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Guillaume Boivin wins stage one at Mi-Août en Bretagne UCI 2.2

August 12, 2010 – Pontrieux France, Guillaume Boivin of SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy wins the 1st stage at Mi-Août en Bretagne UCI 2.2 stage race and will wear the yellow leader’s jersey for Stage 2.
Twenty six teams of six riders each lined up for the start of stage 1 in Plouec-du-Trieux, Brittany, France. Team SpiderTech predicted that it would be an aggressive race and difficult for six rider teams to control. It was planned to race from the front, ensure the team covered the breakaways and never miss important big splits in the peloton. After only 40 km a lead group of approximately 25 rides emerged containing 3 SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy men: David Boily, Guillaume Boivin and Keven Lacombe. Most teams were represented in front but shortly thereafter a counter-attack group joined making the front group grow in size to 34 men. The peloton had no more interest to make the chase and the lead group cruised away. The 177 km stage finished with 9 laps of a tough 8.2 km, narrow, technical circuit with an 800 metres hill which began steeply and topped out with some sustained false flat. After 2 laps the attacks began with David Boily following a breakaway of five men including riders from Bretagne-Schuller, Cofidis, Cotes d’Armor and BKCP-PowerPlus.
From behind a counter attack including Boivin was launched the following lap. The chase group had difficulty to bridge the 30 seconds to the lead so Boily dropped back to the aid of Boivin. Without support of the others in the chase they were absorbed by the remainder of the lead peloton of 20 riders. With 2 laps remaining Keven Lacombe and David Boily aimed at the front for an all out final chase to reduce the 3 leaders 1 minute gap with the tactic of giving Boivin a chance to win the sprint. Crossing the finish line at 1 lap remaining the SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy duo of Lacombe and Boily had reduced the lead to a mere 11 seconds. On the final climb up the hill Boivin waited patiently to attack as none from the chase group was willing to attack first. At the mid point of the ascent Boivin opened up one attack then waited some more. Finally as the hill crested he made an all out attempt to bridge to the leaders over the false flat summit. At the turn to enter the descent Boivin had bridged to the front group with one other rider making lead breakaway 5 men at 15 seconds to the chase.
In the flat sprint for the victory Guillaume blasted his competitors taking the win and the Yellow jersey. Team-mates Lacombe and Boily finished off the pace having sacrificed all for the team victory. The rest of team SpiderTech finished in the peloton.

June 19th, Saint-Georges (Can) – Today’s stage of the Tour de Beauce was held in the beautiful city of Quebec in front of a large crowd. On the 12 kilometer circuit the ProTour riders will face next September it was Lucas Euser’s turn to show Team Spidertech powered by Planet Energy’s colors in the day break that almost made it to the line. In the final moments of the stage David Boily once again displayed his rich talent by taking the 7th position after trying a bold move. He also is the top finishing Canadian today. This performance earned him the right to defend his leader’s position of the U23 standings one last time tomorrow during the Tour’s final stage.
Today Danny Summerhill (Felt-Holowesko Partners-Garmin U23), Hector Gonzalez Baeza (Heraklio-Murcia) Christopher Jones and Thomas Rabou (Team Type 1), managed to escape to the peloton’s attention during the third lap. They were quickly joined by Spidertech’s Lucas Euser and Chad Beyer (BMC Racing Team) and the group was never able to build more than an uncomfortable 2:15 lead over the peloton controlled by riders of Fly V Australia who were protecting Ben Day’s Yellow Jersey. On each lap the escapes’ advantage was slowly reduced and at the beginning of the final lap they had only 12 seconds left on the peloton. With only 1.2 kilometer to go the Red Jersey David Boily –who was racing in front of his friends and family- launched a solid attack and was able to create a 100 meters gad with the field. The gamble almost paid off but Marc De Maar (Unitedhealthcare), the winner of the Mont-Mégantic stage, came back on him and on the line he still had a 4 seconds advantage to celebrate his second stage victory on this Tour de Beauce. Javier Megias Leal (Team Type 1) and Morgan Schmitt (Unitedhealthcare) completed the podium of the Quebec City stage.
After the race Boily –who is from the province of Quebec- was commenting his day in these words: “I really wanted to get the victory today. It was great to race in front of such a crowd. The circuit is fun and it’s very technical, more over the spectators can see what’s happening in the race. For me it was a rare occasion to race in front of my family and friends, this was exciting!”
Tomorrow the Tour de Beauce travels back to Saint-Georges for its sixth and final stage. Riders will be confronted 11 times to a 12.3 kilometer circuit. SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy riders will spear no energy in the defense of David Boily’s Red Jersey. Doing so should allow them to preserve their second place on the team’s general standings. The Tour de Beauce is being presented for the 25th consecutive time and it is one of the most important and difficult stage races in Canada. It is listed very high among the team SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy’s objectives for this season. Additional information is available at www.tourdebeauce.com

