August 11, 2008 – Like any other major stage race, we showed up at breakfast in a relaxed mode. The last day is usually like this with every team, and even with the organization. We discussed how everyone was feeling and even some possible ways of making back the 43 seconds separating Cameron Evans and the leader’s jersey. Then we headed down to the beach to take a team picture.

When our mechanic headed to the bike room he realized some of our bikes were just sitting there with no wheels – a little strange for this Sunday morning. After double verification with everyone, we officially realized that three wheel sets had been stolen from our team bikes! We alarmed the other teams, and Israel also realized they were missing a set of time trial wheels.

Catastrophe on this final day, before the last stage had even begun! After talking with the organizers, we decided to send the guys on the bus to the event, and myself, TJ and Nena would stay back to try to arrange anything possible. On a Sunday everything moves slow around here. Our best option ended up talking to the policemen controlling the security of the race; a complete report will be done but we do not expect much more. After the dust cleared, we did the math, close to $9,000 in wheels were stolen!

This is so unfortunate as a small group of people make the rest of the Island look so bad. Along those hard roads we’d won the admiration of many of them. They know their cycling, and recognize a great performance.

With low morale and high level of fatigue, we still attacked the race to give it one last shot. The UCC team quickly took control of the race, and neutralized everything we tried. Over live radio coverage of the race they were saying that the race was over and nothing would happen on the final 5km race circuit. Little did they know about Cam’s , and our whole team’s , ability to ride twisty downtown circuits! Our plan of the day was about to be put into action.

A few kilometers before entering the circuit, going around one of the many European-style roundabouts, a rider tried to jump over the inside of the circle and take a shortcut. On the other side, he was obviously not going in the same direction as the fast peloton. Bang, he collided and brought down the front end of the pack, including Dustin MacBurnie and yes, Cam. TJ, our mechanic, was quick to respond and gave Cam a complete new bike to finish the event. The team also reacted very quickly to wait for him.

During our pre-race discussions, we had talked about not wanting anything to happen to the yellow jersey. If we were to attack him, it would be clean, not while he was down or coming back from a flat tire. Obviously, they had the same type of discussion. Pena Pena saw the crash happen (he was almost taken down as well) and as soon as he realized Cam was involved, he used his yellow jersey authority to shut down the race. Our four guys made it back to the peloton a few kilometers later as the race was entering the Pointe-à-Pitre circuit.

The damage was limited, but attacking was now pretty much out of the question. Cam completed the five laps surrounded by his team, and second place was secured. After some extra parking lot action from angry local directeur sportifs, we were finally able to digest everything, and head to the podium.

In my 10 years as a team director, I don’t think I’ve ever had to fight this much for a podium finish. Everyone contributed immensely to this second place – from our riders to our staff. As I was once told, when riding the pro peloton, it’s not the actual riding that is hard, it’s what’s around the race that sometimes makes it super hard. Well, we had a perfect demonstration of that this week.

Once back at the hotel last night, I felt our energy level had drained down. In fact, everyone was in bed not too long after 10pm – no partying was involved on this one. For a bunch of Maritimers on a Caribbean Island, this is not very common, let me tell you!

We had in mind to put this project together to show everyone back home what we’re capable of when given the opportunity. To that end, we can say mission accomplished! The boys from the cold can return home with pride, a few bruises, and heavy legs. I’m sure when we are all rested and recovered from the whole thing, we’ll all be looking for yet another battle. The youngest team at this year’s Tour de la Guadeloupe will be looking for more, I’m sure.

Thanks to everyone for reading and sending us your best wishes, we really needed them at some points. Thanks to everyone who made this project possible as well! We’re heading North again!

This project is made possible under the Centre’s Selection program, sponsored by Giant, Nelsons, Yakima, Croissant Soleil, Université de Moncton, Shimano and Gu. For this special project, we also want to send a special thank you to some very special donations which made it possible for us to get here:

– Terry Tomlin Sport Marketing
– Nick and Cory Jay
– Gavin Giles
– Mike’s Bike Shop (who also supplied TJ – Woodburn-Rogers as a mechanic)
– Velo NB
– Cycling PEI
– Bicycle NS

