Kodak Gallery strike a 1-2 punch as Canadian Mark Walters wins the stage ahead of teammate Canadian champion Dominique Rollin and pulls on the leaders jersey. Reports from Kodak Gallery and Navigators Teams.

The 22^nd edition of the Tour de Beauce previously known as the 'Grand Prix Cycliste de Beauce' was originally created t by a group of cycling enthusiasts in the Beauce region in 1986. In 1989, the Grand Prix cycliste de Beauce continued to grow, and was designated as the selection event for the World Championships, the Commonwealth Games and the women's Tour de France. In the fall of 1996, at the International Cycling Union general (UCI) assembly in Lugano, the Grand Prix cycliste de Beauce was awarded a 2.4 status, which at that point was the highest ranking awarded to a stage race in the Americas. The race continued to grow in stature and was awarded the UCI 2.3 status in 2002, and for this year, the board of directors agreed to accept the new 2.2 category UCI designation, keeping this event an important part of the America Tour.

The six-day, seven-stages Tour de Beauce welcomes over 100 riders from 17 teams including defending champion Valeriy Kobzarenko who dominated the race last year with his Navigators Insurance Cycling team.

Canada is once again well-represented with 10 teams including 4 UCI Continental teams. The Symmetrics team will be back with Svein Tuft, 2nd in 2005’s overall ranking. The Quebec Team will be one to watch this year with a returning to form Charles Dionne, Dominique Perras, David Veilleux and Martin Gilbert. Other returning teams will be Volkswagen Trek, Garneau-Crocs and Calyon-Litespeed, as well as the Ontarian team Ital Pasta. It will be the first showing in the Beauce for the teams of Vallée de l’aluminium, La-Z-Boy, Team Race (managed by Steve Bauer) and Spin 12.

The United States is represented by three teams: the Pro Continental teams Navigators Insurance, Slipstream presented by Chipotle with the Canadian François Parisien and strong man Danny Pate, and as well the continental Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team presented by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. with the Canadian Champion Dominique Rollin as one of its members.

The German Sparkasse will be one to watch closely with Stefan Parinussa who wore the yellow jersey in 2006, and the 2006 German road race champion Dirk Müller. Australian Saving and Loans will be making their first appearance in a North American race. Two teams returning from last year are the Mexican continental Tecos, and Colombias es pasion from Colombia. Rounding out the field are Amore & Vita-McDonald’s from Poland as well as Denmark’s Team Farso Cycling.

Mark Walters wins the first Stage

Tour de Beauce, stage 1 profile
Image courtesy of tourdebeauce.com

The 105-rider peloton set off this morning under sunny skies for the 112-mile (180-km) opening stage that started and finished in Lac Etchemin, and Jean-Sébastien Béland (CAN – Volkswagen Trek) broke away from the field for a 46-mile (75-km) solo escape managing to get up to eight-minute gap but he was caught at the 50-mile (80-km) mark.

A well-represented 14-rider breakaway was formed shortly after and included 5 pairs from different teams, Mark Walters and Dominique Rollin (Kodak-Gallery), Ben Day and David O’Loughlin (Navigators), Andreas Schillinger and Phillipp Mamos (Sparkasse), Svein Tuft and Jacob Erker (Symmetrics), Gregorio Ladino Vega and Juan Pablo Magallenes Aranda (Tecos Trek). Also participating in the break were Danny Pate (Slipstream), Craig McCartney (Savings and Loans), Dominique Perras (Équipe du Québec), and Soren Petersen (Farso Denmark).The lead group worked well together in the windy conditions and by mile 60 (kilometer 90) had built a lead of four minutes.

The most serious threat to the leaders came after the third mountain sprint at 70 mile (112 km), when a group of eight chasers made up of Valeriy Kobzarenko and Glen Chadwick (Navigators), Dirk Müller (Sparkasse), Francois Parisien (Slipstream), Andrew Randell (Symmetrics), Hector Hugo Rangel (Tecos) and Jacob Nielsen (Farso), was formed. But the group could never get closer than three-and-a-half minutes before being brought back by a Tecos team anxious to keep the ratio of their riders in the break high.