June 16th, Saint-Georges (Can)- After having to assume much of the work load during the last third of yesterday’s race, riders of the Canadian pro cycling team SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy got a rare chance to spare energy during today’s 160 kilometers stage in the Thetford-Mines region. For this, they can be thankful to their teammate François Parisien –a contender for the overall classification- who managed to put the pressure on the other teams by slipping in the day-long breakaway.

Taking advantages of the multiple attacks launched right from the first kilometer, François Parisien was able to joined forces and get away with Darren Rolfe (Fly V Australia), John Murphy (BMC Racing Team), Javier Megias Leal (Team Type 1), Walker Savidge (Felt-Holowesko Partners-Garmin U23), Jean-Sébastien Perron (Garneau Club Chaussures), Flavio Pasquino (Restore Cycling) and Jamie Sparling (Canadian National Team). Working well together, the 8 man group cruised with a 3 minute priority in front of the peloton. The situation changed with only 30 kilometers to go, when the break was clearly loosing ground. Having a thought for tomorrow’s stage and for the demanding climb of Mont-Mégantic, Parisien cut the gas since he was certain the group was going to be caught. The lead group then composed of only four men (Darren Rolfe, Flavio Pasquino, Walker Savidge and Jamie Sparling) saw its lead faint away steadily until they were absorbed by the bunch with three kilometers to go. At this moment SpiderTech’s Andrew Randell was leading the chase at very high pace, preparing the sprint for his teammate Guillaume Boivin who earned his Canadian Road Champion title on similar ground, also in Beauce, last year. Boivin ended his day of work with a respectable 8^th position while the Australian David Tanner (Fly V Australia), Ukrainian Yuriy Metlushenko (Amore & Vita-Conad) and Canadian Andrew Pinfold (Unitedhealthcare p/b Maxxis) climbed on the stage podium.

The Tour de Beauce continues tomorrow with its third and mythical stage of Mont-Mégantic and its summit finish. The Tour de Beauce is being presented for the 25th consecutive time and it is one of the most important and difficult stage race in Canada. It is listed very high among the team SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy’s objectives for this season.

Additional information is available at www.tourdebeauce.com

Philadelphia, PA – Canada’s Team SpiderTech powered Planet Energy came to Philadelphia to be a factor in today’s TD Bank International Cycling Championship and they were, placing two riders in the top 10 while being protagonists in key moves throughout the 250-kilometer/156-mile race.  After more than six-and-a-quarter hours on the bike riding through oppressive humidity, heat and windy conditions, the team’s Guillaume Boivin and Martin Gilbert sprinted home in sixth and seventh places in the twenty-sixth edition of America’s biggest and longest-running one-day professional road race that was won by Australian Matthew Goss (HTC-Columbia) ahead of Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Doimo) and Alexander Kristoff (BMC Racing).

An international field of nearly two hundred riders from invited pro teams, including three ProTour squads (HTC-Columbia, Liquigas-Doimo and Footon-Servetto), took the start.  The team’s Bruno Langlois got into a large early race move that escaped on the first lap.  Langlois maintained his position when the break thinned the herd during the third of ten big laps that included ascents up the steep Manayunk Wall, a seventeen-percent grade grind of one-kilometer in length.  The big lead group rode together until the sixth lap when Canadian Will Routley (Jelly Belly presented by Kenda) attempted a long solo escape.  Tenaciously he held off the chase until the last trip up The Wall when he was nailed back by two four-man groups, one of which contained Team SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy’s Ryan Roth.  A reshuffling occurred and Roth soldiered on as part of a new four-man lead group that included Daniel Oss (Liquigas-Doimo), Ermanno Capelli (Footon-Servetto) and Serhy Grechyn (Amore & Vita – Conad).  For a time, it looked like the break might outfox the sprinters, but when HTC-Columbia, UnitedHealthCare, Jamis-Sutter Homes and Kelly Benefit Strategies combined forces, the catch was inevitable.  With approximately three kilometers remaining, they were gobbled up by what was left of the decimated peloton setting the stage for a mass gallop up the long Benjamin Franklin Parkway.  Goss came around the right side to score the coveted victory with Boivin and Gilbert close behind in the Australian’s shadow.