Results

1. Jean-Claude Luce (Fra) Lynx Optique Eafit /UVN 2:49:49 (43,565 km/h)
2. Mickaël Clarico (Fra) AS Police
3. Florent Gougeard (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent 0:03
4. Julian Rammler (Ger) Italie
5. Miroslav Keliar (Svk) ZP Sport
6. Julien Barbier (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent 0:07
7. Adam Pierzga (Pol) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN 0:18
8. Christophe Cospar (Fra) Orange 3:10
9. Philippe Palmiste (Pol) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN
10. Quentin Legrand (Fra) AS Police
11. Yannick Claudeon (Fra) Excelsior 3:11
12. Rony Rex (Fra) Rixxom РV̩lo Club Petit-Bourg
13. Ramothe Cédric (Fra) Club Région Guadeloupe
14. Luis Sablon (Fra) Union Cycliste du Moule
15. Flobert Pena Pena (Col) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne
16. Viktor Ulzen (Ger) Italie
17. Pierre Theophile (Fra) Digicel JCA
18. Emrick Cornelie (Fra) Pédale du Centre
19. Lars Pria ROM Tel-Aviv Cycling Club
20. Josef Palcak (Svk) ZP Sport
21. Laurent C̩dric (Fra) Rixxom РV̩lo Club Petit-Bourg
22. Eddy Lembo (Fra) Espoir du Sud
23. Martial Gene (Fra) Excelsior 3:13
24. Edwin Sanchez Anzola (Col) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne
25. Leonard O Grullon Garcia (Dom) AS Baie-Mahault
26. Steven Mapolin (Fra) Pédale du Centre
27. Christophe Palie (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais
28. Serge Nipau (Fra) AS Police
29. Emerick Jean -Jacques (Fra) AS Police
30. Martin Haring (Svk) ZP Sport
31. Niv Libner (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club
32. Freddy Hamlet (Fra) Excelsior
33. Ritchi Miatti (Fra) Orange
34. Jean-Christophe Mergirie (Fra) Sélection Martinique
35. Yarden Gazit (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club
36. Marechaux Régis (Fra) Digicel JCA
37. Adrien Gorand (Fra) Espoir du Sud
38. Jean-Louis Pheron (Fra) Excelsior
39. Damien Wojciechowski (Pol) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne
40. Jean-Marc Dollin (Fra) Vélo Club Trois-Rivières
41. Rodrigue Lond As (Fra) Sélection Martinique
42. Cornelie Cédric (Fra) Pédale du Centre
43. Didier Dougaparshad (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais
44. André Tremblay (Can) Centre Nal Cyclisme Atlantique
45. Zachi Boygen (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club
46. Cameron Evans (Can) Centre Nal Cyclisme Atlantique
47. Aitor Azpiazu (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club
48. Valéry Derby (Fra) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne
49. Miguel Cuirassier (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais
50. Nelson Ismael Sanchez Jimenez (Dom) Matouba Rayon D’argent
51. Maurizio Vandelli (Ita) Italie 3:14
52. Amos Wolff (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club
53. Fremin Jérôme (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent
54. Robert Glajza (Svk) ZP Sport
55. Jean-Charles Arethus (Fra) Club Région Guadeloupe
56. David Nagapin (Fra) Rixxom РV̩lo Club Petit-Bourg
57. Jean-Franois Tabar (Fra) Sélection Martinique
58. Stéphane Rieux (Fra) Sélection Martinique
59. Johan Baptiste (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais
60. Jean-Daniel Damas (Fra) Rixxom РV̩lo Club Petit-Bourg
61. Ryan Belliveau (Can) Centre Nal Cyclisme Atlantique
62. Dustin Macburnie (Can) Centre Nal Cyclisme Atlantique
63. Juan Emilio Féliz Salvador (Dom) AS Baie-Mahault
64. Patrice Perrot (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais
65. Cyril Narcisse Theophile (Fra) Digicel JCA
66. Ruddy Clavier (Fra) Union Cycliste du Moule
67. Timo Scholz (Ger) Italie
68. Frédéric Theobald (Fra) AS Baie-Mahault
69. Huaca Hector Ruben Chiles (Ecu) Matouba Rayon d’Argent
70. Willy Belgio (Fra) Excelsior
71. Yvan Boos (Fra) AS Baie-Mahault 3:43
72. Vidian Bordin (Fra) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 3:47
73. Bernard Gene (Fra) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN
74. Adrien Alidor (Fra) Orange
75. Clément Magne (Fra) AS Police
76. Giovani Rousseau (Fra) Orange
77. Hervé Antonides (Fra) Pédale du Centre
78. Fabrice Cornelie (Fra) Club Région Guadeloupe 3:11
79. Sony Eleore (Fra) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN
80. Blevinal Cédric (Fra) Orange 4:13
81. Romuald Claude Claudeon (Fra) Digicel JCA 3:11
82. Jean-Louis Varo (Fra) Union Cycliste du Moule
83. Andreï Medyannikov (Kaz) Matouba Rayon d’Argent 4:40
84. Jean-Robert Manne (Fra) AS Police
85. Olivier Hebreu (Fra) Espoir du Sud 3:11
86. Marek Canecky (Svk) ZP Sport
87. Jean-Marie Marimoutou (Fra) Matouba Rayon d’Argent 5:52
88. William Bondot (Fra) Club Région Guadeloupe 10:06
89. Arnaud Girard (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent 13:41
90. Ruddy Jeremie (Fra) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 18:38
91. Martin Frano (Svk) ZP Sport
DNS Holger Sievers (Ger) Italie
DNS Steeve Promeneur (Fra) Matouba Rayon d’Argent

