09.25.11 - DAVID VEILLEUX 19TH AT THIS FIRST ELITE ROAD RACE AT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Cap Rouge’s David Veilleux delivers a great performance for Canada; Barry and Tuft caught by crash

(Copenhagen, DEN – September 25, 2011) The 2011 UCI Road World Championships ended today in Copenhagen, Denmark with the presentation of the main event, the men’s road race. All week, the anticipation built up for this one race, with the best of the best in the world racing side by side with the goal of winning the prestigious World Title less than one year prior to the Olympic Games.

David Veilleux of Cap Rouge, Quebec, who rides for Team Europcar, finished in 19th place in his first ever participation in the Elite road race at World Championships. Veilleux, who turned Elite at the beginning of this season, was fortunately in front of the peloton when a devastating crash occurred which took Michael Barry out of the race and pushed Svein Tuft out of contention for the victory.

“I am very satisfied with the result. It was a long race for me, but I felt good in my preparation last week in Quebec. I played the energy-saving card and waited to the very end to make my move. It paid off, and I was well positioned,” said Veilleux, who is expected to race for another full month before hanging his bike for the winter.

“The race was never really hard. We raced 45-46 km/h on average, and I certainly started to feel the pain at the end. Everyone was in the same boat, going at the same pace. At the sprint, I was right up there with everyone,” continued Veilleux.

The race was expected to come to a sprint finish, and many of the World’s top sprinters were identified as the favourites to win the race. Canada, with only three riders on the start line and no specific sprinter, was hoping to stay in the peloton and be in the best position for the finish, without having a specific strategy to join a break.

The 266-kilometer race started downtown Copenhagen before joining the 14-km circuit. The massive peloton of 209 riders stayed together, with the exception of a few small break, until the late stages of the race. The lead group showed at one point a gap of over nine minutes on the bunch, but eventually the peloton came back to take over.

Then, two riders collided and fell, and as a result a devastating crash separated the peloton in two distinct groups. Those at the front were lucky; those at the back lost any hope to be in the winning sprint

Mark Cavendish of Great Britain won the gold medal and the World Title, receiving the prestigious rainbow jersey. It’s the first time since 1962 that a British rider takes homes the jersey in the men’s road race. Cavendish outsprinted Matthew Goss of Australia and André Greipel of Germany at the line, in front of a thunderous crowd estimated at more than 250 000 cycling fans gathered around the course.

Svein Tuft of Team SpiderTech, the current road race Canadian Champion, unfortunately was in the back of the bunch when the crash occurred, and lost his chances to help Veilleux to a better sprint position.

“I was trying to wait for the later portion of the race to put some pressure on. It was shaping up to be a good day, but unfortunately Michael and I got caught in the crash,” said Tuft. “Dave was riding so well, and I wish I could have been there to help him move up another 10 spots before that turn so he could be well positioned for the sprint. When you’re out there by yourself, it’s too much energy.”

Michael Barry, of Team Sky Pro Cycling and one of the best domestique in the World, was on hand and ready to go for Canada, but was involved in a crash with about 70km to go in the race, and was forced to pull out.

For the most part, this race concludes the road cycling season. A few riders will be racing in the 2011 Pan-American Games in Mexico in October.

For more information of the 2011 UCI Road World Championships, please visit: http://www.copenhagen2011.dk/