The Race
As the race was unleashed, everything went from peace to chaos in just minutes. An extremly dangerous breakaway managed to slip away in the start, with pre-race favorite Rui Costa in the lead. A really strange and unexpected action, which had to be stopped at once.
Someone had to take the responsibility of bringing back Costa, and we therefore send four of our riders to the front immediately.
Even though the pace was extremly high in the pack, the four escapees didn't seem to give up easily. They worked hard for a long time, and it seemed almost impossible to reduce their 1 minute gap.
But with about 130 kms to the line, Costa and his companions finally gave up their struggle, and let themselve fall back into the pack. It brought some very well-deserved calm to the pack.
But the relaxing pace was only borrowed time for the pack. With about 120 kms to the finish, Rabobank's Bram Tankink launched a fast attack at the downhill section of the course.
But Tankink's attack seemed only to be a cover for his team-mate Luis León Sánchez to attack. Together with Chérel and Teklehaimanot, Sánchez managed to get away. But everyone knew that letting Sánchez get away, was too dangerous no matter in which shape he was. Therefore his attack was quickly eliminated.
Finally a rather moderate and harmless breakaway got away. With 100 kms left, Cardoso drew both Taborre, Juul Jensen and Martens into the breakaway, which most teams seemed to accept.
The four riders worked together very well, and built up a fine gap to the pack, which only grew second by second.
But of course, some riders weren't happy to not represent their team at the front. The escape therefore grew to eight riders, which seemed to be too many for Astana and Radioshack to tolerate. With 70 kms to the line, the breakaway was once again reeled in.
We were nearing the final and decisive part of the race, and with 40 kms to the finish, a real breakaway hadn't yet managed to stay alive for more than 50 kms. But Weening wanted to make this on his own, and therefore managed to get away all alone, riding towards the finale.
Astana and Vacansoleil seemed desperate to bring back Weening. Actually so much, that the pack was divided in two, giving some clear signals about who were able to win this race, and who weren't. Riders like Horner, Nibali and Roche were long gone, and never managed to get back and threaten the other favorites.
With 20 kms to the finish, Vacansoleil finally caught Weening, while Astana couldn't keep up at the front, with Gasparotto looking rather exhausted. In fact most of the pack, or at least what was left of it, looked significantly tired after 180 kms in an extremely high pace.
After only just finishing the downhill section, Wouter Mol attacked with the energy he had left. In his rear wheel followed Maarten Wynants, while i kept up behind! It was now or never if i wanted to have some personal success today. I felt fantastic, so i had to try!
Mol quickly realized that he wasn't able to follow through, and fell back. I continued accelerating with Wynants claiming to my rear wheel.
Unfortunately Wynants didn't wanted to take the front. If it was a matter of exhaustion, i wasn't sure of, but i knew, that if i used my energy on convincing him to relay, the pack would reel in both of us very quick.
Going into the last lap, me and Wynants had a gap of about a minute. I knew we had to keep the pace very high to avoid being caught.
I began to get quite mad at Wynants for his lack of helpfulness. But as much as my DS tried to calm me down by screaming into my ear, my anger actually made me forget much of the pain i was gonig through.
Back in the pack, the confusion began to set in as expected. The race had been so hard, that most of the leaders' helpers had been left behind. Soon the leaders would run dry on helpers, benefitting both me and Wynants at the front.
And with 8 kms to go, this was the scenario. Flat front! No one wanted, or seemed to be able to set the pace. The pack only contained about 25 riders at this moment, and almost none were helpers.
At the same moment, Wynants and i rode under the 5 kms banner, with a still increasing gap to the amputated pack.
De Gendt couldn't let this happen and tried to slip away on the very last part. But Thomas was quick and caught him. In the pack, stagnation still occured, which was probably a pure matter of strength.
With Wynants in my rear wheel, i rode into the finish lane for the very last time today. Both of us didn't knew how close the pack were, and in my inexperience, i stayed at the front to keep the pace high.
Going into the final 2 kms, i was finally told that we still had a solid gap of about one minute. I started slowing down a little, looking behind to see how Wynants was feeling. It was clear that he was in pain, but i didn't wanted to underestimate his sprint.
With the sun shinning onto the Flamme rouge, i could hear Wynants behind me shifting into a higher gear. The sprint had started! At once i accelerated to avoid him passing me.
But he never did! As i kept accelerating he didn't seem to have the strength to pass me. I looked behind and saw that Wynants started to lose his pace, and the little gap between us grew bigger.
With the little gap beginning to appear, every inch of my muscles began to work at full speed. There were no more tactics or funny tricks, which could help me in crossing the line first. All i had to do was to give everything i had.
The finish line began to appear very near. Only a couple treadles more, and i may had done the biggest thing in my life ever. A final look back at Wynants showed that he began to fade away.
With eyes pointed towards the finish line, there were no more need of looking back. Wynants was unable to catch me at this point. I knew i had secured the victory! With a screaming crowd on the sideline, the last pedal-strokes made me forget all about the 200 kms i had just been through, focussing on the very present moment.
Hands in the air, and sun in the eyes! The last metres were to be the proudest in my whole career. Surprising everyone of the experienced World Tour riders in such prestigious race, has to be every neo-pro's biggest dream. And i had just achieved it!
No doubt. I was the strongest today! After riding around with Wynants in my rear wheel for about one and a half lap, i was still able to oversprint the Belgian comfortably.
A moment of happiness and success! I crossed the line and the victory was now mine. The biggest one of my whole career!
Still unknowing of what this victory will actually mean for me, i couldn't take down my hands from the sky. I had done the impossible, and won a beautiful race in a beautiful way! My limits seemed nonexistent.
A minute after, De Gendt and Thomas had kept their lead to the pack and were to sprint for third. But unfortunately De Gendt were too fast in the end, and forced Thomas to end in fourth place.
Where am i to begin with this!? I came to Canada with the objective of riding for a top 10 spot in one of the classics, but at the very moment it had all begun, i was standing on top of the podium here in Québec. My latest, and not to forget, first professional victory in the Post Danmark Rundt for a week or so ago, seemed to be one of the biggest highlights of my season this year. But it seems as though i have just got a new favorite on top of my list!
The race was very hard and difficult. There wasn't any moments of relaxing, since no breakaways seemed to be accepted by the pack. Especially those attacks made by Sánchez and Costa, seemed to be very strange. But the fast pace paid off, as exhaustion began to appear very much in the pack, benifitting me and my endurance which i have worked a lot on. At the team we agreed on giving me a chance of slipping away on the last part, going for the "all or nothing", while Thomas should await in the pack. And it succeeded, and i got it all!
 | 1st Professional win |  |
 | Top 10 in one of the Canadian Classics | |
 | Be part of at least 5 team victories | |
 | Stage top 5 in Volta Ciclista a Catalunya | |
 | Top 10 Gp di Toscana | |
If Wynants would have been willing to relay, i'm sure we could have got a greater gap. But the reason for his lack of help was probably due to exhaustion, when taking an objective look back upon the race. We got away at a perfect moment of the race, and it was only a matter of pure luck that we didn't have more favorites to follow us. As we got off, most of the leaders' helpers were long gone, and confusion in the pack seemed unavoidably.
After having enjoyed this result, which will surely never end, i'll be at the startline in Montréal tomorrow, for another World Tour classic. I haven't got any thoughts about how to ride that race yet, since it seems like i have already got what i wanted here in Canada. But we'll see, as i go along. See you!
Greetings Salvatore
Beautiful win!
Definitely deserves a banana 