Final G.C.

1. Flobert Pena Pena (Col) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 31:06:32
2. Cameron Evans (Can) Centre Nal Cyclisme Atlantique 0:46
3. Edwin Sanchez Anzola (Col) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 6:47
4. Andreï Medyannikov (Kaz) Matouba Rayon d’Argent 9:56
5. Martial Gene (Fra) Excelsior 12:23
6. Nelson Ismael Sanchez Jimenez (Dom) Matouba Rayon D’argent 14:15
7. Leonard O Grullon Garcia (Dom) AS Baie-Mahault 14:30
8. Marechaux Régis (Fra) Digicel JCA 14:32
9. Serge Nipau (Fra) AS Police 15:08
10. Fremin Jérôme (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent 17:38
11. Eddy Lembo (Fra) Espoir du Sud 18:56
12. Valéry Derby (Fra) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 20:11
13. Freddy Hamlet (Fra) Excelsior 20:25
14. Philippe Palmiste (Pol) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN 20:38
15. Josef Palcak (Svk) ZP Sport 23:01
16. Florent Gougeard (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent 23:22
17. Jean-Claude Luce (Fra) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN 25:22
18. Adam Pierzga (Pol) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN 25:30
19. Martin Haring (Svk) ZP Sport 26:07
20. Jean-Charles Arethus (Fra) Club Région Guadeloupe 30:32
21. Quentin Legrand (Fra) AS Police 30:52
22. Christophe Cospar (Fra) Orange 31:15
23. Robert Glajza (Svk) ZP Sport 32:41
24. Jean-Marc Dollin (Fra) Vélo Club Trois-Rivières 33:26
25. Timo Scholz (Ger) Italie 34:02
26. André Tremblay (Can) Centre Nal Cyclisme Atlantique 34:56
27. Mickaël Clarico (Fra) AS Police 35:38
28. Giovani Rousseau (Fra) Orange 35:39
29. Frédéric Theobald (Fra) AS Baie-Mahault 36:23
30. Marek Canecky (Svk) ZP Sport 36:27
31. Jean-Louis Pheron (Fra) Excelsior 38:32
32. Clément Magne (Fra) AS Police 39:43
33. Dustin Macburnie (Can) Centre Nal Cyclisme Atlantique 40:17
34. Rodrigue Lond As (Fra) Sélection Martinique 45:10
35. Pierre Theophile (Fra) Digicel JCA 46:49
36. Juan Emilio Féliz Salvador (Dom) AS Baie-Mahault 47:16
37. Niv Libner (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club 48:03
38. Arnaud Girard (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent 49:20
39. Ramothe Cédric (Fra) Club Région Guadeloupe 50:23
40. Damien Wojciechowski (Pol) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 53:54
41. Adrien Gorand (Fra) Espoir du Sud 55:18
42. Bernard Gene (Fra) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN 56:13
43. Luis Sablon (Fra) Union Cycliste du Moule 56:49
44. Emerick Jean -Jacques (Fra) AS Police 57:13
45. Emrick Cornelie (Fra) Pédale du Centre 58:13
46. Jean-Louis Varo (Fra) Union Cycliste du Moule 58:45
47. Julien Barbier (Fra) Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barent 58:53
48. Cyril Narcisse Theophile (Fra) Digicel JCA 59:34
49. Huaca Hector Ruben Chiles (Ecu) Matouba Rayon d’Argent
50. Blevinal Cédric (Fra) Orange 1:01:05
51. Maurizio Vandelli (Ita) Italie 1:01:18
52. Lars Pria ROM Tel-Aviv Cycling Club 1:01:44