“Team SpiderTech was awesome today.  We had Bruno Langlois and Ryan Roth in the major breaks, which made things easier for Martin and me since other teams were forced to chase the breaks and we could focus on being there for the (finishing) sprint.  Martin did a perfect lead-out, but I got boxed in and couldn’t do the sprint I wanted.  But we were in a strong position to go for the win and with a complete team, which bodes well for upcoming races and the rest of the season,” said Boivin after the race.

“Team SpiderTech rode all the way to the line with the ambition of winning Philly,” said director Steve Bauer.  “Our guys covered breaks all day.  First it was Bruno Langlois, who kept the team relaxed in the peloton and then we put Ryan Roth into an important late race move that was caught with only three kilometers remaining.  Gilbert and Boivin went man against man with the best sprinters and came up a little short, but not by much.  Both sprinters looked disappointed after the long race, but the entire team finished strongly and contributed throughout, which is highly commendable under extreme humidity.”

In addition to close to 300,000 spectators in attendance, the race was televised live in high definition for the first time on Comcast SportsNet and Versus.

Canada’s only UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) continental team, Team SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy is a talented young squad comprised of Canadian Olympians and national champions that have celebrated twelve UCI wins thus far this season.  The outfit will next focus on events held on Canadian soil: the UCI Individual Time Trial in Gatineau, Quebec (June 12) where Parisien and Roth will represent the team, the Tour de Beauce (June 15-20) at which a full squad will compete and the Canadian National Championships held in Gatineau (June 25 & 28).  Additional information is available at www.cyclesportmanagement.com.

Results of the TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championship:

1. Matthew Goss (HTC-Columbia)
2. Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Doimo)
3. Alexander Kristoff (BMC Racing)

1. Guillaume Boivin (Team SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy)
2. Martin Gilbert (Team SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy)

For further information about the TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championship, please visit www.procyclingtour.com.

Santa Cruz, CA: Another difficult test for the team from Canada, another day the young squad confirms their place amongst the world’s best.  After Eric Boily and four competitors were caught in the day’s main break, Stage 3 (182.3 kilometers) of the Amgen Tour of California was settled after a thrilling showdown on the climb of Bonny Doon Road between three of the General Classification favorites: three-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer (RadioShack), Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) and David Zabriskie (Garmin-Transitions).  Zabriskie out-kicked his companions to claim victory as they barely held off a fast-charging group of elite climbers, including Francois Parisien, who crossed the finish line in Santa Cruz in ninth place.  Zabriskie now leads the GC.

Departing from San Francisco a short pedal from the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, the early part of the stage along the Pacific Coast Highway was more about the sprint competition.  As the field turned onto the first of four King of the Mountains climbs at Tunitas Creek Road about fifty-five kilometers into the stage, Boily became part of a break that included Andy Jacques-Maynes (Bissell), Will Routley (Jelly Belly), Ryan Anderson (Kelly Benefit Strategies) and Davide Frattini (Team Type 1).  Sun gave way to rain as the break built their advantage to almost five minutes over the next two KOM climbs.  RadioShack commanded the front of the field in an effort to set up Leipheimer, who launched a massive attack on Bonny Doon Road in last year’s race.  The break was recalled just prior to the turn onto the day’s final KOM.  Leipheimer, teammate Lance Armstrong, Rogers, Zabriskie and UnitedHealthcare’s Rory Sutherland exploded onto the climb, but Armstrong and Sutherland quickly fell off the pace.  The three GC giants, who finished in the top three positions in the GC in last year’s race, built a ninety-second advantage by the time they reached the summit.  Parisien and California native Lucas Euser were visible riding towards the front of the select chase group on the climb that managed to narrow the time gap during the long run into the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk finish to just seventeen seconds.  Parisien sprinted to finish ninth.

