September 10, 2010 (Quebec City, QC) – It was a perfect day for bike racing in Quebec City with sunshine and 20 degrees at the inaugural ProTour event in North America as thousands of fans gathered creating an electric atmosphere in the Old City for the historic event.

French National champion, Thomas Voeckler (BBox Bouygues Telecom) shook his head with a look of disbelief as he fended off the chasing peloton to take the win over Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor Team Sky in second and Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank in third, with Canadian star Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) in fourth.

It was a fast pace from the get-go as Canada’s Francois Parisien (Team Canada p/b SpiderTech) animated things quickly for the start of the 189km race featuring 15 laps of a 12.6km circuit with 186m of altitude per lap. His escape was short-lived but soon after a break of seven riders including Parisien formed, and quickly grew to 13 with a gap of 1:50 on the peloton by lap four.

An early rash of mechanicals saw Dominique Rollin (Team Canada p/b SpiderTech) with a seat and then a rear derailleur problem while top Rabo rider Robert Gesink (Ned) needed a bike change. Both riders were able to get back on as the pace remained high.

The peloton remained wary of the break that included riders such as Yaroslav Popovych (Radioshack), Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Liquigas, Elia Viviani (Liquigas) and Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank, allowing it reach as high as four minutes by the 6th lap. But with various teams such Sky, HTC and Garmin taking turns at the front the gap began to drop as the race progressed. While the clouds started to roll in, the rain held off to everyone’s delight.

“The race was hard from the start and I didn’t expect things would settle down so quickly,” said Team Canada p/b SpiderTech race director Steve Bauer. “Parisien being in the break is awesome and I expect the peloton to perk up with about four laps to go depending on the gap.”

With five to go the lead group began to splinter as Parisien and others were dropped. More riders were shed until a group of seven established themselves at the front including Tankink, Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Liquigas, Markel Irizar (Esp) Radioshack, Jurgen Van de Walle (Bel) Quick Step, Laurent Didier (Lux) Saxo Bank, Dominik Nerz (Milram) and Alfredo Balloni (Lampre).

The final scene was taking shape as the peloton behind dropped Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas who abandoned soon after followed by Parisien who had also quickly faded. Meanwhile the leaders attacked each other on the Cote de la Montagne as the peloton had ramped up the chase and the gap was down to 45 seconds with three laps to go.

The leaders were about to be caught with two laps remaining and then there was crash at the start finish that took down about five riders including George Hincapie (BMC) and Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) who were able to continue. Then Didier and Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick Step jumped to the front but Canada’s Hesjedal countered with a strong attack and was joined by Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Farnese Vini as the penultimate lap was ending.

Hesjedal was leading as they started the final lap with Cunego, Gesink, Matti Breschel (Den) Saxo Bank and Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Milram closing on him fast forming a 5-man break – but the chasing peloton was not far behind. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Radioshack and the BMC and Euskaltel-Euskadi riders were chasing hard trying to bridge.

Canadian star Hesjedal rode at the front driving the five-man break for almost the entire last lap and with 2km to go the peloton was upon them. Then Wegmann attacked and took over the lead, but from behind Voeckler, the BBox Telekom captain, countered and took the bull by the horns at the 1km mark making his move and established a gap.

As he blasted past everyone up Grande Allee he maintained his advantage to the line in front of 20,000 appreciative fans with Boasson Hagen taking the sprint for second over Gesink, as Hesjedal claimed fourth.

The rest of the field trickled in one by one with Canada’s Svein Tuft (Garmin-Transitions) in 17th and Team Canada p/b SpiderTech member Keven Lacombe in 24th.

“It was a surprise for me to win here today! I was expecting a top ten result, but honestly I have not come here in the best of shape,” said Voeckler. “I was lucky to take advantage of the other teams who were chasing the final break. I love the Quebec atmosphere, it did me a lot of good. The last climb was tough and I had a chance to analyze it fourteen times before planning my final attack and that’s exactly what I did in the end. I may have ruined Ryder’s [Hesjedal] party today, but that’s bike racing – I understand that he’s a big star here and I congratulate him.”

“The team did a great job today and I am thankful for that,” said Boasson Hagen. “I couldn’t close down the gap at the end. It has been so nice to be here and I really enjoyed the circuit”

Gesink knew when to make his move. “When Ryder went I knew it was time and I made a big effort to get across to the four of them. The race felt a lot like a world championship – it’s a very difficult parcours and will be a great Worlds course in a few years”.

For Hesjedal it was a mix of disappointment and elation. “Yes, I was the main protagonist at the end… I’m disappointed and happy at the same time with my result. I had high hopes, wanted to podium and I think I gave myself the opportunity to do that. The crowds and Canadian support were great and I remain motivated for Montreal. It has a longer climb which suits me better”.

Overall it was an incredible day of racing with an electric and festive atmosphere that bodes well for Canada’s chance at hosting a future world championship road race – on to Montreal.

Full results here here.