June 06, 2014 (La Baie, QC) – The Grand Prix Cycliste de Saguenay continued on Friday with the second stage, and for the second consecutive day, the race ended in a bunch sprint. American Eric Young of Optum p/b Kelly Benefits, wearing the yellow jersey for this second stage, continued his sprint domination with his second victory in as many days, becoming the uncontested favorite to win and become King of the first edition of the Grand Prix.

Two factors made it difficult for cyclists on this cloudy day with sprinkles of rain: a section of the course with strong crosswinds and a 400m section of the race with a steep 10% grade.

The peloton, which was reduced to 102 riders after the first stage, remained together for the first four laps. In the fourth lap, a significant crash happened, and naturally created a breakaway of 18 riders who took more than 30 seconds on the scattered riders.

Thanks to the efforts of a few motivated teams without representation in the breakaway, the second group which included the yellow jersey of Eric Young quickly accelerated the pace and joined the leading group.

The sixth lap, the race began to turn with a breakaway of 16 riders taking a maximum advance of 2:15. The breakaway remained relatively intact until the eighth and final round, while the yellow jersey group has accelerated the pace.

>From the junction of the two groups at the last passage of the start/finish line, the American champion Eric Marcotte Team Smartstop and Enrico Rossi of team Christina Watches-Kuma went on a solo breakaway, and maintained a lead of 20 to 30 seconds up to a few kilometers from the end line, before the pack made the junction

At the finish line, Eric Young was the first to cross the finish line, for a second consecutive day, followed by Canada’s Pierrick Naud the Garneau-Quebecor team and Jure Kocjan of Team Smartstop, second and third respectively.

With the end of race finishing in a sprint, Eric Young retains his yellow jersey as overall leader. “We are really happy with today. I honestly didn’t think it would come down to a sprint. There was a good move there about halfway through the race. I thought it was gonna be it, but there was two or three teams that didn’t make it, so they chased real hard and brought it back. It was a really dynamic race. There was quite a few moves that I don’t know if we would have been able to bring back by ourselves. Lots of teams were active,” commented Eric Young, the reigning American Champion in the criterium.

“For the whole last lap, we know it would be a sprint. I am very happy to win for Optum. We are really stoked to be here in Canada, and win two in a row,” added Young.

With the criterium tomorrow, we can anticipate an excellent match-up with both the United States and Canadian criterium Champions, which came first and second today. Young is excited about the race: “It’s still a very tight race, and anything can happen tomorrow in the criterium. We can’t say for sure it will be a sprint. I think it will be a very aggressive race, and we’ll have to be on the ball just like today. That will be very fun to watch!”

Jure Kocjan of Team SmartStop retains possession of the green jersey, awarded to the leader of the points classification. Before the start, he was second in the standings, and took the intermediate sprints to take the lead in the overall standings.

The Italian rider Luca Benedetti of Amore & Vita team has taken a comfortable lead in the ranking of the King of the Mountain, finding himself alone at the top with 28 points in the first two stages. His teammate Michael Woods is second with 15 points, and Edson Calderon in third with 13 points.

The white jersey of best young rider (U23) is retained by Asbjorn Kragch Andersen of the Danish team Christina Watches-Kuma. Kragch Andersen is currently fifteenth of the general classification.

The race continues Saturday in Chicoutimi with the presentation of the third stage, the spectacular criterium. And keep your eyes on the yellow jersey wearer Eric Young, who excels in this discipline. The race will be presented in the evening at 6pm and will use the streets of the downtown core.

THE JERSEYS
Yellow Jersey: Eric Young, Optum p/b Kelly Benefits
Polka Dot Jersey: Luca Benedetti, Team Amore e Vita
White Jersey: Asbjorn Kragch Andersen, Christina Watches-Kuma
Green Jersey: Jure Kocjan, Team SmartStop

