July 16, 2013 (Rouyn-Noranda, QC) – The 45th Tour de l’Abitibi opened up today with a 117-km journey between Amos and Rouyn-Noranda, and Hendrik Pineda, member of the Canadian National Team, won the stage in a mass-sprint finish.

The race started with a few breakaway attempts, which were all unsuccessful. The biggest threat of the day was one group that took over 1:30 on the peloton. Entering the final circuits in Rouyn-Noranda, the break’s lead melted and the peloton took the opportunity to merge.

“I tried to stay at the front of the pack today. There were a few break attempts, but they didn’t last long.”

The sprint finish on the first day was a good situation for Pineda, a natural sprinter: “Arriving in the last lap, I knew I had the legs to put up a good sprint. I turned the last corner in fifth place, and launched the sprint to take the win today. Sprinting is a lot about positioning, and I had good position today.”

By taking the victory, Pineda check off his main objective of winning one stage at this important international stage race, and also grabs the brown leader’s jersey.

“My objective here was to win a stage, so I am very happy to have accomplished it on the first day. The pace was really fast as everyone was excited and fresh for the race,” said Pineda, 18 years old of Montreal, QC “It means a lot to win the leader’s jersey, especially on the first day. I hope to keep the brown’s leader’s jersey until the time trials on Thursday morning, as I know it’s not my strength.

The Tour de l’Abitibi resumes tomorrow with a 106-kilometer stage between La Sarre and Rouyn Noranda.

