Adam Yates’ excellent 2023 was capped off with Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal title on Sunday. Following a strong show from his UAE-Emirates team, Yates beat Pavel Sivakov in a two-up sprint at the climax of a wet day in which a single rider led the race for 170 km. After claiming April’s Tour de Romandie trophy, Yates wore the yellow jersey for four days upon winning the opening stage of the Tour de France and finished on his first Grand Tour podium. Michael Woods was the top Canadian in 15th.
Introduction
The Montréal race is a little longer and more climby than the Québec one. The riders had 18 laps of 12.5 km for a total of 221.4 km. Each lap contained the Côte Camilien-Houde climb up Mont Royal, 2.3 km of 6.8 percent. Rain dogged the peloton.
#GPCQM 🇨🇦
Here’s a look at the circuit and some stats for today’s race. It’s a lengthy 221kms ahead ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/6ecJHs1ZzZ
— Team Jayco AlUla (@GreenEDGEteam) September 10, 2023
Although none of last season’s top 3 were in Montreal on Sunday, four members of the top 10 were, including Adam Yates.
The Canadian contingent that Israel-Premier Tech sent was Michael Woods, Derek Gee, Hugo Houle and Guillaume Boivin, the hometown boy who was top Canadian last year. Their teammate Daryl Impey was riding the last race of his professional career. Pier-André Coté, the 2022 national road champion, headed up the Canadian national team.
Over the first few laps, Florian Vermeersch was the lone fugitive, taking KOM points along the 170 km he was out in front. Team Canada’s Matisse Julien was between the Belgian and the pack starting on Lap 3.
145 km 🏁
Florian Vermeersch est en tête depuis le début de la course. / Vermeersch attacked in the 1st lap.
Vermeersch 🇧🇪 ↔️ 2’30” ↔️ Wood 🇬🇧 & Boaro 🇮🇹 ↔️ 4’00” ↔️ Peloton#GPCQM
📷 C. Pourre pic.twitter.com/SiOujabB7v— GPCQM (@GPCQM) September 10, 2023
By the midpoint of the race, Vermeersch was 4:30 ahead of the pack, several bridging moves having sputtered out. There were around 20 sodden DNF’s by this point.
The Lotto-Dstny optimist retained his advantage with 6 laps remaining. Israel-Premier Tech, Groupama-FDJ and Lidl-Trek were all prominent at the front of field when the rain started again.
Boivin, Coté and Julien were among the 56 who had climb off their machines by Lap 15 when Vermeesch returned to the bunch. Groupama-FDJ…
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