France’s Gabin Gicquel delivered a commanding solo victory Friday on the longest and toughest stage of the Tour de l’Abitibi.
The 140-km route, which ended with the climb up Mont Bell, saw Gicquel break clear with 17 km to go and hold a gap of 45 seconds over teammate Simon Defrance. Japan’s Yuki Inoue rounded out the podium, five seconds further back.
Stage 5 came to life early with a breakaway forming just 12 km in. Attacks followed in waves until 111 km, when a group of eight riders, including Gicquel, went clear. From there, the French rider launched what proved to be the winning move at 123 km, powering solo to the finish on the Tour’s queen stage.
“It was the longest stage, so we had it marked as a big day to make some gaps—and we did exactly what we planned,” Gicquel said post-race.
His ride earned him not only the overall leader’s jersey, but also the climber’s and sprinter’s jerseys. Fellow French rider Alban Picard retained the best young rider jersey.
Racing continues Saturday with a 124-km stage on an urban circuit in Val-d’Or.
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