The rolling terrain was taking its in the final kilometers, and Walters saw his opportunity. “There were a lot of attacks going on, but everyone was just wrecked,” said Walters. “I just gave it a shot.”

Mark Walters (Team Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling) works hard while he escaped from the last break.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Walters won the stage with a timed executed solo attack with 12 km to go, ending a two-year winless period after switching from the Navigators team to Kodak Gallery over the winter. “I haven’t won any races in the past two years, and winning solo is the best way to win,” said Walters after the stage.

Twenty-six seconds behind, Rollin came in taking second in the sprint and Erker finished third.

Walters is realistic about his chances of winning the overall, however. “I’ll do what I can – Mégantic is a very steep climb for me, and there are guys who time trial better than me as well,” he said. “Maybe the yellow jersey will motivate me.”

The overall winner of this year’s Tour will come out of the 11 first riders in today’s stage as the peloton lost more than 14 minutes.

On Wednesday, the riders will face a 105-mile (170-kilometre) loop starting and ending in Vallée-Jonction and will waltz along both sides of the Chaudiere valley, through towns such as St-Sylvestre, Saint-Séverin, Saints-Anges, Frampton and Sainte-Marguerite.

Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team, Presented by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co Report

Mark Walters and Dominique Rollin are 1st and 2nd respectively in Stage-1 of the 2007 Tour de Beauce.
Photo courtesy of Kurt Stockton /Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team, Presented by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co

TOUGH MEN WIN TOUGH RACES
MARK WALTERS 1^st, DOMINIQUE ROLLIN 2^nd IN STAGE-1 OF TOUR de BEAUCE IN QUEBEC

Lac-Etchemin, Quebec (June 12, 2007) - The Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team, presented by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. took the top two podium spots in Stage-1 of the 2007 Tour de Beauce. Riding through the aches, pains, cuts and bruises suffered in crash in the final meters of Sunday's 156-mile Commerce Bank Classic in Philadelphia, Mark Walters captured a solo victory while teammate Dominique Rollin took the sprint for 2^nd place. The performance put Walters in the race leader's yellow jersey and Rollin in the race's points leader jersey.

The first of six stages of the 2007 Tour de Beauce offered riders no time to relax. Temperatures hovered in the upper 80s while high humidity, strong winds and sunny skies worked on rider resolve from start to finish. Bumpy and deteriorated road surfaces also forced riders to focus their attention and afforded few moments when riders could even comfortably lift a hand from the bars to have a drink.

In the stages' early going attack after attack was launched by various teams trying to gain an advantage. Finally, Mark Walters followed a move of three others and the four succeeded in opening a gap. Not long thereafter, a dozen other racers set off in pursuit. This group included Walters' teammate Dominique Rollin. As the 12 chasers caught the break, the field was closing down their advantage which had dropped to only 20 seconds. The breakaway riders rode hard together to re-establish their advantage, eventually gaining more than 4 minutes on the field.

The final miles of the race covered a series of short steep climbs that enticed riders to attack. After several failed attempts by other riders on the steepest points, Kodak Gallery's Walters saw an opportunity, "Everyone was wrecked - I just gave it a shot." The "shot" was a vicious attack of his own over the top of one climb and on the downhill that followed. By the bottom of the decent, Walters had nearly 15 seconds on the field. The remaining breakaway riders failed to form an organized effort to reel in Walters as he grew to lead 45 seconds heading into the final climb. Walters' advantage was narrowed somewhat by his chasers in the final mile, but he crossed the line 25 seconds ahead of the break, earning an additional 10 second time bonus for the victory.

At this point the now 9-man breakaway still had more than a 3 minute advantage on the field. Kodak Gallery racer, Dominique Rollin used his knowledge of the stage finish to his advantage and took the field sprint over the likes of former World TT Champion Danny Pate, a trio of Navigators Insurance riders and US Pro Tour points leader Svein Tuft and his Symmetrics teammate. The remainder of the pack finished more than 3 minutes back.

After the race, team director, Kurt Stockton discussed the victory and the stages ahead, "We'll take it day by day from here, but it sure is nice to see Mark take such a convincing solo win. Tough men win tough races and there is no doubt Mark is one of the toughest. With the conditions this week, hydration will be the key. There is a lot of racing ahead, we have to stay focused and get our work done."

