Former world champion Sagan wins, Hesjedal finishes in pack, at cycling grand prix

QUEBEC – There was a big ovation when Ryder Hesjedal was introduced before the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec on Friday and more at the end, even if the Victoria native finished 20th in the gruelling one-day event.

Hesjedal, the only Canadian to win one of cycling’s grand tours when he took the Giro d’Italia in 2012, will retire at the end of this season, but not before saying goodbye to his fans at the only two UCI races in North America — the scenic one through the streets of historic Quebec City and another on Sunday in Montreal that suits him better with its steeper climbs up Mount Royal in the centre of the city.

“I feel very fortunate that there are these races in Canada at this time of year,” the 35-year-old said. “It’s always been special to me since the first time I came here (in 2010).

“Moreso if it’s my last season. I love Quebec. It’s been a big part of my racing career. I’m having fun out there and enjoying it.”

Peter Sagan of Slovakia, the 2015 road race champion, won the 201-kilometre race for the Tinkoff team in five hours seven minutes, 13 seconds, just ahead of 2016 Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet of Belgium and third-place Anthony Roux of France. Hesjedal was only eight seconds off the leaders.

“I felt good,” said Hesjedal. “I haven’t raced a whole lot this summer.

“The Tour of Alberta (his final stage race last week) was good. I felt better at the end of it. This was an incredibly hard race. There’s nowhere to hide in a race like this because the field is incredible. I could still see the front of the race at the finish so I’ve got to be happy with that.”

Hesjedal announced his intention to retire this summer. After Montreal, he will take part in four events in Italy ending with the Tour of Lombardy, the last of the season’s one-day classics, on Oct. 1.

“I wish him a good retirement,” said Guillaume Boivin of Montreal, who finished 17th to take top Canadian honours. “I’m sure his legs will hurt a little less now.”

Hesjedal, who started out as a world class mountain bike racer, finished fourth at the inaugural Quebec City event in 2010 and came third in Montreal in 2010 and 2013. He does better in major stage races like the Giro or the Tour de France because his specialty is grinding up the steep climbs.

The Trek-Segafredo team picked him up this season and aimed his training schedule to peak at the Giro, but he fell ill and had to withdraw. Now he just hopes to finish the season strong.

“Trek gave me a good opportunity this year and I want to pay that back as much as possible,” he said. “You can’t just stop when you want to.

“People ask me ‘why don’t you stop in Montreal and have your last race in Canada,’ but there’s four more races I can do in Italy that are suited to me. If I do my last race in Italy, that’s also special to me.”

The Quebec City race was mostly uneventful until the final lap. A group of eight riders, including Nicolas Masbouian of Quebec City, escaped early and built a more than four-minute lead but were hauled in by the peloton with about 40 kilometres to go.

Late in the final lap, defending champion Rigoberto Uran had a go but had to pull off. Then Sagan followed behind Roux and beat him on the final thrust to take the victory.

“I’m surprised because after Rio, I didn’t prepare a lot for the race,” said Sagan, who has won (2013) and finished second (2010) in Montreal.

Among other Canadians, Hugo Houle of Ste-Perpetue, Que., was 26th, just in front of Mike Woods of Ottawa. Bruno Langlois of Matane, Que. was 33rd.