Beauce,QB. The 23rd edition of the Tour de Beauce, a 2.2-rated event in the UCI America's Tour, was held from June 10 until 15 in the Beauce region of Québec. Over 140 cyclists from 21 teams faced 6 stages  The last stage of the race ended in the
heart of La Ville de Québec's 400th Anniversary celebrations.

Canada was well-represented with 9 teams including 2 UCI Continental teams. The Symmetrics teamincludes Svein Tuft, 2nd in 2007’s overall ranking and Canadian Road Champion Cam Evans. Trek Red Truck Racing under the leadership of Mark Ernsting to lead the charge.

Teams: Team Type 1,Team Sparkasse, Team Race Pro, A-Style Stomn,Konica-Minolta, Eva-Devinci, ÉquipeVolkswagen,NationaleColombienne,2Peercom , Équipe Québec, Garneau-Crocs, Rapha Condor Recyclingcouk, Pezula Racing, Amore&Vita-McD's, Jittery Joe's

Stage 1 - June 10: Lac-Etchemin / Lac-Etchemin, 167km
The Tour de Beauce was launched Tuesday with the first stage being held in Lac-Etchemin, a 167-km (103 mi) affair with 3 KOMs. The 25-year old Mexican Bernardo Colex Tepoz (Tecos) escaped from a 3-man break with 25km (15 mi) to go and held a gap from a small group of riders charging up the final climb.The Swede Micheal Stevenson (Amore e Vita - McDonald’s) took second place, and German Eric Baumann (Team Sparkasse) completed the top trio. Rob Britton (Trek Red Truck Racing) came in 23 only 49 seconds off the leader.

Stage 2 - June 11: Vallée-Jonction 166km
Ukrainian Yuriy Metlushenko (Amore e Vita-McDonald’s) won the bunch sprint by a few bike lengths ahead of Ciaran Power (Penzula Racing) and Brazilian Kleber Ramos (Garneau-Crocs). The Symmetrics team got hit by multiple flats (oh the joy of Quebec roads) but a crash took down Cam Evans and Chris Meier. Both men finished the stage in 17th spot alongside Tyler Trace (Trek red Truck Racing). Meier ended up receiving five stitches for a deep gash in his hip, after waiting hours in a hospital waiting room.

Stage 3 - June 12: St-Georges / Mont Mégantic, 153km
The  racers faced the monster climb of Mont Mégantic which culminated 153-km later.Miguel Martinez of France was the first to reach the summit of Mont-Megantic. Bernardo Colex Tepoz (Tecos Trek) crossed the line 6 seconds later to take second, and Moises Aldape (Team Type 1) was a further 2 seconds back to round off the podium. Rob Britton took an amazing 15th spot, 14 seconds ahead of Canadian Champion Cam Evans and a minute ahead of Christian Meier.

Stage 4a - June 13: St-Georges (ITT), 20km
Three-time Canadian TT Champion (2004, 1005 & 2006), Svein Tuft (Symmetrics)  set the fastest time at 25 minutesand 45 second. Valeriy Kobzarenko (Team Type 1) was second at 40 seconds slower and Australian Darren Lapthorne (Team Sparkasse) was third, 55 seconds behind Tuft. Rob Britton, took 15th spot and Jamie Sparling (Trek Red Truck Racing) finished in the top 20.

Stage 4b - June 13: St-Georges crit, 60km
Evan Elken (Jittery Joe's) outsprinted his breakaway companions to win the 60-kilometer (37-mile) St Georges Criterium. Sebastian Frey (Team Sparkasse) was second and Kristian House (Rapha Condor Recycling.Co.UK) was
third, but the race results say that it was Dan Timmerman (Team RACE).  Rob Britton and Tyler Trace came in
3 minutes behind the leaders.

Stage 5 - June 14: Circuit Urbain Saint-Georges, 144km
In a largely redesigned 89-mile (144-km) circuit, the riders climbed a significant rise 15 times before crossing the finishing line, and sprinted for 3 KOMs. An 8-man group escaped from the Symmetrics-controlled field on the second lap, and sensing that this was the break, small chase groups went after it. With 4 laps to go, attacks shattered the break into 3 groups. Tuft came in safely one minute and fifty seconds later, while Rob Britton held on to 25th spot. The Trek Red truck team got some press yesterday with a few photos on cyclingnews.com.

Stage 6 - June 15: Circuit Urbain, Ville de Québec 125km
At the start of the sixth and final stage, Tuft only had a six seconds lead over second place Bernardo Colex Tepoz (Tecos Trek) and 46 and 49 seconds over the dangerous Team Type 1 duo of Moises Aldape and Valeriy Kobzarenko. Tuft and Colex would cross the finish line at the same time but Svein Tuft (Symmetrics) was crowned champion of the Tour de Beauce. Rob Britton ended the day in 30th spot and held on to finish 16th overall for the Tour. The Trek RedTruck Team would finish 11th in the team rankings out of 14 remaining teams.

Geoff Rice