. Gina Grain (Can) Colavita/Cooking Light
4. Anne Samplonius (Can) Biovail
5. Lisa Sweeney (Can) CPT- Colnago
6. Raphaele Lemieux (Can) Indépendant
7. Jennifer Stephenson (Can) Biovail
8. Julie Marceau (Can) Marinoni
9. Suzie Bélanger (Can) Cascades
10. Veronique Labonté (Can) Cascades
11. Jessica Burns (Can) Cascades
12. Lilia Fraser (Can) Martin Swiss 2:46
13. Vanessa Goodbehere (Can) Cascades 3:34
14. Catherine Marchand (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie 3:36
15. Leah Wilson (Can) Cascades
DNF Marie-Michele Richard (Can) Cascades
DNF Jodi Bilek-Deville (Can) Cascades
DNF Isebelle Riedl (Can) Ste-Foy Québec Métro

Men (70 km)

1. David Veilleux (Can) Garneau Optik 1:34:19
2. Dominique Rollin (Can) V.C. Roubaix
3. Ashley Hutchison (Aus) Australia
4. Wes Sulzberger (Aus) Australia
5. Jean-Sébastien Perron (Can) Calyon-Litespeed 0:03
6. Martin Rooseboom (Can) Cycles Patrick
7. Jeffrey Dirksen (Ned) J.V.R. de Betauwers
8. Mark Pozniak (Can) J.V.R. de Betauwers
9. David Richter (USA) Ital Pasta/Trans.Belm
10. Pierre-Olivier Boily (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie
11. Peter Dawson (Aus) Australia
12. Jeff Schiller (Can) Team R.A.C.E.
13. Ryan Mackenzie (Can) Volkswagen-Trek
14. Jean-François Fortin (Can) Cinelume-Cycles Performance 0:06
15. Alexandre Lavallée (Can) Garneau Optik
16. Martin St-Laurent (Can) Volkswagen-Trek
17. Jamie Lamb (Can) Garneau Optik 0:08
18. Phil Cortes (Can) Garneau Optik 0:12
19. Mathieu Roy (Can) Garneau Optik
20. Jean-Michel Lachance (Can) Garneau Optik
21. Alexandre Nadeau (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie 0:14
22. Eric Lyman (Can) Calyon-Litespeed
23. Isaac Smith (Can) J.V.R. de Betauwers
24. Michael Ford (Aus) Australia
25. Alex De Korten (Can) J.V.R. de Betauwers
26. Darko Ficko (Can) La Bicicletta
27. Derek Mcmaster (Can) Ital Pasta/Trans.Belm 0:22
28. Robert Brisson (Can) Sud-Ouest
29. Sean Finning (Aus) Australia
30. Aaron Fillion (Can) Ottawa B.C.
31. Jean-Sébastien Maheu (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie
32. Michel Détry (Can) Cycle Performance 0:42
33. Chris Saunders (Can) J.V.R. de Betauwers 0:45
34. Rob Van Bekkum (Ned) J.V.R. de Betauwers 0:48
35. Steffan Elzinga (Can) Independant 0:53
36. Peter Sanowar (Can) Ital Pasta/Trans.Belm
37. Dave Vukets (Can) Team R.A.C.E.
38. Philippe Abbott (Can) Ital Pasta/Trans.Belm
39. Robin Bolduc (Can) Vélo Sommet
40. Vincent Coursy (Can) Cycle Régis 0:56
41. Sébastien Pilotte (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie
42. Brandon Sant (Can) V-Com
43. Benjamen Martel (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie 1:29
44. Matt Guse (Can) Team R.A.C.E. 1:34
45. Alex Cloutier (Can) Volkswagen-Trek
46. Jean-Francois Gagné (Can) Rack Ultra
47. Stephen Wooldridge (Aus) Australia 2:35
48. Hughes Lapointe (Can) Espoirs Laval 3:03
49. Carl Desroches (Can) Calyon-Litespeed
50. Brooke Boocock (Can) Calyon-Litespeed 3:48
51. Czeslaw Lukaszewicz (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie
52. Cameron Hughes (Aus) Ital Pasta/Trans.Belm
53. François Brunel (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie
DNF Raphael Tremblay (Can) Volkswagen-Trek
DNF Devon Smibert (Can) Synergie
DNF Clovis Auger (Can) Volkswagen-Trek
DNF Sebastien Moquin (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie
DNF Jean René Bélanger (Can) Volkswagen-Trek
DNF Maxime Vives (Can) Calyon-Litespeed
DNF Fançois Parisien (Can) TIAA
DNF Francis Martin (Can) Premier Teck
DNF Joel Dion-Poitras (Can) Calyon-Litespeed

GC after Stage 3

Women

1. Merrill Collins (Can) La Bicicletta 430
2. Gina Grain (Can) Colavita/Cooking Light 420
3. Anne Samplonius (Can) Biovail 380
4. Emily Roy (Can) Indépendant 320
5. Lisa Sweeney (Can) CPT- Colnago 320
6. Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) D’amos 210
7. Suzie Bélanger (Can) Cascades 190
8. Marie-Pier Bédard (Can) Espoirs Laval 190
9. Jennifer Stephenson (Can) Biovail 170
10. Laura Yoisten (Can) Victory Brewing 170
11. Julie Marceau (Can) Marinoni 140
12. Veronique Labonté (Can) Cascades 135
13. Raphaele Lemieux (Can) Independant 100
14. Jessica Burns (Can) Cascades 55
15. Annie Gervais (Can) Martin Swiss 60
16. Leah Wilson (Can) Cascades 50
17. Joelle Numainville (Can) Biovail 50
18. Lilia Fraser (Can) Martin Swiss 40
19. Vanessa Goodbehere (Can) Cascades 35
20. Catherine Marchand (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie 20
21. Katy St-Laurent (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie 20
22. Jeneviève Gauthier (Can) Le Yeti 10
Marie-Michele Richard (Can Cascades 5

