September 07, 2013 (Black Diamond, AB) – Antoine Duchesne sent a message today – he is ready to race with the big boys of cycling, joining the winning break early in the race to show composure, patience and strong endurance skills. The 2013 Tour of Alberta continued today for a fifth day, and it was certainly not a fun day on the bike, with the group of 113 cyclists travelling the 169.6km course in cold rain.

The group preserved despite the less ideal conditions. The race started in Black Diamond, a town named after the high-grade coal that once mined there, tucked away in the Rocky Mountain foothills. The race then headed through Turner Valley on a 60-km circuit that bordered Bragg Creek. Within the main loop, the riders tacked an inner-circuit of 40km, packed with challenging features and climbs, before returning to Black Diamond for the finish line.

A group of nine riders emerged from the pack in the early moments of the race, including Canada’s Antoine Duchesne and Calgary native rider Nic Hamilton of Jelly Belly, and gained a gap of 10 minutes. With no danger in the break, the peloton was content to leave the group alone, controlling the gap, all to the advantage of Duchesne and Hamilton.

The group of nine remained intact until 45km left in the race, climbing the second KOM climb of the day. Simon Gescke of Argos-Shimanos and Tom Jelte Slatger of Belkin Pro Cycling Team both attacked away atop the climb. Slatger, who won both KOM climbs today, secured himself the polka dot jersey heading into tomorrow with a solid 37pts, an insurmountable lead of 12 pts over his teammate and closest competitior, Robert Gesing.

Canada’s Antoine Duchesne was part of the nine-man break that took off early, and also took part of the three-man group chasing the two-man ahead after the KOM climb. Duchesne was in great company, beside Benjamin Day of United Healthcare and none other than Cadel Evans of BMC Racing, the 2011 Tour de France Champion. Shortly after initiating the chase, the two groups merged to form the leading group of five. That group would eventually withstand the pressure put by the chase, and entered the streets of Black Diamond

Ultimately, in the last 500m of the race, Duchesne ran out of legs, and finished fifth behind Cadel Evans, Simon Geschke, Tom Jelte Slatger, and Benjamin Day.

“I am from a little town in Saguenay. I started to race in a little club in a small town. I kept on working and working, always trying to improve for the last eight years since riding a bike. Every year, it’s just getting better and better. Really, everything is possible even if you believe in it, and it’s not because you are from a little town that you can’t become a top rider. Today, coming from a small town, I was riding with a Tour de France winner. I was able to ride with him,” said Duchesne who won the Blue Jersey, awarded to the Most Aggressive Rider – listen to our interview w/Duchesne here.

“I knew there were some pretty big teams here. I was aiming for something like that. When the race started, I had a number on my back just like him [Cadel Evans]. I was trying not to be pressed to do my own race, and try to get the best out of it. I tried not to think too much like ‘Oh My God, it’s Cadel Evans’… at the end I tried to stay calm, follow the wheel. I was thinking about the win, to do the best I could.”

“Canada has never been a “cycling” country. We have seen in the last few years guys like Ryder winning the Giro, Svein [Tuft] excelling at the WorldTour, and a lot of other Canadian riders doing well in the WorldTour and other big races. Having two continental riders [with Ryan Anderson] from Canada wearing jerseys of a big cycling race, in Canada, on the last stage, shows that we are able to race against some of the best riders in the world,” added Duchesne of Québec, QC.

Duchesne is graduating this year from the Bontrager Cycling Team program, designed exclusively for espoirs (U23) riders, and will be looking for a team to ride with next year. So far, Duchesne has an impressive résumé with back-to-back wins in the espoirs road race at Canadian Championships and a stage podium at the Tour de Beauce, in the difficult Quebec City fifth stage.

Gord Fraser, Directeur sportif of the Canadian National Team, gives a perfect mark for Duchesne in today’s race: “It’s really great to see him grab the bull by the horn, especially after yesterday. He was really disappointed not to be in that move, and he should have been. It’s always hard as a coach to know how to talk to an athlete at the end. I didn’t really need to say anything,” said Fraser.