Results

1. Eric Young (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies   3:59:04
2. Pierrick Naud (Can) Garneau-Québecor       
3. Jure Kocjan (Slo) SmartStop
4. Asbjorn Kragh Andersen (Den) Christina Watches
5. Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Novo Nordisk
6. Leonardo Pinizzotto (Ita) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP
7. Jesse Kerrison (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling
8. Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Jamis Hagens Berman
9. Charles Bradley Huff (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
10. Antonio Di Batista (Ita) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP
11. Yean Stefan Rodriguez Sepulveda (Col) 4-72 Colombia
12. Léandre Bouchard (Can) Transport Lacombe      
13. Alex Wohler (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling
14. Elliot Doyle (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team    
15. James Stemper (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda
16. Timothy Rugg (USA) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme
17. Stephen Hyde (USA) Astellas Cycling
18. Ian Crane (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman
19. Viesturs Luksevics (Lat) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP
20. Maksym Vasilyev (Ukr) ISD Continental
21. Nicolas Lefrançois (Fra) Novo Nordisk
22. Brecht Dhaene (Bel) Astellas Cycling
23. Christopher Uberti (USA) Astellas Cycling
24. Joshua Berry (USA) SmartStop
25. Gavin Mannion (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda
26. Jacob Rathe (USA) JellyBelly p/b Maxxis
27. Luca Benedetti (Ita) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP
28. Juan José Haedo (Arg) Jamis Hagens Berman
29. Sebastian Forke (Ger) Christina Watches
30. Michael Vink (Nzl) Budget Forklifts Cycling
31. David Drouin (Can) NCCH p/b DEC Express
32. Jonathan Hornbeck (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda
33. Anatoliy Pakhtusov (Ukr) ISD Continental
34. Charles Planet (Fra) Novo Nordisk
35. Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Christina Watches
36. Edson Calderon (Col) 4-72 Colombia
37. Jacob Kauffmann (Aus) Garneau-Québecor
38. Sam Witmitz (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling
39. Daniel Durango (Col) 4-72 Colombia
40. Bruno Langlois (Can) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda
41. Jake Tanner (Gbr) Christina Watches
42. Talor Shelden (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda
43. Matteo Dal-Cin (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team
44. Camilo Andres Suarez Albarracin (Col) Apr-72 Colombia
45. Tommy Nankervis (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling
46. Williams David (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda
47. Serghei Tvetcov (Rou) JellyBelly p/b Maxxis
48. Éric Marcotte (USA) SmartStop
49. Anatoliy Budyak (Ukr) ISD Continental
50. Thomas Soladay (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
51. Maxime Jenkins (USA) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme
52. Simon-Pierre Gauthier (Can) Garneau-Québecor    
53. Jordon Cheyne (Can) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme
54. Benjamin Perry (Can) NCCH p/b DEC Express
55. Volodymyr Dzhus (Ukr) ISD Continental
56. Matt Green (Gbr) Astellas Cycling
57. Yors Santofimio (Col) 4-72 Colombia
58. Joonas Henttala (Fin) Novo Nordisk
59. Brodie Talbot (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling
60. Stephen Leece (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman
61. Olivier Brisebois (Can) Norco Premier Tech  
62. Chad Beyer (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda
63. Jeremy Durrin (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
64. William Routley (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
65. Kirk Carlsen (USA) JellyBelly p/b Maxxis
66. Michael Woods (Can) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP  
67. Jimmi Sorensen (Den) Christina Watches
68. Aurélien Passeron (Fra) Silber Pro Cycling Team
69. Martin Rupes (Can) NCCH p/b DEC Express
70. Michael Torckler (Nzl) SmartStop
71. Vitaliy Popkov (Ukr) ISD Continental
72. David Lozano Riba (Esp) Novo Nordisk
73. Carson Miller (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman
74. Fernando Orjuela Gutierrez (Col) Apr-72 Colombia
75. Shane Kliine (USA) SmartStop
76. Émile Jean (Can) Transport Lacombe   
77. Robbie Squire (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman
78. Will Elliott (Can) NCCH p/b DEC Express
79. Javier Megian Leal (Esp) Novo Nordisk
80. Bjorn Selander (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
81. Tyler Wren (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman
82. Jean-Michel Lachance (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team    
83. Adam Matthew Farabaugh (USA) Garneau-Québecor
84. Ryan Roth (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team    
85. Rémi Pelletier-Roy (Can) Garneau-Québecor       
86. Joshua Lucas Galloway Prete (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling
87. Clay Murfet (Aus) Astellas Cycling
88. Frédéric Cossette (Can) Transport Lacombe    0:53  
89. Ian Burnett (USA) JellyBelly p/b Maxxis    1:58
90. Enrico Rossi (Ita) Christina Watches    2:27
91. Benjamin Chartrand (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team    14:47
92. Alexis Cartier (Can) Transport Lacombe    17:51
93. Julian Kyer (USA) SmartStop    17:52
94. Ryan Aitcheson (Can) Astellas Cycling      
95. Kristofer Dahl (Can) SmartStop     
96. James Gene Piccoli (Can) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP    21:29
OTL Luke Van Lauwe (Can) Team NCCH p/b DEC Express
DNF Cortlan Brown (USA) Astellas Cycling
DNF Benjamin Chaddock (Can) Garneau-Québecor      
DNF Oleksandr Sheydyk (Ukr) ISD Continental
DNF William Goodfellow (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team 
DNF Yohan Patry (Can) Transport Lacombe  