The race continues on Wednesday morning with the 170km "Rocky Mountain" stage.

Navigators Insurance Pro Cycling Team Report

The start of the 22nd edition of the Tour de Beauce began under sunny conditions as 105 riders began stage 1. The Tour de Beauce is the longest running, and perhaps most difficult international stage race in North America. The Navigators Insurance Team consistently races well here and won the overall title in 2005 and 2006. The team comes to the 2007 edition enthused and motivated to defend its title.

Within the first hour of racing a lone breakaway rider, Jean-Sébastien Béland from Trek/VOLKS was given some room by the less than enthusiastic peloton, and at one point had a maximum advantage of 6’20” at the 128km to go point.

As the peloton was approaching the first sprint of the day at St-Leon, the action began to heat up. Three riders made their escape from the bunch, and set out in pursuit of Béland. However, as the racers approached St-Nazaire, Béland’s advantage was dropping rapidly into a strong headwind. The three-man chase had cut into Béland’s advantage at it was down to 4’23”.

At 68km to go an 8 man break had established itself, and the navigators riders involved were Glen Alan Chadwick and Valeriy Kobzarenko. The break would gain an advantage of 3’30”, but would be brought back by a hard chase from the Tecos Team.

As the main bunch approached Buckland, Béland was caught by the chasing group, and was immediately dropped, paying for his efforts.

Soon there after, a new breakaway formed with several riders from the Navigators squad. The breakaway swelled to 15 riders, and the pack cooperated and worked well together, resulting in an advantage of 4’20”.

The Navigators riders participating in the break included: Ben Day, David O’Loughlin, and Oleg Griskin, although Grishkin would get dropped on the ensuing climbs. With two riders from Kodak, the German Sparkasse team, and the Mexican Tecos team joining the two Navigators, Slipstream’s Danny Pate, and Dane Soren Pederson, the Navigators were cautious about letting the gap to the field get too large. Sending four riders to the front of the main peloton on the third KOM at 112km, the Navigators train decimated the field. Ten riders crested the hill together, including 4 Navigators, and the gap to the leaders was 4 minutes. The Tecos team was shut out of the chase group, and they rallied a hard pursuit from behind. Ciaran Power’s inopportune puncture slowed the efforts of the Navigators chase group, and Tecos was able to close the gap putting about 35 riders in the now unmotivated chase peloton.

At 15km to go, the breakaway had been reduced to 10 riders with a time advantage over the main field had grown to more than 14’00”.

A steady volley of attacks in the lead group began with 30 km to go, and finally Mark Walters (Kodak Sierra-Nevada) of Peterborough, ON was given a leash. With the Navigators Insurance, Tecos riders and Pate concerned more with the GC than the stage win, Walters was able to build a 1 minute lead with 4 km to go. He held on to win the stage by 26 seconds.

Getting ready
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Team Calyon-Litespeed's riders get their bikes back after the pre-race sign up.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Jamie Sparling (Team L Z Boy) gives autographs to some children before the start of stage 1.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

David Veilleux (Team Quebec), a local rider, waits to give an interview on TV before the start of stage 1.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

The peloton is still calm in the first kilometers of the race.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Riders are still wondering what's gonna happen in the race. The peloton is still calm in the first kilometers of stage 1.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Jean-S?bastien B?land (Team Volkswagen Trek) got out of the peloton. That was the first break of the day. He got an advance of almost 7 minutes before being caught
Photo © Jerome Lessard

The last break of the race made it until the end. Gregorio Vega Ladino,(Team Tecos Trek VH) second from the right, looks forward to win the jersey of best climber.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

