Teams Prepare For GP Cycliste de Montreal & Quebec

2012 Eneco Tour Stage 7 - Sylvain Chavanel
2012 Eneco Tour Stage 7 – Sylvain Chavanel (image courtesy OPQS/Tim de Waele)
Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team has announced the selection that will take part in both the GP Cycliste de Montreal and GP Cycliste de Quebec. The Quebec parcour, which is 16 laps of 12.6km for a total of 201.6km, will favor climbers and the riders who have descending prowess. The finish line includes a climb. Montreal, a 17 lap circuit of 12.1km per lap, for a total of 205.7km, features three climbs at km 2, 6 and 11 of the 12.1km laps. The climbs are 8%, 6% and 4% in average gradient. Both courses are challenging and will be sure to test the legs of all the riders. “Races like these are similar to the one day classics in Europe,” Sports Director Wilfried Peeters said. “They are good races that are also well organized. Quebec is a race where riders need to be in good condition to be in front. Montreal is a bit harder, but generally you need good legs for both of these races, because they’re both quite demanding. Last year, in the first edition of the two races, it was a great show and we did well. I hope we can do even better this year.” Riders Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) Gerald Ciolek (GER) Dries Devenyns (BEL) Michal Golas (POL) Jerome Pineau (FRA) Matteo Trentin (ITA) Martin Velits (SVK) Julien Vermote (BEL) The Rabobank Cycling Team will bet on a team of stage race riders and men who know their way on tough terrain for the WorldTour-races in Qu?bec and Montr?al this Friday and Sunday. With Luis Leon Sanchez, Paul Martens and Michael Matthews, Frans Maassen?s team has three fast guys who can survive a hard final. Sports director Frans Maassen says the two races are ?honest?. ?The winner is almost certainly the best rider in the race. There is no room for a one-day fly.? Maassen thinks he has a strong team at his disposal. But he is not quite sure how the form of especially his three fastest men is. Maassen: ?Luis Leon had a little setback after his victory in San Sebastian. In Hamburg and Plouay he was not as good as he normally is but according to Luis himself he?s better now. We shall see. When he?s good, he can win here. The course suits him. I think that Paul Martens is our best guy at the moment. We have the advantage that our team is strong enough to have several riders in the final. We will see who will remain.? It won?t be easy in the races where Robert Gesink in particular was very good in the past two years. He came in third in Qu?bec in 2010 and impressively managed to win Montr?al that year. Last year he finished second after the, then, unbeatable Philippe Gilbert. Both riders are in the Vuelta at the moment so are not in Canada. But riders like Peter Sagan, Edvald Boasson Hagen are Sylvain Chavanel are there. Maassen: ?There is a very strong field here. If you see Peter Sagan on the start list, it?s clear. It will be very hard but most certainly not impossible.?

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