“Today, he was in a situation to win a big race. The other guys were not under the pressure he was under today. They all have big contracts and years of experience on him. And here is a young guy, throw in against all these experienced guys, in his home country, in addition to trying to secure a job for next year. There is a lot of pressure on a young guy, and he executed perfectly. He just ran out of legs. 10 out of 10 for his tactics. His racing IQ is very high and it showed.”

Duchesne finished third of the Road Canadian Championships in 2013, and fourth in 2012.

The young rider from Quebec City was ranked 39th in the GC entering today’s stage, and now jumps in the 22nd place with this result, with one stage to go.

Rohan Dennis of Team Garmin Sharp kept his overall lead of the General Classification heading into the last stage, benefiting from an 18-second lead on the second place. Dennis will roll into the downtown core of Calgary in the yellow jersey, and most likely win his first race outside of Australia. The short race is expected to finish in a sprint, keeping intact the leader board of the General Classification.

Without any surprises, Ryan Anderson kept the Red Jersey today as the Best Canadian Anderson had over seven minutes lead on Alexander Cataford entering the race. Even with Duchesne’s stellar performance today, Anderson had a lead of 17 minutes on him.

This inaugural 2013 Tour of Alberta ends tomorrow with the fifth and last stage, starting in Okotoks ending downtown Calgary.

Results

1. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team  3:57:18
2. Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano
3. Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
4. Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
5. Antoine Duchesne (Can) Canadian National Team  
6. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  1:49
7. Nic Hamilton (Can) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda  
8. Clay Murfet (Aus) Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis
9. Ryan Roth (Can) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  
10. Luke Keough (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team  9:44
11. Robert Förster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
12. Eric Young (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
13. Matthias Friedemann (Ger) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
14. Silvan Dillier (Sui) BMC Racing Team
15. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin-Sharp
16. Andrew Dahlheim (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
17. Nicolai Brochner (Den) Bissell Pro Cycling
18. Tommy Nankervis (Aus) Bissell Pro Cycling
19. Jean-Michel Lachance (Can) Canadian National Team
20. Pierrick Naud (Can) Equipe Garneau-Québecor
21. Adam Matthew Farabaugh (USA) Equipe Garneau-Québecor
22. Ryan Anderson (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
23. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling
24. Robert Sweeting (USA) 5-hour Energy p/b Kenda
25. Davide Frattini (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
26. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
27. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
28. Zachary Bell (Can) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
29. Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano
30. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team
31. Kang Jiyong (Kor) Orica-GreenEdge
32. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Sharp
33. Aldo Ino Ilesic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
34. Ken Hanson (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
35. Jakub Novak (Cze) BMC Racing Team
36. Garrett McLeod (Can) Canadian National Team
37. Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Orica-GreenEdge
38. Chad Beyer (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
39. Francisco Mancebo Perez (Esp) 5-hour Energy p/b Kenda
40. Marc Goos (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
41. Travis McCabe (USA) Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis
42. Alexander Cataford (Can) Equipe Garneau-Québecor
43. Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Argos-Shimano
44. Frank Kevin Pipp (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
45. Michael Olsson (Swe) Team Argos-Shimano
46. Robert Gesink (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
47. Moreno Hofland (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
48. Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Orica-GreenEdge
49. Jean-Sebastien Perron (Can) Canadian National Team
50. Stuart Wight (Can) Canadian National Team
51. Kristofer Dahl (Can) Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis
52. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
53. James Stemper (USA) 5-hour Energy p/b Kenda
54. Jack Bobridge (Aus) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
55. Shane Kline (USA) Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis
56. Serghei Tvetcov (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
57. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Sharp
58. Steve Morabito (Sui) BMC Racing Team
59. Michel Koch (Ger) Cannondale Pro Cycling
60. Lawrence Warbasse (USA) BMC Racing Team
61. John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
62. Andres Diaz (Col) 5-hour Energy p/b Kenda
63. Taylor Shelden (USA) 5-hour Energy p/b Kenda
64. Ryan Aitcheson (Can) Canadian National Team
65. David Williams (USA) 5-hour Energy p/b Kenda
66. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl) Bissell Pro Cycling
67. Shawn Milne (USA) 5-hour Energy p/b Kenda
68. Chris Butler (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
69. Derrick St. John (Can) Canadian National Team
70. Geoffroy Dussault (Can) Equipe Garneau-Québecor
71. Carter Jones (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
72. Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
73. Max Jenkins (USA) 5-hour Energy p/b Kenda
74. Michael Chauner (USA) Equipe Garneau-Québecor
75. David Millar (Gbr) Garmin-Sharp
76. Edward King (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling
77. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
78. Emerson Oronte (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
79. Flavio De Luna (Mex) Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis
80. Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Garmin-Sharp
81. Nariyuki Masuda (Jpn) Cannondale Pro Cycling
82. Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale Pro Cycling
83. Eric Marcotte (USA) Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis
84. Kirk Carlsen (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
85. Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Orica-GreenEdge
86. Brian Vandborg (Den) Cannondale Pro Cycling
87. Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team
88. Rob Britton (Can) Canadian National Team
89. Chad Haga (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
90. Tom Zirbel (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
91. Simon-Pierre Gauthier (Can) Equipe Garneau-Québecor
92. Thomas Soladay (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
93. Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica-GreenEdge
94. Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Team Argos-Shimano
95. Ben Wolfe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
96. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
97. Sean Mazich (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
98. Luka Mezgec (Slo) Team Argos-Shimano
99. Bruno Langlois (Can) Equipe Garneau-Québecor
100. Bobby Lea (USA) Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis
101. Charles Bradley Huff (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
102. Michael Friedman (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
103. Jason McCartney (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
104. Benjamin Chaddock (Can) Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis
105. Jonas Ahlstrand (Swe) Team Argos-Shimano
106. Craig Lewis (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
107. Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
108. Jeffry Louder (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
109. Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team
110. William Clarke (Aus) Team Argos-Shimano
111. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda
112. Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin-Sharp  0:10:33
113. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Sharp  0:10:43
DNS  Clinton Robert Avery (Nzl) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
DNS  Michael Woods (Can) Equipe Garneau-Québecor

