Sunday, July 24, 2011

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

Stage six had the 122 starters competing for nine laps of an eleven kilometer downtown Amos circuit. There was some hard racing, many breakaway attempts but in the end we had another field sprint. Eighty one riders on the same time, and 109 riders will go on to today’s seventh and final stage.

Thibaut Boulanger of the France National team won for the third consecutive day. Team Specialized’s Jeff Perrin almost pulled off the win. Coming into the last 6km Jeff attacked and bridged up to the three leaders, worked with those that could match his speed and then started his sprint. He was caught in the last fifty meters, yet still hung on for 7th place.

Stage six results –
1- Thibaut Boulanger, France National
2- Alex Darville, USA National
3- Anthony Morel, France National
7- Jeff Perrin, Team Specialized
34- James LaBerge, Team Specialized
41- Torey Philipp, Team Specialized
60- Willy Zellmer, Team Specialized
65- David Benkoski, Team Specialized
81- Kyle Torres, Team Specialized

General Classification, after six stages
1- James Oram, New Zealand 10:55.14
2- Dion Smith, New Zealand +.19
3- Colby Wait-Molyneaux, USA National +.23
4- Kristo Jorgenson, USA National + .27
5- Willy Zellmer, Team Specialized + .34
6- Jean Emile, Canada National + .36
7- Alexy Vermeeulen, Pro Chain + .42
8- Thibaut Boulanger, France National + .43
9- Daniel Eaton, Mid South Regional + .50
10- Gregory Daniel, USA National + .53
20- Jeff Perrin, Team Specialized + 1.13
22- Kyle Torres, Team Specialized + 1.15
26- Torey Philipp, Team Specialized + 1.23
36- James LaBerge, Team Specialized + 1.42
44- David Benkoski, Team Specialized + 1.57
132 starters on Day one, 109 finishers

Team General Classification (time of top three riders on each stage)
1- United States National Team 32:47:25
2- New Zealand National Team + .04
3- Canada National Team + 1.11
4- Team Specialized + 1.19
5- Kazahkstan National Team + 2.00
6- Pro Chain + 2.09

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

On stage seven in 2010 the riders were greeted with 20 mile per hour winds and the field was separated. Twenty two riders went clear. The wind looks light right now, but that doesn’t mean that the racing will be easy.

USA National would love to leap frog either Colby or Kristopher into the lead but New Zealand won’t have that. Canada needs a stage win and if Thibaut Boulanger of France takes another win he will move into 5th, ahead of Willy. We can’t have that! In fact, we’re still making plans to win this whole race.

Au revoir, Larry

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