June 19, 2004 – Friday morning at the Tour de Beauce means the trek to the
region’s famous Mont Megantic is about to begin. This year featured a
shorter version,
with an added climb on the way to the steep 4km mountain top finish.
Although the next two days would present plenty of opportunities for
change, the Mont Megantic stage always has a significant influence on the
final classification.

It was clear from the start that the Action ATI team was not going to let a
large group get out of their sight. After several attempts were immediately
shut down by the Polish squad, a group of five established a gap, and race
leader Brozyna seemed comfortable giving them a cushion. Navigators Vassili
Davidenko, Symmetric’s Sven Tuft, VW Trek’s Bruno Langlois, Winfix’s Linus
Gerdemann, and Colavita’s Tyler Wren set the hammer down, and pulled away
with 140km to go.With the help of two CCC Polsat riders, the Action team
began setting an aggressive controlling tempo. The five leaders were
working well together, and their powerful effort quickly opened the gap to
three minutes. It appeared that a perfect break had been established to put
pressure on the Poles to ride an accelerated pace on the very difficulty
rolling terrain, while giving the escapees a potential advantage at the
bottom of Megantic, and a chance for the stage win. However, as has often
been the case this year, conventional strategy did not figure in the
Colavita tactics, and with a fast three minute advantage established, Wren
began sitting on the break.His lack of participation aggravated his
committed companions, and soon the break was loosing its coordination. A
frustrated Gerdemann took Wren out the back while the other three pressed
on. The German’s strategy worked, as Wren was dropped, but having waited
too long, Gerdemann could not close the gap to the three pressing leaders,
and before they could discuss the possibility of waiting, the gap between
them had gone over one minute. It was 5 minutes back to the field, and the
three escapees were rolling like thunder. Wren was absorbed by the pack, as
Gerdemann continued alone for another 40 km before giving up.

The break had established a powerful rhythm, and they continued to hold
their five-plus minute advantage in spite of the never ending rolling
hills and
long dragging climbs. As the leaders turned into the day’s third KOM at
102km, they were met with a significant head wind that began to slowly tax
their strength. At thirty km to go, the gap was coming down, and the Poles
were driving hard behind the leaders. Davidenko and Tuft were taking long,
punishing pulls, while Langlois continued to keep his rhythm and
contributions smooth. The wind and distance was taking its toll though,
and as the leaders approached the last kms before the climb the charging
field caught them. As the main group roared past the defeated break, it was
no longer the Polish express alone at the front, but now they were joined
by the Navigators and Health Net squads who were running a full on lead-out
into the base of the climb. The torrid pace was so fast that nearly 20
riders were being dropped before the climb even inched up.

Mont Megantic is a four km, three tier climb. The first section is 13%, which
then levels a bit before punching up at 18%. The last 1 km kick at 13%,
leaves even the strongest riders a bit weak in the knees at the summit.
The field was lined out like a finishing sprint when they hit the first
steep section, and blew apart immediately, with about 17 riders at the
front. Several attacks by the yellow jersey on the first of the ascent
split the lead group in three. The first group included Brozyna, Romanik,
and Moninger. Nathan O’Neil was leading the second group, while Navigators
Rapinski and Power were trying to bring the third group back to O’Neil. The
best climbers this day were at the front though, and in the end, Romanik
out kicked Brozyna, with Moninger four seconds back in third. The remaining
riders came in one at a time.

Navigators’ Jeff Louder retained his KOM jersey by collecting the remaining
points on the day’s three KOM, and Rapinski held on to finish 14th, but
still within striking distance of the leaders.