53. Romuald Claude Claudeon (Fra) Digicel JCA 1:03:21
54. Rony Rex (Fra) Rixxom РV̩lo Club Petit-Bourg 1:04:15
55. Christophe Palie (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais 1:04:55
56. Jean-Marie Marimoutou (Fra) Matouba Rayon d’Argent 1:05:03
57. Didier Dougaparshad (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais 1:05:21
58. Viktor Ulzen (Ger) Italie 1:05:23
59. Jean-Franois Tabar (Fra) Sélection Martinique 1:05:56
60. Patrice Perrot (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais 1:06:12
61. Johan Baptiste (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais 1:06:42
62. Yarden Gazit (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club 1:07:13
63. Cornelie Cédric (Fra) Pédale du Centre 1:09:43
64. William Bondot (Fra) Club Région Guadeloupe 1:13:55
65. David Nagapin (Fra) Rixxom РV̩lo Club Petit-Bourg 1:15:07
66. Fabrice Cornelie (Fra) Club Région Guadeloupe 1:17:02
67. Hervé Antonides (Fra) Pédale du Centre 1:17:31
68. Vidian Bordin (Fra) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 1:18:10
69. Aitor Azpiazu (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club 1:18:30
70. Miroslav Keliar (Svk) ZP Sport 1:21:32
71. Miguel Cuirassier (Fra) Vélo Club Saintannais 1:24:57
72. Laurent C̩dric (Fra) Rixxom РV̩lo Club Petit-Bourg 1:25:46
73. Yvan Boos (Fra) AS Baie-Mahault 1:25:58
74. Olivier Hebreu (Fra) Espoir du Sud 1:27:46
75. Jean-Christophe Mergirie (Fra) Sélection Martinique 1:28:20
76. Ruddy Jeremie (Fra) Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 1:30:44
77. Adrien Alidor (Fra) Orange 1:32:06
78. Amos Wolff (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club 1:34:03
79. Sony Eleore (Fra) Lynx Optique Eafit / UVN 1:34:36
80. Zachi Boygen (Isr) Tel-Aviv Cycling Club 1:39:07
81. Julian Rammler (Ger) Italie 1:39:47
82. Ruddy Clavier (Fra) Union Cycliste du Moule 1:39:50
83. Ritchi Miatti (Fra) Orange 1:39:56
84. Jean-Robert Manne (Fra) AS Police 1:42:01
85. Steven Mapolin (Fra) Pédale du Centre 1:43:42
86. Yannick Claudeon (Fra) Excelsior 1:46:27
87. Willy Belgio (Fra) Excelsior 1:47:59
88. Jean-Daniel Damas (Fra) Rixxom РV̩lo Club Petit-Bourg 1:48:25
89. Ryan Belliveau (Can) Centre Nal Cyclisme Atlantique 2:04:32
90. Stéphane Rieux (Fra) Sélection Martinique 2:15:51
91. Martin Frano (Svk) ZP Sport 2:38:47

Team Classification

1. Union Cycliste Capesterrienne 92:30:28
2. Excelsior 25:14
3. Ste-Austreberthe Pavilly Barenti 33:49
4. Matouba Rayon d’argent 40:59
5. AS Baie-Mahault 41:41
6. AS Police 43:32
7. Lynx Optique Eafit/UVN 44:57
8. ZP Sport 48:00
9. Centre National Cyclisme Atlantique
54:36
10. Italian National Team 1:06:22
11. Digicel JCA 1:20:33
12. Orange 1:27:59
13. Espoir Du Sud 1:40:27
14. Club Region Guadeloupe 1:53:47
15. Vélo Club Saint Annais 2:14:07
16. Tel-Aviv Cycling Club 2:19:05
17. Martinique Selection 2:25:48
18. Union Cycliste Du Moule 2:35:28
19. Pédale du Centre 2:44:48
20. Rixxom-Vélo Club Petit-Bourg 3:11:57