“Once again my teammates did a great job to execute the plan.  Eric made it into the day’s break of five riders, which contained three Canadians.  After RadioShack brought them back as we approached the left turn for the Bonny Doon ascension, the peloton was flying at more than sixty kilometers per hour.  My teammates protected and delivered Lucas and myself into the top ten of the peloton,” explained Parisien.

“During the first few kilometers after turning onto Bonny Doon, we were riding full-on holding nearly five-hundred watts.  Once Levi, David and Michael went, the rest of what was left of the peloton sat in.  Lucas rode at the front to maintain a good tempo.  We crested the summit and started chasing down the break.  We reached ninety kilometers an hour during the descent.  We knew we had a chance to bring them back.  With (team director) Steve’s (Bauer) description of the finish and (team manager’s) Josee’s (Larocque) input from the finish, I tried to visualize the last kilometer in preparation for the sprint.  We came close to bringing them back.  Thus far, we’ve scored three top ten finishes in three stages, which is awesome for the team.  Everyone’s effort is paying off.  Tomorrow should be another interesting day for us,” the Quebec native concluded.

“It was a great confirmation today that Team SpiderTech are here to race,” said Bauer.  “Eric did a great job making the break of the day, which was certain to be controlled, but it gave the team a presence in the lead.  I was impressed with Francois and Lucas on the final climb up Bonny Doon.  RadioShack made the race for Levi to attack so it was full-on from the bottom (of the KOM) to the finish.  Once again, it came down to an elite group of twenty or so riders in front so our guys continue to prove that they are in the game battling amongst the best riders in the world.”

Wednesday’s (May 19) Stage 4 will test the riders’ legs early on the menacing King of the Mountains climb of Sierra Road less than ten kilometers after departing San Jose in a route that will cover 195.5 kilometers.  The peloton will dash through a pair of sprint zones and a second KOM climb before the long descent into Modesto where the stage will finish with a couple of downtown circuits.  The eight-day, 1280-kilometer Amgen Tour of California is regarded as one of the most important races on the international calendar comprised of sixteen professional teams from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, and the U.S.  For further information, please visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

Stage 3 results:
1. David Zabriskie (Garmin-Transitions)
2. Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia)
3. Levi Leipheimer (RadioShack)
9. Francois Parisien (SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy)

Santa Rosa, CA: A rare cold rain shower in May made the roads glacial during today’s Stage 2 of the Amgen Tour of California, but the weather didn’t dampen the spirits of the frisky Canadians racing for Team SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy. After a long five-man break that included team captain Andrew Randell was caught in the closing kilometers of the 177.2-kilometer stage from Davis to Santa Rosa, Francois Parisien fought tenaciously to finish the stage in sixth place along side a select group of General Classification favorites. Brett Lancaster (Cervelo TestTeam) sprinted to the victory and also inherited the race leader’s golden fleece.

A dozen kilometers into the stage, Randell pedaled across to join the break that included Karl Menzies (UnitedHealthcare), Jay Robert Thomson (Fly V Australia), Michael Friedman (Jelly Belly) and Thomas Rabou (Team Type 1). The break worked well together as they built an advantage that peaked at over six-and-a-half minutes. Riders crashed in heaps throughout the long slog on technical descents that became even more treacherous due to the wet conditions. With the RadioShack team of three-time defending Amgen Tour of California champion Levi Leipheimer maintaining control of the field along with then race leader Mark Cavendish’s HTC-Columbia squad, an offensive was launched on the Trinity Grade climb by RadioShack and Garmin-Transitions, which decimated the field. Parisien held on and finished in an elite group that contained the overall race favorites, including Leipheimer, his teammate, seven-time Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong, Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia), David Zabriskie (Garmin-Transitions) and Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank).

“Today is further confirmation that we belong here (in the race). Andrew (Randell) did a great job in the break. I followed the RadioShack train and we caught Andrew’s group about five kilometers from the top of the final climb. There were only about fifteen riders left. The descent was quite dangerous. Andy Schleck missed a turn and went straight into a bush. As soon as we reached the bottom of the climb, our speed never went below fifty-five kilometers per hour. We took some risks. I analyzed who was there and prepared for the sprint. I’m happy about the result,” said the twenty-eight year-old Parisien.