GC after Stage 2

1. Eric Young (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies    7:50:39
2. Pierrick Naud (Can) Garneau-Québecor    0:09   
3. Jure Kocjan (Slo) SmartStop    0:10
4. Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Novo Nordisk    0:11
5. Ian Crane (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman    0:16
6. James Stemper (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda    0:17
7. Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Jamis Hagens Berman
8. Michael Torckler (Nzl) SmartStop
9. Serghei Tvetcov (Rou) JellyBelly p/b Maxxis
10. Luca Benedetti (Ita) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP    0:18
11. Jacob Rathe (USA) JellyBelly p/b Maxxis
12. Bruno Langlois (Can) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda
13. Talor Shelden (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda
14. Jacob Kauffmann (Aus) Garneau-Québecor    0:19
15. Asbjorn Kragh Andersen (Den) Christina Watches    0:20
16. Leonardo Pinizzotto (Ita) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP
17. Elliott Doyle (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team
18. Léandre Bouchard (Can) Transport Lacombe
19. Brecht Dhaene (Bel) Astellas Cycling
20. Anatoliy Pakhtusov (Ukr) ISD Continental
21. Joshua Berry (USA) SmartStop
22. Timothy Rugg (USA) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme
23. Michael Vink (Nzl) Budget Forklifts Cycling
24. Viesturs Luksevics (Lat) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP
25. Gavin Mannion (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda
26. Edson Calderon (Col) 4-72 Colombia
27. Jonathan Hornbeck (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda
28. Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Christina Watches
29. Christopher Uberti (USA) Astellas Cycling
30. Éric Marcotte (USA) SmartStop
31. Tommy Nankervis (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling
32. Benjamin Perry (Can) NCCH p/b DEC Express
33. Jake Tanner (Gbr) Christina Watches
34. Charles Planet (Fra) Novo Nordisk
35. Anatoliy Budyak (Ukr) ISD Continental
36. Nicolas Lefrançois (Fra) Novo Nordisk
37. Aurélien Passeron (Fra) Silber Pro Cycling Team
38. Matteo Dal-Cin (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team
39. Chad Beyer (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda
40. Daniel Durango (Col) 4-72 Colombia
41. Matt Green (Gbr) Astellas Cycling
42. Brodie Talbot (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling
43. Maxime Jenkins (USA) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme
44. Michael Woods (Can) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP
45. Jordon Cheyne (Can) Ride with Rendall p/b Biemme
46. Javier Megian Leal (Esp) Novo Nordisk
47. Joonas Henttala (Fin) Novo Nordisk
48. Robbie Squire (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman
49. William Routley (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
50. Williams David (USA) 5 hour Energy p/b Kenda
51. Volodymyr Dzhus (Ukr) ISD Continental
52. Kirk Carlsen (USA) JellyBelly p/b Maxxis
53. Thomas Soladay (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
54. Ryan Roth (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team
55. Stephen Leece (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman
56. David Lozano Riba (Esp) Novo Nordisk
57. Vitaliy Popkov (Ukr) ISD Continental
58. Jimmi Sorensen (Den) Christina Watches
59. Will Elliott (Can) NCCH p/b DEC Express
60. Fernando Orjuela Gutierrez (Col) 4-72 Colombia
61. Jean-Michel Lachance (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team
62. Carson Miller (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman
63. Bjorn Selander (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
64. Charles Bradley Huff (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies    0:38
65. Frédéric Cossette (Can) Transport Lacombe    1:13
66. Shane Kliine (USA) SmartStop    1:30
67. Alex Wohler (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling    2:08
68. Maksym Vasilyev (Ukr) ISD Continental
69. Yors Santofimio (Col) 4-72 Colombia
70. Martin Rupes (Can) NCCH p/b DEC Express
71. Tyler Wren (USA) Jamis Hagens Berman
72. Adam Matthew Farabaugh (USA) Garneau-Québecor
73. Clay Murfet (Aus) Astellas Cycling
74. Jeremy Durrin (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies    2:18
75. Sam Witmitz (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling    2:30
76. Joshua Lucas Galloway Prete (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling    2:32
77. Jesse Kerrison (Aus) Budget Forklifts Cycling    3:41
78. Yean Stefan Rodriguez Sepulveda (Col) 4-72 Colombia
79. Stephen Hyde (USA) Astellas Cycling
80. Rémi Pelletier-Roy (Can) Garneau-Québecor
81. Enrico Rossi (Ita) Christina Watches    4:35
82. Sebastian Forke (Ger) Christina Watches    4:38
83. Ian Burnett (USA) JellyBelly p/b Maxxis    5:39
84. Juan José Haedo (Arg) Jamis Hagens Berman    5:44
85. Émile Jean (Can) Transport Lacombe
86. Simon-Pierre Gauthier (Can) Garneau-Québecor    6:58
87. Antonio Di Batista (Ita) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP    13:47
88. Julian Kyer (USA) SmartStop    18:12
89. Camilo Andres Suarez Albarracin (Col) 4-72 Colombia    18:28
90. Alexis Cartier (Can) Transport Lacombe    19:59
91. David Drouin (Can) NCCH p/b DEC Express    22:38
92. Olivier Brisebois (Can) Norco Premier Tech    23:10
93. James Gene Piccoli (Can) Amore & Vita – Selle SMP    23:37
94. Kristofer Dahl (Can) SmartStop    24:49
95. Ryan Aitcheson (Can) Astellas Cycling    31:39
96. Benjamin Chartrand (Can) Silber Pro Cycling Team    37:57