43rd annual Tour de l’abitibi - Amos, Quebec, Canada – Day Four/ Stage Five

Stage five was the longest of the week at 120km. The 130 starters rode from the southwest and were aided by a strong tailwind/ crosswind averaging 46.6kph on the stage. The stage finished in a field sprint, less 31 riders that lost time and 8 riders that were time cut or pulled out.

The France National team swept the podium for the second consecutive day with a 1-2-3 finish. James sprinted to 12th place. Willy was off in a threatening 14 man break but New Zealand missed the move and sacrificed two riders to bring the break back.

Stage four results –
1- Thibaut Boulanger, France National
2- Kevin Goulet, France National
3- Anthony Smorel, France National
12- James LaBerge, Team Specialized
23- Torey Philipp, Team Specialized
35- Willy Zellmer, Team Specialized
51- David Benkoski, Team Specialized
69- Kyle Torres, Team Specialized
78- Jeff Perrin, Team Specialized

General Classification, after four stages
1- James Oram, New Zealand
2- Dion Smith, New Zealand +.17
3- Colby Wait-Molyneaux, USA National +.20
4- Kristo Jorgenson, USA National + .24
5- Willy Zellmer, Team Specialized + .31
6- Jean Emile, Canada National + .37
7- Michael Reidenbach, Colavita + .39
21- Jeff Perrin, Team Specialized + 1.10
22- Kyle Torres, Team Specialized + 1.12
25- Torey Philipp, Team Specialized + 1.20
38- James LaBerge, Team Specialized + 1.39
49- David Benkoski, Team Specialized + 1.54
132 starters, 122 finishers

Team General Classification (time of top three riders on each stage)
1- United States National Team 26:06.16
2- New Zealand National Team + .04
3- Canada National Team + 1.11
4- Team Specialized + 1.19
5- Mexico National Team + 1.47
6- Kazaskhstan National Team + 2.00

More pictures are posted on the Team FaceBook page : www.facebook.com/#!/TeamSpecializedRacing

Five stages down, two big stages to go. Today will see the riders go through the two eleven kilometer circuits in Amos nine times. Fourteen corners in the east loop, three corners in the west loop with a bridge across the river in between. The race starts in Amos, so today is a relaxing day and then some hard racing at 5pm.

Au revoir, Larry