June 21, 2006 — Yesterday Dominique Rollin (Velo Club Roubaix) won Round #3 of the Mardis Cyclistes Saputo in a time of 1:01:18, followed by Martin Gilbert (Kodakgallery.com) and Sebastien Moquin (Sleeman/Clear Energie). A record field of 128 riders entered the June 20 race, including teams from Australia and the Netherlands, both fresh from the Tour de Beauce. Australian cyclist Wesley Sulzberger (South Australia.com) finished fourth. Tino Rossi, the President of le Mardis Cyclistes, offered a $1,000 prize to anyone who could beat the 50-km race course record, but no one was able to claim the prize.

Neither Rollin nor Gilbert had any points prior to the evening’s race whereas third place finisher Moquin added 115 points for a new total of 371 points overall. Moquin has pulled far ahead of Michel Detry (VCM-Cycles Regis) in second place with 220 points, while Daniel Belisle (Cinelume-Cycles Performance) is in third with 180. With five more races in the series before the August 15 grand finale, Rossi promised that the excitement will mount.

Rod McGee, coach of the visiting South Australia team told Pedal that there is “a good atmosphere” at the Mardis Cyclistes events. “It’s amazing that this event has been here almost 30 years,” commented McGee. He regretted having only four cyclists at the start, including Peter Dawson who competed at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, as two team members were delayed in their arrival from Montreal’s Trudeau Airport. Dawson finished in 12th.

The senior men’s races were preceded by the junior 25 km Lait’s Go race, with about 30 cyclists, both male and female, aged 14-16. Simon Lambert-Lemay (André Cycle/idCad) won with a time of 35:17 although William Garneau (Elicycle/Sports-Experts) led the pack for much of the race. Hugo Houle (Velocite Drummond) finished second, followed by Alexandre Morin (Independent). Lambert-Lemay now has 385 overall points, followed by Houle in second with 331, and Morin in third place.

Les Mardis Cyclistes Saputo races are held most Tuesday evenings from early June to mid August, making use of a 1.61-km track around LaSalle Park in the Montreal suburb of Lachine. The races date back to 1978.

Medals were presented to the winners by honorary president, François Ouimet, who is also the Member of the National Assembly in Quebec, for the Marquette riding.

Results

1. Martin Gilbert (kodakgallery.com / Sierra Nevada) 1:01:18
2. Dominique Rollin (Vélo Club Roubaix)
3. Sébastien Moquin (Sleeman Clear Energie)
4. Alexandre Lavallée (Louis Garneau Optik)
5. Daniel Bélisle (Cinelume-Cycles Performanc)
6. Daniel Belleville (Sleeman Clear Energie)
7. Wesley Sulzberger (SouthAustralia.com)
8. Michel Detry (VCM-Cycles Régis)
9. Daniel Schmatz (Kodakgallery.com / Sierra Nevada)
10. Martin Rooseboom (Cycle Patrick)

Overall

1. Sébastien Moquin (Sleeman Clear Energie) 371 pts
2. Michel Detry (VCM-Cycles Régis) 220
3. Daniel Bélisle (Cinelume-Cycles Performan) 180
4. Nicholas Rowe (Espoirs Laval) 157
5. David Veilleux (Louis Garneau Optik) 143
6. Dominique Rollin (Vélo Club Roubaix) 142
7. François Doyon (La Cabosse d’Or) 128
8. Pierre- Olivier Boily (Sleeman Clear Energie) 120
9. Martin Gilbert (kodakgallery.com / Sierra N) 115
10. Czeslaw Lukaszewicz (Sleeman Clear Energie) 112