QUEBEC CITY (AFP) – Jayco rider Michael Matthews dedicated his win at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec on Friday to his recently passed away grandmother after edging Biniam Girmay in a last sprint as Tadej Pogacar faded.
On his first race since completing the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia double Slovenian superstar Pogacar broke early but ended seventh.
Pogacar tried to drop his rivals on the hill in the final lap but was reeled in by defending champion Arnaud de Lie, whose efforts appeared to blow his own chances in the sprint.
“I made the wrong decision but the legs were good and I can’t wait for (today),” Pogacar said of the second Canadian classic in the city of Montreal with a more hilly route.
“I’m ready for the world championships,” he said of the September 29 race in Switzerland.
“I thought I could stay away with the three guys but it was really fun and I enjoyed it,” said Pogacar, who skipped the Olympics.
A chasing elite clique engulfed Pogacar De Lie and Julian Alaphilippe with around one kilometre (km) to go with Matthews cruising ahead from 150 metres for the win.
“My grandmother passed away on Wednesday and I dedicate this to her,” said Matthews.
“I knew I had the power to do a 20 or 30 second sprint so i went early.
“Tadej is the number one in the world, I’m a fan also, the fans love him but I’m here to do my job and win the race,” he said.
Eritrean Girmay said he suffered toward the end of the race after a fast pace.
“My legs were hurting at the end especially with the pace Tadej set over the last two laps.”
The race over sixteen laps of 12.6km around the city of Quebec was contested if perfect racing weather for the 13th edition of the event.
A second Canadian race in the city of Montreal takes place on Sunday with a more hilly route.