Men

1. Dominique Rollin (Can) V.C. Roubaix 540
2. Wes Sulzberger (Aus) Australia 540
3. David Richter (USA) Ital Pasta/Trans.Belm 380
4. Sean Finning (Aus) Australia 375
5. Mark Pozniak (Can) J.V.R. de Betauwers 350
6. Benjamen Martel (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie 345
7. Ashley Hutchison (Aus) Australia 345
8. Alexandre Lavallée (Can) Garneau Optik 340
9. Ryan Mackenzie (Can) Volkswagen-Trek 280
10. Jeffrey Dirksen (Ned) J.V.R. de Betauwers 255
11. Peter Dawson (Aus) Australia 245
12. Pierre-Olivier Boily (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie 230
13. Martin Rooseboom (Can) Cycles Patrick 220
14. Eric Lyman (Can) Calyon-Litespeed 205
15. David Veilleux (Can) Garneau Optik 200
16. François Brunel (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie 195
17. Nicholas Rowe (Can) Espoirs Laval 160
18. Jean-Sébastien Perron (Can) Calyon-Litespeed 160
19. Michel Détry (Can) Cycle Performance 125
20. Aaron Fillion (Can) Ottawa B.C. 115
21. Jeff Schiller (Can) Team R.A.C.E. 105
22. Charly Vives (Can) Calyon-Litespeed 100
23. Sebastien Moquin (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie 100
24. Mathieu Roy (Can) Garneau Optik 85
25. Jean-François Fortin (Can) Cinelume-Cycles Performance 80
26. Jean-Michel Lachance (Can) Garneau Optik 65
27. Peter Sanowar (Can) Ital Pasta/Trans.Belm 60
28. Martin St-Laurent (Can) Volkswagen-Trek 55
29. Jean-Sébastien Maheu (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie 50
30. Jamie Lamb (Can) Garneau Optik 40
31. Hughes Lapointe (Can) Espoirs Laval 30
32. Phil Cortes (Can) Garneau Optik 30
Rob Van Bekkum (Ned) J.V.R. de Betauwers 15
Derek Mcmaster (Can) Ital Pasta/Trans.Belm 15
Isaac Smith (Ned) J.V.R. de Betauwers 15
Robin Bolduc (Can) Vélo Sommet 15
Matt Guse (Can) Team R.A.C.E. 15
Dave Vukets (Can) Team R.A.C.E. 15
Michael Ford (Aus) Australia 15
Alexandre Nadeau (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie 15
Darko Ficko (Can) La Bicicletta 15
Sébastien Pilotte (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie 15
Cameron Hughes (Can) Ital Pasta/Trans.Belm 15
Stephen Wooldridge (Aus) Australia 15
Devon Smibert (Can) Synergie 15
Alex De Korten (Ned) J.V.R. de Betauwers 15
Clovis Auger (Can) Volkswagen-Trek 15
Philippe Abbott (Can) Ital Pasta/Trans.Belm 15
Chris Saunders (Can) J.V.R. de Betauwers 15
Robert Brisson (Can) Sud-Ouest 15
Jean-Francois Gagné (Can) Rack Ultra 15
Jean René Bélanger (Can) Volkswagen-Trek 15
Raphael Tremblay (Can) Volkswagen-Trek 15
Stephen Keeping (Can) Ottawa B.C. 10
Ian Manning (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee 10
Keith Moore (Can) Jet Fuel Coffee 10
Brandon Sant (Can) V-Com 10
Yves Lefebvre (Can) CIBC Wood Gundy 10
Osmond Bakker (Can) Independant 10
Maxime Vives (Can) Calyon-Litespeed 10
Alexandre Charest (Can) CIBC Wood Gundy 10
Eric Boily (Can) Volkswagen-Trek 10
Vincent Caron (Can) Ski Vélo Vincent Renaud 5
Ryan Belliveau (Can) Espoirs Laval 5
Jean-François Racine (Can) Espoirs Laval 5
Steffan Elzinga (Can) Independant 5
Alistair Howard (Can) Espoirs Laval 5
Maxime Charbonneau (Can) 5
Vincent Coursy (Can) Cycle Régis 5
Paul Migner (Can) CIBC Wood Gundy 5
Alex Cloutier (Can) Volkswagen-Trek 5
Carl Desroches (Can) Calyon-Litespeed 5
Brooke Boocock (Can) Calyon-Litespeed 5
Czeslaw Lukaszewicz (Can) Sleeman Clear Energie 5
Zach Garland (Can) Espoirs Laval 5
Antoine Studner (Can) Espoirs Laval 5
Miles Olman (Aus) Australia 5
Francis Martin (Can) Premier Teck 5
Fançois Parisien (Can) TIAA 5
Joel Dion-Poitras (Can) Calyon-Litespeed 5