The last break of the race made it until the end.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Mark Walters (Team Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling),second from the right and winner of the stage, stays focused during the climb.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Dominique Perras (team Qu?bec) third from the right, works hard in a 8 percent climb.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Gregorio Vega Ladino,(Team Tecos Trek VH) third from the left, looks forward to win the jersey of best climber.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Fans standing by the side of the road congratulate the riders.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Gregorio Vega Ladino,(Team Tecos Trek VH) second from the right
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Mark Walters (Team Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling), first from the right and his team mate Dominique Rollin, second from the right, keep pushing hard until the end of the stage.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Dominique Rollin, first from the right, keeps pushing hard untill the end of the stage.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Gregorio Ladino Vega (Team Tecos Trek VH), on the left, stays in the wheel of his team mate.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Jean-Sebastien Beland (Team Volkswagen Trek) believed in his chance to finish first in stage 1. He was caught by the peloton halfway on the stage.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Dominique Perras (Team Quebec) was quite involved in the last break until the end of the race.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Dominique Rollin (Team Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling), second from the right, had a good pace during stage 1.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Gregorio Ladino Vega,(Team Tecos Trek VH) seems confident to finish the stage with the jersey of best climber.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

On the left, Mark Walters (Team Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling) won the stage and leads Tour de Beauce.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Mark Walters (Team Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling) escaped from the last break and took the lead of the race. He is congratulated by a partisan.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Dominique Perras (Team Quebec) smiles while he is interviewed on Canadian TV after the race.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Did Andreas Schillinger (Team Sparkasse) stop for a limonade or an ice cream after the race? Indeed, it's been a warm day at Tour de Beauce.
Photo © Jerome Lessard