GC after Stage 4

1. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin-Sharp  15:06:20
2. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team  0:18
3. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:30
4. Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano  0:31
5. Robert Gesink (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team  0:34
6. Robert Sweeting (USA) 5-hour Energy p/b Kenda  0:54
7. Francisco Mancebo Perez (Esp) 5-hour Energy p/b Kenda  0:55
8. Ryan Anderson (Can) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  0:56
9. Matthias Friedemann (Ger) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  1:12
10. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team  1:15
11. Jakub Novak (Cze) BMC Racing Team  1:20
12. Steve Morabito (Sui) BMC Racing Team  1:25
13. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team  2:27
14. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl) Bissell Pro Cycling  5:13
15. Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Orica-GreenEdge  6:06
16. Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team  6:25
17. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team  7:17
18. Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano  7:33
19. Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team  7:49
20. Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team  7:57
21. Alexander Cataford (Can) Equipe Garneau-Québecor  8:16
22. Antoine Duchesne (Can) Canadian National Team  8:19
23. Ryan Roth (Can) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  9:50
24. James Stemper (USA) 5-hour Energy p/b Kenda  9:51
25. Clay Murfet (Aus) Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis  0:15
26. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  0:10:19
27. Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:16:35
28. Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Argos-Shimano  0:17:03
29. Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica-GreenEdge  0:17:18
30. Tom Zirbel (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  0:17:21
31. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Sharp  
32. Chad Haga (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  0:17:24
33. Silvan Dillier (Sui) BMC Racing Team  0:17:26
34. John Murphy (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
35. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge  0:17:30
36. Shawn Milne (USA) 5-hour Energy p/b Kenda
37. Serghei Tvetcov (Mda) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda  0:17:34
38. Nic Hamilton (Can) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda  0:17:36
39. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin-Sharp
40. Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team  0:17:38
41. Lawrence Warbasse (USA) BMC Racing Team  0:17:40
42. Eric Young (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  0:17:41
43. Rob Britton (Can) Canadian National Team  0:17:42
44. Michael Olsson (Swe) Team Argos-Shimano
45. Travis McCabe (USA) Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis  0:17:46
46. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda  0:17:47
47. Luka Mezgec (Slo) Team Argos-Shimano
48. Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Garmin-Sharp  0:17:48
49. Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu) Orica-GreenEdge
50. Andres Diaz (Col) 5-hour Energy p/b Kenda  0:17:50
51. Moreno Hofland (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team  0:17:53
52. Nicolai Brochner (Den) Bissell Pro Cycling
53. Taylor Shelden (USA) 5-hour Energy p/b Kenda
54. Kirk Carlsen (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling  0:17:54
55. Edward King (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:17:57
56. Bruno Langlois (Can) Equipe Garneau-Québecor  
57. Jean-Michel Lachance (Can) Canadian National Team  0:18:03
58. Shane Kline (USA) Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis
