Tour de Beauce – (Saint-Georges, QC – June 13, 2018) 21-year-old Quebecer Pier-André Côté of the Silber Pro Cycling brilliantly won the first stage of the 33rd Tour de Beauce after a strong final effort in a bunch sprint.

The Portuguese rider Rui Oliveira (Hagens Berman Axeon), 21, was second, followed by American John Murphy (Holowesko), a 34-year-old cyclist.

Côté will be wearing the leader’s Yellow Jersey at the start of the second stage on Thursday in Lac-Mégantic.

Originally from Saint-Henri-de-Lévis, the winner launched his attack with 50 meters to go on an uphill slope.

In front of his family, Côté savored the best victory of his young career, on his very first Tour de Beauce. Supported by his teammates, he admitted that his Silber Pro Cycling team-mates had almost completed a perfect stage execution.

“It went as planned, and we are really happy. We were ok with the idea of a bunch sprint. We also had a guy in the breakaway to cover that possibility. Émile Jean had won here last year, and he did a great job to bring me into the last corner,” explained the athlete.

Canadian Criterium Champion in 2017, Côté also won two gold medals at the Canada Games, before making a great performance at the Quebec Grand Prix race on the World Tour last September.

“I think that winning a stage at the Tour de Beauce is bigger for me than a podium at the Canadian championship.”

The 177-kilometer, three-loop race between Saint-Odilion and Lac-Etchemin, took just after 4:17:45 of continuous efforts to complete.

In hot and windy weather, the peloton allowed a group of six riders to break away, maintaining a gap that never exceeded four minutes. Only one rider cracked in the last hour, but three other cyclists including Adam Roberge made the connection after a chase, hoping for a small miracle.

At his 20th Tour de Beauce appearance, Bruno Langlois (Team Quebec) was among the breakaway riders of the day. He misses by only three points the Polka Dot Jersey (KOM) that Mexican Efren Santo Moreno (Canels-Specialized) earned.

“I felt strong towards the end. I tried to go for it,” said the 39-year-old veteran.

The 18-year-old Beauceron Guillaume Davidson finished the stage not far behind.

Pier-André Côté also wins the White Jersey for the most points, as well as the Red Jersey awarded to the best youth rider (U23). The differences are minimal for each ranking.

Many good climbers will be to watch in the race on Thursday, during the 169-kilometer second stage that will leave Lac-Mégantic at 10 am to finish at the top of Mont-Mégantic National Park, a category 1 finish on the highest paved road in the province of Quebec.

The yellow jersey should suffer in the final climb of nearly six kilometers.
 
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RESULTS
Results – Stage 1
1. CÔTÉ, Pier-André (SILBER PRO CYCLING -SPC) 4:17:45
2. OLIVEIRA, Rui (HAGENS BERMAN AXEON -HBA) +0:00
3. MURPHY, John (HOLOWESKO / CITADEL P/B HINCAPIE SPORTSWEAR -HCA) +0:00
4. PUTT, Tanner (UNITED HEALTHCARE -UHC) +0:00
5. JOYCE, Colin (RALLY CYCLING -RLY) +0:00
 
Yellow Jersey Ville de Saint-Georges: Leader of the General classification
1. CÔTÉ, Pier-André (SILBER PRO CYCLING -SPC) 4:17:35
2. LANGLOIS, Bruno (QUÉBEC) +00:03
3. OLIVEIRA, Rui (HAGENS BERMAN AXEON -HBA) +00:04
4. MURPHY, John (HOLOWESKO / CITADEL P/B HINCAPIE SPORTSWEAR -HCA) +00:06
5. CHRÉTIEN, Charles-Étienne (SILBER PRO CYCLING -SPC) +00:07
 
White Jersey Hydro-Québec: Leader of the Points classification
1. CÔTÉ, Pier-André (SILBER PRO CYCLING -SPC) 15pts
2. OLIVEIRA, Rui (HAGENS BERMAN AXEON -HBA) 14pts
3. MURPHY, John (HOLOWESKO / CITADEL P/B HINCAPIE SPORTSWEAR -HCA) 13pts
 
Polka Dots Jersey Desjardins: Leader of the King of the Mountain classification
1. SANTOS MORENO, Efren (CANEL’S – SPECIALIZED -CAS) 15pts
2. LANGLOIS, Bruno (QUÉBEC) 13pts
3. STEPHENS, Austin (303 PROJECT -3O3) 12pts
 
Red Jersey Le Georgesville: Leader of the Best Young Rider classification (U23)
1. CÔTÉ, Pier-André (SILBER PRO CYCLING -SPC) 4:17:35
2. OLIVEIRA, Rui (HAGENS BERMAN AXEON -HBA) 4:17:39 00:04
3. CHRÉTIEN, Charles-Étienne (SILBER PRO CYCLING -SPC) 4:17:42 00:07
 
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TOUR DE BEAUCE 2018 — STAGES
Stage 1 — June 13: Saint-Georges-Saint-Georges (177 km)
Stage 2 — June 14: Lac Mégantic/Parc National du Mont-Mégantic (169 km)
Stage 3a — June 15: Saint-Prosper (20 km) [Time Trial]
Stage 3b — June 15: Saint-Georges-Notre Dame Des Pins (77km)
Stage 4 — June 16: Ville de Québec (70 km) [Criterium: 35 laps of 2 km]
Stage 5 — June 17: Ville de Saint-Georges (122 km) [Urban Circuit: 12 laps of 10 km]
Total distance: 634.8 km
 
For more information:
Jérôme Gendreau, Communications, Tour de Beauce 2018, communication@tourdebeauce.com | 418-230-2923
Guy Napert-Frenette, Media Relations, Tour de Beauce 2018, guynf@performancepr.ca | 403-669-5015