Bryan Coquard Wins The Cycliste de Quebec Sprint

Last updated : 12 September 2013 By Covsupport News Service

Team Europcar's Bryan Coquard won the Cycliste de Quebec Sprint.

The traditional pre-cursor to the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec and Montreal saw 5,700 Canadian Dollars up for the winner of this one kilometre sprint competition.

Team Sky's Geraint Thomas went in the first heat which comprised of Moinard of BMC, Rollin and Pelletier-Roy. Thomas admitted to lacking a bit of horse power and was in last place as Rollin of FDJ went but  Remi Pelletier-Roy got past him to win and book his place in the next round.

Each team, with all the main UCI World Tour teams forced to enter, had to one rider in this sprint and Garmin Sharp selected Fabian Wegmann, whilst Argos Shimano fielded Luka Megzec in the second heat but it was Alexy Tsatevich of Katusha who won ahead of Luka Megzec.

Hugo Houle of AG2R, Matteo Trentin of Omega Pharma Quick Step and Coquard of Europcar were the main riders in heat three which Bryan Coquard won ahead of Trentin.

Giacomo Nizzolo of Radio Shack, Danny Van Poppel of Vacansoleil, Alexy Lutsenko of Astana, Jan Polanc of Lampre, were the riders in heat four or Serie D and in this one, it was Nizzolo who just won ahead of Lutsenko.

Bruno Pires of Saxo Tinkoff,  Moreno Hofland of Belkin, Gorka Izaguirre of Euskatel and Zac Bell of Canada - the defending champion, who was given a big cheer when he rode onto the podium. There were more cheers as Bell went through to the Quarter-Finals joined by Hofland.

Ventosa of Movistar, Bovin of Cannondale, Debuschere of Lotto and Dussault of Garneu Quebec. Bovin was the first to go but Debuschere took the win ahead of Dussault. 

There was three Second Round heats and Mexgec,Pelletier-Roy,Nizzolo and Trentin were in the first second round heat. Trentin went a long way out on this one kilometre circuit. However, it was Pelletier-Roy who won beating Nizzolo.

The second heat saw Lusenko, Tsatevich,Bell and Dussart compete. In a good sprint, Bell won ahead of Lusenko.

Heat three featured Rollin, Hofland Coquard and Debuschere. There was some contact but Hofland won and progressed along with  Coquard.

The Semi-Finals had three riders in each of the two heats with the first two going into the final. Lutsenko, Remi Pelletier-Roy, who finished second in this competition in 2012 and Coquard went first. Bryan Coquard was first to attack and kept his speed to win just beating Lutsenko.

Zac Bell, Moreno Hofland and Giacomo Nizzolo competed in the second Semi-Final. The sprint took its time to get established but when it did, Hofland was ahead of Nizzolo and they took their places in the final. 

Moreno Hofland, Giacomo Nizzola, Alexey Lutsenko and Bryan Coquard made up the final four. This was proper cat and mouse stuff but Hofland went down the left, Nizzolo was in his wheel and got past him but on the right was Europcar's Bryan Coquard who took the prize money ahead of Nizzolo, who won 2,850 Canadian Dollars, Hofland and Lutsenko.

Coquard said about his victory: "It was tough but I kept my nerve and delivered. I wanted to respect the event and I'm pleased and very satisfied with this win."