Stage 1 Results

1. Mark Walters (Can) Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team 4:48:49
2. Dominique Rollin (Can) Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team 0:26
3. Jacob Erker (Can) Symmetrics
4. Ben Day (Aus) Navigators Insurance
5. David O'Loughlin (Irl) Navigators Insurance
6. Danny Pate (USA) Team Slipstream
7. Juan Pablo Magallanes Arawda (Mex) Tecos Trek Vh
8. Philipp Mamos (Ger) Team Sparkasse
9. Dominique Perras (Can) Québec
10. Svein Tuft (Can) Symmetrics
11. Gregorio Ladino Vega (Col) Tecos Trek Vh
12. Soren Petersen (Den) Farso Denmark National 1:32
13. Craig McCarney (Aus) Savings And Loans Cycling Team 5:11
14. Jacob Nielsen (Den) Farso Denmark National 9:29
15. Charles Dionne (Can) Québec 14:02
16. Tilo Schüler (Ger) Team Sparkasse
17. Ryan McKenzie (Can) Volkswagen Trek
18. Jamie Sparling (Can) La_Z_Boy 14:07
19. Derrick St-John (Can) Garneau - Crocs
20. Peter Morse (Can) Team Spin 12
21. Stefan Parinussa (Ger) Team Sparkasse
22. Rob Britton (Can) La_Z_Boy
23. Ben Raby (USA) Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team
24. Luis Fernando Macias (Mex) Tecos Trek Vh
25. Glen Alan Chadwick (NZl) Navigators Insurance
26. Francois Parisien (Can) Team Slipstream
27. Joel Dion-Poitras (Can) Eva-Devinci
28. Connor Trevor (Can) La_Z_Boy
29. Hector Hugo Rangel (Mex) Tecos Trek Vh
30. Lars Wackernagel (Ger) Team Sparkasse
31. Christian Meier (Can) Symmetrics
32. Buck Milller (Can) Team R.A.C.E
33. Mathieu Roy (Can) Eva-Devinci
34. Ivor Bruin (Den) Farso Denmark National
35. Eric Wohlberg (Can) Symmetrics
36. David Pell (Aus) Savings And Loans Cycling Team
37. Alex Howes (USA) Team Slipstream
38. Fausto Esparza (Mex) Tecos Trek Vh
39. Timo Honstein (Ger) Team Sparkasse
40. Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team Sparkasse
41. Andrew Randell (Can) Symmetrics
42. Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Navigators Insurance
43. Pascal Bussières (Can) Québec
44. Dirk Müller (Ger) Team Sparkasse
45. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Ukr) Navigators Insurance
46. John Fredy Parra Calada (Col) Tecos Trek Vh
47. Heberth Gutierrez Garcia (Col) Tecos Trek Vh
48. Mike Dietrich (USA) Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team
49. Will Routley (Can) Symmetrics
50. Cirian Power (Irl) Navigators Insurance
51. Greg Reain (Can) Calyon-Litespeed
52. Cameron Evans (Can) Symmetrics
53. Ian Macgregor (USA) Team Slipstream
54. Dustin MacBernie (Can) Team R.A.C.E
55. Peter Mueller (Aus) Savings And Loans Cycling Team
56. Dan Timmerman (USA) Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team
57. Tim Hucker (Aus) Garneau - Crocs 18:59
58. William Goodfellow (Can) Volkswagen Trek
59. Benjamin Martel (Can) Garneau - Crocs
60. Jamie Lamb (Can) Garneau - Crocs
61. Michael Joanisse (Can) Garneau - Crocs
62. Peter Ladd (Aus) Garneau - Crocs
63. Rene Ahrenkiel (Den) Farso Denmark National
64. Mark Batty (Can) Team R.A.C.E
65. André Tremblay (Can) Volkswagen Trek
66. Maxime Vives (Can) Calyon-Litespeed
67. Jean-François Racine (Can) Garneau - Crocs
68. David Veilleux (Can) Québec
69. Cody O'Rielly (USA) Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team
70. Ryan Beliveau (Can) Calyon-Litespeed
71. Charly Vives (Can) Calyon-Litespeed
72. Will Dickison (Aus) Savings And Loans Cycling Team
73. Thorben Wieditz (Can) Team Spin 12
74. Matt Guse (Can) Calyon-Litespeed 19:02
75. Mark Pozniak (Can) Team R.A.C.E
76. Martin Gilbert (Can) Québec
77. Adam Thuss (Can) Team R.A.C.E
78. Keven Lacombe (Can) Volkswagen Trek
79. Morten Christiansen (Den) Farso Denmark National
80. Charlie Bryer (Can) Team Spin 12
81. Jean-Sebastien Perron (Can) Calyon-Litespeed
82. Dave Vukets (Can) Team Spin 12
83. Éric Boily (Can) Eva-Devinci
84. Oleg Grishkin (Rus) Navigators Insurance
85. Phil Cortes (Can) Calyon-Litespeed 19:27
86. Brett Aitken (Aus) Savings And Loans Cycling Team 25:12
87. Jesse Athony (USA) Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team 26:57
88. Jeffrey Dirksen (Ned) Team R.A.C.E 32:26
89. Jean-Sébastien Beland (Can) Volkswagen Trek 32:29
90. Troy Wells (USA) Team Spin 12 32:29
91. Ugo Lapierre (Can) Farso Denmark National 39:01
92. Charles Thibault (Can) Eva-Devinci 39:01
93. Eric Robertson (Can) Team R.A.C.E 39:01
94. Jesper Lund (Den) Farso Denmark National 44:46
OTL Tyler Trace (Can) La_Z_Boy
OTL Dave Brooks (Can) La_Z_Boy
OTL Ryan Mcnamara (Can) La_Z_Boy
OTL Ian Manning (Can) Team Spin 12
OTL Camron Holt (Nzl) Team Spin 12
DNF Mike Friedman (USA) Team Slipstream
DNF Charles Bradley Huff (USA) Team Slipstream
DNF Christian Deshaies (Can) VW-Trek
DNF Frédéric Boivin (Can) Eva-Devinci
DNF Raphael Tremblay (Can) Eva-Devinci
DNF Alexandre Cloutier (Can) Québec

Grand Prix de la Montagne Classification after Stage 1

1 Gregorio Ladino Vega (Col) Tecos Trek Vh 21
2 Ben Day (Aus) Navigators Insurance 18
3 Dominique Perras (Can) Québec 10
4 Philipp Mamos (Ger) Team Sparkasse 8
5 Jean-Sébastien Beland (Can) Volkswagen Trek 7

Points Classification after Stage 1

1. Dominique Rollin (Can) Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team 17
2. Mark Walters (Can) Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team 15
3. Jacob Erker (Can) Symmetrics 13
4. Ben Day (Aus) Navigators Insurance 12
5. David O'Loughlin (Irl) Navigators Insurance 11

Team Classification after Stage 1

1. Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team 14:41:30
2. Navigators Insurance 0:26
3. Tecos Trek Vh
4. Symmetrics
5. Farso Denmark Nat 10:55