Lance Armstrong and Phil Liggett sent to the Team their good luck words for 2010 season

Here is the video presented during the 2010 Team launches at the Saputo Stadium in Montreal and Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto

To register, follow and bid go to  the TEAM LIVE AUCTION WEBSITE

You can already bid on the Team Live Auction website.

The end of the auction will take place January 28, 2010 – Between 8:00pm and 11:00pm eastern time in Toronto,  Canada.
Bids from the website and the audience will be taken during that evening.

5 items are on auction and one of them is Steve Bauer’s 1990 Tour de France Yellow Jersey.
These items are:
A) Spidertech presented by Planet Energy pro cycling team kit apparrel
The Pearl Izumi custom designed Team kit will include

• Jersey short sleeves
• Bib shorts
• Jersey long sleeve *signed by the Team
• Vest
• Lightweight jacket

VALUE: $1,000 CAD

B) 2010 Team edition Argon 18 Gallium Pro bicycle

• Argon 18 Gallium Pro – Optimal Balance Carbon Fibre frame with exclusive 3D head-tube technology * signed by the Team
• Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 state of the art components
• PRO handlebar, stem, seat-post and saddle accessories
• Shimano Dura-Ace C50 tubular racing wheels
• Hutchinson Carbon Comp tubular racing tires
  VALUE: $9,000 CAD

C) 2010 Steve Bauer Bike Tours Giro d’Italia Trip for (1 Person)

• Trip dates: May 24 to May 31
• Shadow the famous Giro d’Italia bike race on an exclusive, luxurious trip
• 7 nights in Relais & Chateaux accommodation
• Highlights will be the Dolomite Mountains, Valpolicella and Verona
• for single room occupancy (flight not included)
  VALUE: $10,000 CAD

D) 2010 Steve Bauer Bike Tours Giro d’Italia Trip for (1 PERSON) Idem description as C)
VALUE: $10,000 CAD

E) STEVE BAUER’S TOUR DE FRANCE YELLOW JERSEY Steve Bauer’s 1990 final Yellow Jersey of his career worn leading the Tour de France into the Alps

Tour de France 1990
Steve’s team: 7-11 / Hoonved pro cycling team
Team director: Jim Ochowicz
Team-mates: Davis Phinney, Bob Roll, Andy Hampsten, Dag-Otto Lauritzen, Sean Yates, Norm Alvis, Andy Bishop and Ron Kiefel
Date the jersey was worn: July 10, 1990
Stage the jersey was worn: Stage 11 – Geneva to St. Gervais (Le Bettex)
Cols on the stage:  Col de la Colombière, Col des Aravis, Mountain top finish @ Le Bettex near St. Gervais and Chamonix Mont Blanc
VALUE: PRICELESS

All proceeds will be redirect to the team cycling program

Great photo of Martin Gilbert winner of Saputo Pro Elite Cup Series at the Mardis Cyclistes of  Lachine summer 2009 on the cover page of the Bike Trade Canada Fall 2009 magazine.

See Bike Trade Canada Fall 2009 Cover Page

2 articles to read in the Pedal Mag Fall 2009 edition on page 45 & 46 one by Michael Barry of team Columbia and the second by Steve Bauer  both about Tour of Missouri 2009.   
Pedal Mag Fall 2009 P45-46

For those who missed  the final sprint Stage 7  by Martin Gilert; you can watch it  on Universal Sport.com
Watch for the 2 riders with green shoulders on the right hand side.
Good job again Martin, Keven and the Team for this great stage win!

Thanks to all our fans and sponsors for your support for this great 09 season.
Stay tune for 2010 team news.

Final Stage 7 will be race in Kansas City near the Westin Hotel, 7 Laps of 16.4km for a total of 114.9km, 4 KOM and 2 Sprints. Terrain: Hilly!!