Team SpiderTech director Steve Bauer was also pleased. “It was a good day for Team SpiderTech powered by Planet Energy with Francois contesting the stage victory in Santa Rosa with a select group of strongmen. Andrew rode strongly all day and I’m proud of Parisien’s sixth place amongst the elite GC contenders. It was a difficult finale under slippery conditions.”

Starting in the shadow of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, Stage 3 (May 18) pedals 182.3 kilometers from San Francisco down Highway 1 along the picturesque coastline adjacent to the majestic Pacific Ocean before finishing at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. En route, the peloton will battle in two early sprints before conquering four King of the Mountains climbs, including the final ascent of Bonny Doon Road. The eight-day, 1280-kilometer Amgen Tour of California is regarded as one of the most important races on the international calendar comprised of sixteen professional teams from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Switzerland, and the U.S. For further information, please visit. www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.

Stage 2 results:

1. Brett Lancaster (Cervelo TestTeam)
2. Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Doimo)
3. Lars Boom (Rabobank)
6. Francois Parisien (Team SpiderTech)

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

Planet Energy Race Report by Steve Bauer

Tour of Gila Stage 1
Silver City to Mogollon, 151.5km, mountain top finish in 3:36:02

Planet Energy Pro Cycling Team began the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico with reserved ambitions.  The 6 men team of Francois Parisien, Ryan Roth, Andrew Randell, Bruno Langlois, Maxime Vives and Keven Lacombe was fit and well prepared however the upcoming 5 days of racing would boast the toughest competition in North America since the Tour of California in February.  Indeed, the champion of this year Tour of California Levi Leipheimer was on the start line today with team mates Chris Horner and the man himself Lance Armstrong of Mellow Johnny’s.   Our team tactics were simple: Be present in the important breaks and preserve Francois Parisien as best as possible for the tough mountain top finish.

The race rolled out of Silver City at 9:05 am sharp and it did not take long for the peloton to begin attacking.  The race never let up until a strong move of 12 riders went clear. Our team missed the important break and Andrew Randell ensured our team gets to the front to chase it down.  Keven Lacombe and Bruno Langlois were on the counter attack several times hunting for the next “good move”.  Over the next 20km, through some tough rolling hills the peloton stayed glued together. At approximately 70 km to go, 15 men went clear and once again our Team Planet Energy missed the important move.  Perhaps we were trying to hard earlier?  Mellow Johnny’s Armstrong, Leipheimer and Horner also missed!  Our Planet Energy team began chasing immediately but without help from any other team we decided to take a risk and sit up.  After the break reached 3 minutes, Lance Armstrong began to ride in front with Chris Horner and our decision was correct.  We decided to help Mellow Johnny’s since we needed to bring back the race to have any chance on GC. Otherwise it may have been over.  We rode Vives, Randell, Roth, Lacombe, Langlois with Armstrong and Horner.  Parisien and Leipheimer sat on.  After 40km of chasing over tough climbing terrain the gap was reduced to 1 min at the base of the final10 km climb.  The race to the summit was launched with Lacombe giving Parisien excellent position to do the final battle.   The peloton was splitting into multiple groups as the race ascended from the valley.

After the finish Johan Bruyneel approached me and thanked our team for the help in the chase.  He said “without you guys it would have been over for us” (having only 2 riders Armstrong and Horner to chase for Leipheimer.  I said “We missed the important move so we needed to stay in the game as well.

Aside, It is very interesting to read the Reports of the following journalists:
Steve Frothingham of Velo News:
“Mellow Johnny’s team and a few of the other teams that were not in the break began to narrow the gap”.
And Kirsten Robbins of Cycling News:
“Seven time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong and Chris Horner did the work of eight-men, bringing star-climber Levi Leipheimer into the opening stage victory”

Our team Planet Energy did most of the work with Lance Armstrong and Chris Horner to narrow the gap.  End of story.   You can quote me on that!

Result
1^stLeipheimer
2^ndPeter Stetina
3^rdChris Baldin

8^th Lance Armstrong

14^thFrançois Parisien
139^thBruno Langlois
140^thKeven Lacombe
147^thRyan Roth
148^th Andrew Randell
152^ndMaxime Vives

Note: Planet Energy is still 4th in UCI ranking Tour of America as per April