Results

1. Hendrik Pineda (Can) Team Canada 2:45:29
2. Peter Goguen (USA) CF Racing
3. Ansel Dickey (USA) Team USA
4. Edgar Adolfo Tique Avila (Col) Colombie-Fundación Everet
5. Julien Roussel (Can) Rocky Mountain-Lessard Bicycles-Apogée
6. Austin Vincent (USA) CF Racing
7. Jorge Ivan Gomez (Col) Colombie-Fundación Everet
8. Emmanuel Gagné (Can) Team Québec
9. Stephen Bassett (USA) ISCorp Cycling Team
10. Owen Gillott (Aus) Racers Against Childhood Cancer (RACC)
11. David Lombardo (USA) ISCorp Cycling Team
12. Benjamin Veillette (Can) IAMGOLD-Specialized
13. Quinten Kirby (USA) USA Select C
14. Dakota Schaeffer (USA) Mid-Atlantic Development Foundation
15. Shawn Turcotte (Can) Rocky Mountain-Lessard Bicycles-Apogée
16. Luke Broadwell (USA) South Eastern Regional Team
17. Edward Walsh (Can) Rocky Mountain-Lessard Bicycles-Apogée
18. Steven Calderon Acero (Col) Colombie-Fundación Everet
19. Reese Levine (USA) Mid-Atlantic Development Foundation
20. Nicholas Torraca (USA) USA Select B
21. Trevor Rolette (USA) Borah Development
22. Diego Binatena (USA) USA Select A
23. Justin Oien (USA) Team USA
24. Morkal Williams Samuel (USA) CF Racing
25. Nathan Rico (USA) USA Select C
26. Hamza Lachguer (Mar) Team Morocco
27. Noah Granigan (USA) CF Racing
28. Marc-Antoine Soucy (Can) Team Québec
29. Wilson Steeven Cardona Garcia (Col) Colombie-Fundación Everet
30. Lionel Rocheleau (USA) Racers Against Childhood Cancer (RACC)
31. Chaz Lane (USA) USA Select B
32. Rudyard Peterson (USA) Borah Development
33. Carlos Mario Paloma Lozano (Col) Colombie-Fundación Everet
34. Skyler Mackey (USA) Racers Against Childhood Cancer (RACC)
35. Adam Jamieson (Can) Team Canada
36. Nolan Tankersley (USA) USA Select A
37. Andres Alayon (USA) South Eastern Regional Team
38. Abderrahim Zahiri (Mar) Team Morocco
39. Alex Breakstone (USA) Colavita-Van Dessel
40. Alex Bumpers (USA) Racers Against Childhood Cancer (RACC)
41. Jerome Bastien (Can) Team Québec
42. William Barta (USA) Team USA
43. Richard Rainville (USA) ISCorp Cycling Team
44. Othmane Choumouch (Mar) Team Morocco
45. Nicolas Ducharme (Can) Espoirs Quilicot TRJ Télécom
46. Devin Doiron (Can) Rocky Mountain-Lessard Bicycles-Apogée
47. Alexander Höfner (Ger) Team Germany-Brunei
48. Jefferey May (USA) Racers Against Childhood Cancer (RACC)
49. Derek Cote (USA) CF Racing
50. Nicolas Barriault (Can) André Cycle-Kaycan-RDS
51. William Elliot (Can) Team Canada
52. Grayson Brookshire (USA) Mid-Atlantic Development Foundation
53. Olivier Miclette (Can) Team Québec
54. Félix Lapointe (Can) Team Canada
55. Brendan Rhim (USA) Team USA
56. Sean Mackinnon (Can) Team Canada
57. Christophe Rivard (Can) Espoirs Quilicot TRJ Télécom
58. Fletcher Lydick (USA) South Eastern Regional Team
59. Philippe Labrecque (Can) Rocky Mountain-Lessard Bicycles-Apogée
60. Julien Dulac (Can) IAMGOLD-Specialized
61. Geoffrey Curran (USA) Team USA
62. Olivier Brisebois (Can) Team Québec
63. Justin Griffin (USA) USA Select B
64. Daniel Lehmann (USA) Colavita-Van Dessel
65. Abderrahim Aouida (Mar) Team Morocco
66. Samuel Périgny (Can) IAMGOLD-Specialized
67. El Mehdi Laanaya (Mar) Team Morocco
68. Sawyer Currie (USA) Racers Against Childhood Cancer (RACC)
69. Vincent Désilets-Jacob (Can) Espoirs Quilicot TRJ Télécom
70. Frankie Gonzalez (USA) South Eastern Regional Team
71. Ethan Furois (USA) Borah Development
72. Evan Hartig (USA) Borah Development 0:22
73. Brandon Martinez (Pur) Colavita-Van Dessel 0:46
74. Alex Lessard (Can) André Cycle-Kaycan-RDS
75. Jérémie Désilets-Jacob (Can) Espoirs Quilicot TRJ Télécom 1:14
76. Edouard Dumas-Longpré (Can) André Cycle-Kaycan-RDS 1:23
77. Peter Vollers Jr (USA) Mid-Atlantic Development Foundation
78. Andrew Biscardi (USA) South Eastern Regional Team 1:30
79. Michael Gaines (USA) Borah Development 1:48
80. Kenny Polley (USA) USA Select B 1:51
81. Félix Boudreau (Can) Vélo Mauricie 1:52
82. Casey Braga (USA) ISCorp Cycling Team 1:58
83. Jack Burke (Can) Team Canada
84. Olivier Proulx Fournier (Can) IAMGOLD-Specialized 2:35
85. Apolinar Acevedo (Isv) Colavita-Van Dessel 2:38
86. Philip O’donnell (USA) Team USA
87. Jean-Simon D’anjou (Can) Rocky Mountain-Lessard Bicycles-Apogée
88. Étienne Dubuc (Can) IAMGOLD-Specialized 2:44
89. Louis Dallaire (Can) André Cycle-Kaycan-RDS 2:57
90. Brian Gaines (USA) Borah Development
91. Marc-Antoine Germain (Can) IAMGOLD-Specialized
92. Taylor Skinner (USA) USA Select C 4:04
93. Connor Brown (USA) USA Select B
94. Sammy Moseley (USA) Colavita-Van Dessel
95. Seth Veenbaas (USA) USA Select A
96. Raymond Reisen (USA) Mid-Atlantic Development Foundation 5:42
97. Davis Wilkey (USA) USA Select C 6:06
98. Christian Santa Cruz (USA) USA Select A 6:07
99. Ian Mcmullen (USA) South Eastern Regional Team 6:11
100. Waile Kahkahy (Mar) Team Morocco 6:12
101. Alexandre Simard (Can) Vélo Mauricie
102. Guillaume Roussel (Can) Espoirs Quilicot TRJ Télécom 6:17
103. Simon Ouellet (Can) Team Québec 6:17
104. Andrew Mauro (USA) Colavita-Van Dessel 6:19
105. Jay Major (Bah) GS CycleLife
106. Thomas Wavrin (USA) USA Select C 7:08
107. Zachary Nehr (USA) USA Select A 7:25
108. Scott Ford (USA) USA Select A 7:49
109. David Duquette (USA) Mid-Atlantic Development Foundation 8:19
110. Sam Damphousse (USA) CF Racing 8:33
111. Anthony Bousada (Can) Vélo Mauricie 8:42
112. Biran Falk-Dotan (Can) GS CycleLife 10:19
113. Anthony Marando (Can) Vélo Mauricie 10:49
114. Joseph Tarnowski (USA) ISCorp Cycling Team 19:34
115. Maxx Chance (USA) ISCorp Cycling Team 19:34
116. Alexandre East (Can) Espoirs Quilicot TRJ Télécom 20:44
117. Ian Whaley (USA) GS CycleLife 23:01
118. Douglas Hall (USA) USA Select C 25:49:00
119. Alec Aldape (USA) USA Select B 25:54:00
120. Zander Guzy-Sprague (USA) GS CycleLife 27:43:00
121. Dimitri Lemus (USA) GS CycleLife 27:43:00
122. Keane Brennan (USA) GS CycleLife 32:51:00
123. Antoine Laferrière (Can) Vélo Mauricie 32:51:00
DNF Fabian Geissenberger (Ger) Team Germany-Brunei
DNF Muhammad Shahrizan Awg Shaiful Rizal (Bru) Team Germany-Brunei
DNF Ahmad Jawaahir Haji Johor (Bru) Team Germany-Brunei
DNF Jacob Bellemare (Can) André Cycle-Kaycan-RDS
DNF Sébastien Dumont (Can) André Cycle-Kaycan-RDS
DNF Samuel Dupont (Can) Vélo Mauricie