Result Stage 6
1 – Francesco Chichi / Liquigas 3 :41 :41
2 – Thor Hushovd / CerVelo all s.t.
3 – Lucas Sebastian Haedo / Colavita
4 – Keven Lacombe
6 – Martin Gilbert
33 – Guillaume Boivin
82 – François Parisien
91 – Ryan Roth
93 – Bruno Langlois
108 – Andrew Randell 3 :44 :24

2nd Team in Team Classification of Stage 6

General Classification After Stage 6
Martin Gilbert 6th Sprint Classification with 17 points

1 – David Zabriskie /Garmin Slipstream 19 :53 :45
2 – Gustav Larsson / Saxo Bank 0:00:30
3 – Tom Zirbel / Bissell 0:00:44
38 – Ryan Roth 0:03:00
76 – Martin Gilbert 0:05:08
79 – Bruno Langlois 0:05:14
82 – Guillaume Boivin 0:05:18
87 – Andrew Randell 0:05:87
95 – Keven Lacombe 0:07:07
105 – François Parisien 0 :11 :17

GC After Stage 3
1 – Thor Hudshovd / Cervelo Test Team 11 :27:19
2 – Mark Cavendish / Columbia –HTC 11 :27 :19
3 – Juan Jose Haedo / Saxo Bank 11:27:23
28 – Guillaume Boivin / Planet Energy 11:27:29
63 – Ryan Roth s.t.
64 – Andrew Randell s.t.
86 – Bruno Langlois 11 :27:58
89- Martin Gilbert 11 :28 :20
94 – Lacombe Keven 11:28 :44
114 – François Parisien 11 :33 :26
115 – Charly Vives 11 :34 :31

Martin Gilbert is 5th in the Sprint Classification with 12 points

Guillaume Boivin is 10th in the Best Young Rider Classification (1985 and younger)

In Stage 2 of Tour of Missouri, Martin Gilbert and Guillaume Boivin both positioned in top 10 with respectively 5th and 9th position. François Parisien did a great race making the decisive break of the day at around 45 km into the stage with Tim Duggan/ Garmin and Kiel Reijnen/Jelly Belly joining him. The gap increased to almost 5 min

before Columbia-HTC intensified their chasing tempo. Mark Cavendish’s team mates controlled the race at the front of the peloton all day trying to bring back the break. At approxiamately 40 km to go the gap had dropped to around 2 min 30 sec. Only during the last hour of the race that few other teams came to the front to reduce the gap. The Jelly Belly rider got a mechanical issue with 20 km to go and could not keep going with the break. Not long after François start attacking Duggan. The peloton eventually swarmed them at 6 km to the finish. It was then time for the sprinter squad (Lacombe, Gilbert & Boivin) to come up front and position the lead out for Martin in the final sprint against Cavedish, Thor, JJ Haedo and others. For his effort of the day, Francois received the Most Aggressive rider of the day jersey. Following the podium, François was convoked for the Press conference with Mark Cavendish, winner of the 2 stage.

Martin Gilbert is sharing his point of view of the first 2 stages:

We have our chance and we will not let it pass. The Tour of Missouri is a great opportunity for the Team to show we can rival against the best of our sport. On Monday, 1st Stage, we showed we can fight to keep our position for the sprint and I took the 5th place. Being 5th is a good result for me, but it is also the result of our mechanic who insures the good functioning of our bicycles to perform perfectly to fly at 65km/h at the sprint; the “soigneurs” who massage and prepare our bottles and feed so we don’t miss of anything. the directors in the car who motivate us and tell the tactics, the Team sponsors who believe in us, follow the race from their offices and hope we will perform good show and to end, my team mates who suffer during hours to permit me to get the results. So with the whole Team behind me, who gives its 110% and bring me to the sprint to go against the best; I have the pressure to be fast. 5th is good, but we will do better and we will attempt to achieve higher.

Stage 2.
I finished for a second time in 5th position in the sprint. We are not far from it. A little more of synchronism and we will get on the podium beside the best in the world. The other team already gives us more respect than the 1st stage. Now they acknowledge the Canadians are fighters and leave us the place in the peloton, because they know we will take it no matter what.

