GPC Quebec City Challenge Sprint Pro Report, Full Results + PHOTOS

report by GPC/Cycling Canada

September 12, 2013 (Quebec City, QC) – France’s Bryan Coquard (Europcar) confirmed his status as one of the world’s leading sprinters when he won the 4th edition of the Challenge Sprint Pro in great style on Quebec City’s Grande Allée on Thursday.

The final was a real showdown between four prominent members of the new generation of sprinters. And it turned into a real battle when the four finalists, Coquard, Dutchman Moreno Hofland (Belkin), Italy’s Giaccomo Nizzolo (RadioShack) and Kazakh Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) played cat and mouse until the turn at the half-way point.

It seemed as though Coquard, arguably the most impressive rider in the heats, had ruined his chances when Hofland surged and caught him off-guard. But with nearly 100 metres to bridge, the Frenchman was strong enough to make it back and win the 2013 edition of the GPCQM Challenge Sprint Pro.

Nizzolo was second ahead of Hofland. “It was a close call as Hofland really caught me off guard. But I managed to pull it back. I love this event because I come from the track but I also sprint pretty well on the road. There are more races ahead of us starting with tomorrow but I’m really glad I won today,” said Coquard, an Olympic silver-medallist on the track in London a year ago. “I had a great year in my first pro season but I don’t know if it will be better than last year with my medal in London.”

Hofland said he had attacked early thinking it was the best way to upset Coquard: “But unfortunately, it was not enough. In any case it’s a great even and I’ll be delighted to do it again if I come back next year.”

Zach Bell (Can) of the Canadian National Team and Rémi Pelletier-Roy (Can) of the Garneau-Quebecor Cycling Team both advanced to the semi-finals, but lost their respective heats.

For Bell, the defending champ of this event, the race was disappointing having won the first two rounds. “I was feeling pretty good after the first two rounds. It was a tactical error on my part. You can’t really fix it when it’s done. I’ll put this behind me moving forward,” admitted Bell, who rides for the Champion System Pro Cycling team.

“I think I was in a gear much too small when the sprint started. Once they closed the door, a gear up would not have made a big difference. I think I should have been in a bigger gear, or jumped harder. Had we all been in a drag race, I would have probably have taken that one,” said Bell. For Bell, the race felt unusual as he’s mostly competee in longer distance events this year.

“The first two rides, I chose to ride with bigger gears, and using the strength I’ve built up on the road. Old habits told me to stay in smaller gear… I wasn’t thinking about it and by the time I realized which gear I was in, it was too late. I don’t have that quick speed jump anymore.”

A total of 24 riders took part in this event, with each of the 19 WorldTour teams presenting one rider for the innovative event launched three years ago.

Five additional Canadians took part of the race: Guillaume Boivin for Cannondale Pro Cycling, Dominique Rollin of FDJ.fr, Hugo Houle with AG2R La Mondiale, as well as two other members from the Garneau-Quebecor cycling team including Canadian Criterium Champ, Pierrick Naud, as well as Geoffroy Dusseault, the Canadian Sprint Challenge winner.

Asked about his chances at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec on Thursday, Coquard added, “I hope the course suits me. There are lots of climbs… short and steep the way I like them. One thing is sure…if I’m at the front on the last kilometre, I’ll have a bit of an edge as I know the last 500 metres now like the palm of my hand.”