59. Tommy Nankervis (Aus) Bissell Pro Cycling
60. Craig Lewis (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  0:18:05
61. Marc Goos (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team  0:18:11
62. Thomas Damuseau (Fra) Team Argos-Shimano  0:18:14
63. Flavio De Luna (Mex) Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis
64. Pierrick Naud (Can) Equipe Garneau-Québecor  0:18:17
65. Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Orica-GreenEdge  0:18:18
66. Frank Kevin Pipp (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
67. Emerson Oronte (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda  0:18:19
68. Andrew Dahlheim (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling  0:18:23
69. Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
70. Chris Butler (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
71. Luke Keough (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team  0:18:34
72. Chad Beyer (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  0:18:35
73. Derrick St. John (Can) Canadian National Team  0:18:37
74. Davide Frattini (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
75. Charles Bradley Huff (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda  0:18:46
76. Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling Team  0:18:50
77. Jean-Sebastien Perron (Can) Canadian National Team  0:18:52
78. Benjamin Chaddock (Can) Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis  
79. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Belkin Pro Cycling Team  0:18:56
80. Max Jenkins (USA) 5-hour Energy p/b Kenda  0:18:57
81. Garrett McLeod (Can) Canadian National Team  
82. Eric Marcotte (USA) Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis  0:19:01
83. Ken Hanson (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  0:19:05
84. Michael Chauner (USA) Equipe Garneau-Québecor  0:19:12
85. Adam Matthew Farabaugh (USA) Equipe Garneau-Québecor  0:19:21
86. Carter Jones (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling  0:19:23
87. Jeffry Louder (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team  0:19:27
88. David Millar (Gbr) Garmin-Sharp  0:19:32
89. Robert Förster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team  0:19:37
90. Ryan Aitcheson (Can) Canadian National Team  0:19:48
91. Jonas Ahlstrand (Swe) Team Argos-Shimano  0:19:52
92. Stuart Wight (Can) Canadian National Team  0:19:53
93. Geoffroy Dussault (Can) Equipe Garneau-Québecor  0:19:54
94. Kang Jiyong (Kor) Orica-GreenEdge  0:20:15
95. Kristofer Dahl (Can) Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis  0:20:18
96. Sean Mazich (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda  0:20:24
97. Michael Friedman (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  0:20:44
98. Ben Wolfe (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda  0:20:50
99. David Williams (USA) 5-hour Energy p/b Kenda  0:20:51
100. Jack Bobridge (Aus) Belkin Pro Cycling Team  0:20:59
101. Thomas Soladay (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies  0:21:13
102. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Sharp  0:21:16
103. Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin-Sharp  0:21:45
104. Jason McCartney (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling  0:21:48
105. Michel Koch (Ger) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:21:55
106. Brian Vandborg (Den) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:22:00
107. Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly p/b Kenda  0:22:10
108. Nariyuki Masuda (Jpn) Cannondale Pro Cycling  0:23:33
109. Zachary Bell (Can) Champion System Pro Cycling Team  0:23:47
110. William Clarke (Aus) Team Argos-Shimano  0:24:21
111. Aldo Ino Ilesic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team  0:26:21
112. Bobby Lea (USA) Team SmartStop p/b Mountain Khakis  0:27:20
113. Simon-Pierre Gauthier (Can) Equipe Garneau-Québecor  0:30:22