Result Stage 2
1- Mark Cavendish / Columbia HTC 4:16:53
2 – Thor Hudshovd / Cervelo Test Team all s.t.
3 – Juan Jose Haedo / Saxo Bank
5 – Martin Gilbert
9 – Guillaume Boivin
71 – Bruno Langlois
78 – Andrew Randell
85 – Ryan Roth
100 – Keven Lacombe 1:05
111 – Charly Vives 4:31
112 – François Parisien

François Parisien received the Most Aggressive rider jersey for Stage 2

GC After Stage 2
1 – Mark Cavendish / Columbia–HTC 7 :00 :29
2 – Thor Hudshovd / Cervelo Test Team 7 :00 :39
3 – Juan Jose Haedo / Saxo Bank 7:00:39
23 – Guillaume Boivin / Planet Energy 7:00:49
59 – Ryan Roth 7:00:49
75 – Bruno Langlois 7:00:49
76 – Andrew Randell 7:00:40
97 – Lacombe 7:01:54
111 – François Parisien 7:05:17
114 – Charly Vives 7:05:49

Guillaume Boivin 8th Best Young Rider Classification (1985 and younger)
Martin Gilbert is 5th in Sprint Classification with 12 points

Tour of Missouri – Result Stage 1
120,7km – Average Speed 44,176km/h

1 – Mark Cavendish / Columbia 2:43:56
2 – Juan Jose Haedo / Saxo Bank all s.t.
3 – Thor Hudshovd / Cervelo
4 – Francesco Chichi / Liquigas
5 – Martin Gilbert / Planet Energy
26 – Guillaume Boivin / Planet Energy
32 – Keven Lacombe / Planet Energy
50 – Ryan Roth / Planet Energy
73 – François Parisien / Planet Energy
76 – Andrew Randell / Planet Energy
78 – Bruno Langlois / Planet Energy
105 – Charly Vives / Planet Energy 2:44:25

GC – After Stage 1
1 – Mark Cavendish / Columbia 2:43:46
2 – Moises Aldape / TT1 2:43:48
3 – Juan Jose Haedo / Saxo Bank 2:43:50
4 – Thomas Vaitkus / Astana s.t.
5 – Thor Hudshovd / Cervelo 2:43:52
6 – Chris Anker Sorensen / Saxo Bank
7 – Francesco Chichi / Liquigas 2:43:56
8 – Martin Gilbert / Planet Energy all s.t.
29 – Guillaume Boivin / Planet Energy
35 – Keven Lacombe / Planet Energy
53 – Ryan Roth / Planet Energy
75 – François Parisien / Planet Energy
78 – Andrew Randell / Planet Energy
80 – Bruno Langlois / Planet Energy
111 – Charly Vives / Planet Energy 2:44:25

Tomorrow Stage 2 starts at 11am
180.9km Ste-Genevieve to Cape Girardeau

Photos are online on our website.

Live Viewing on Universal on http://www.universalsports.com

From the gun the Planet Energy riders made the race hard and sustained.  Francois Parisien opened the race early with a solo effort hoping that some other strong men would join in the attempt.  With no riders participating Francois returned to the bunch and new counter attacks were sprung.  Eric Boily and Bruno Langois and Andrew Randell were all active ensuring good control on the front of the race.  At around 15 laps to go, the most important breakaway of the day formed with Ryan Roth (Planet Energy)Anibal Borajjo (Colavita), Clay Murfet of Kelly Benefit, Amauri Perez of Mengoni, Mark Walters and one additional Empire rider.

The break managed to extend their lead up to around 26 seconds before the peloton became nervous and more active at about 8 laps to go.  David Veilleux of Kelly Benefit did the majority of the chase to bring the gap back for his sprinter Jake Keogh during closing laps.

With the gap getting down to about 10 seconds, Borrajo launched and attack on the hill taking Roth and Perez along and dropping their breakaway companions.  Soon thereafter the peloton made its final surge to rejoin the break. With only 4 laps to go Andrew Randell took a moments lull in the pace to attack solo.  For two laps Andrew kept the pressure on the Colavita team and damaged some of their horsepower for the final sprint.  A bunch sprint was eminent eventually as Colavit led the group into the final lap working on a lead for Haedo.  In the right-left chicane turns at 1 km to go Colavita led the race with Planet Energy in position. During the stretch into the wind before the final turn, Gilbert blasted past the Colavita leading out with Boivin and Lacombe tight on the wheel.  Gilbert took the final turn and into the home straight. Boivin led out Lacombe as hard as could.  Lacombe timed his sprint perfectly winning Chris Thater Memorial over a fast surging Haedo trying to overtake.
Race Report by Steve Bauer

 Results
1st – Keven Lacombe first. 
2nd – Sebastian Haedo
3rd – Yosvany Falcon