Briton Adam Yates won the Montreal Cycling Grand Prix on Sunday by overtaking his breakaway companion, Frenchman Pavel Sivakov, in the final meters. Third in the last Tour de France, Yates succeeds Tadej Pogacar, his leader within the UAE team, on the list of winners of the prestigious Canadian race, who is absent this year. The 31-year-old Briton settled his account with Sivakov, currently at Ineos but who will join him at UAE next season, 200 meters from the finish after 219.6 km on the rugged Mont-Royal circuit.
The two men took off 10 kilometers from the goal on the initiative of Yates, who took advantage of the hard work of his teammates to make the difference. Only Sivakov managed to follow him, but could not materialize his dream of winning a first victory in a one-day classic, he being the specialist in stage races.
Behind, a chasing group of around ten riders, including Julian Alaphilippe (12th in the end) and Valentin Madouas (4th), closed to around ten seconds, but they did not manage to collaborate sufficiently to catch up. Spaniard Alex Aranburu (Movistar) took third place, just ahead of Madouas, while Simon Yates, Adam’s twin brother, finished sixth.
“It’s a very difficult race, with almost six hours on the bike. Tactically we had the perfect race. On the last lap, I went hard. I had great legs. It’s a perfect day, really,” Yates savored after his 23rd professional victory. “Adam was much stronger than me in the sprint, but I’m really happy with this second place,” Sivakov emphasized.
1. Adam Yates (GBR/UAD) lasted 221.4 km in 5h 54:02. (average: 37.5 km/h)2. Pavel Sivakov (FRA/IGD) to 3.3. Alex Black (ESP/MOV) 12.4. Valentine Madouas (FRA/GFC) m.t.5. Simone Velasco (ITA/AST) m. Simon Yates (GBR/JAY) 13.7. Ben O’Connor (AUS/ACT) 17.8. Izaguirre ion (ESP/COF) 24.9. Matthias Skjelmose (DEN/LTK) Marc Hirschi (SUI/UAE) m.t….12. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA/SOQ) 38.14. William Martin (FRA/COF) 55.19. Quentin Pacher (FRA/GFC) 1:23.21. Warren Barguil (FRA/ARK) 1:23.27. Benoit Cosnefroy (FRA/ACT) 3:16.28. Christopher Laporte (FRA/TJV) 3:20.31. Clement Champoussin (FRA/ARK) 3:20.42. Axel Zingle (FRA/COF) 8:06.
