Young Riders Put to the Test at GP Saguenay Opener

09 June 2017

Race: Grand Prix Cycliste de Saguenay, Stage 1

Start/Finish: La Baie/La Baie, Canada

Distance: 166.1 kilometers

La Baie, CANADA — Team Novo Nordisk’s experienced unseasonably warm weather conditions on Thursday’s GP Saguenay opener. At this stage last year, the race was shortened because brutally cold conditions.

With temperatures maxing out around 36ºC /97ºF, the race splintered early into the 11-lap parcours. Team Novo Nordisk’s squad, which was a mix of veteran riders and neo-pros, was immediately put to the test with the short but steep climb situated inside the opening kilometer.

With each ascent of the climb, more riders fell off the back. With four laps remaining, an elite chase group emerged that included Team Novo Nordisk’s Javier Megias.

This group tried to bring back the 10 riders off the front but were never able to reel in any time. By the final lap, the peloton was shattered into nearly a dozen groups out on the 15.1-kilometer course. In the end, Steve Fisher (Canyon Bicycles) sprinted to the win from a five-man group. Megias finished as Team Novo Nordisk’s best-placed rider in 27^th position.

Javier Megias

“It was really hot today so everyone was dying by the finish. The focus was to survive and finish the race. The pace was high and the peloton was in pieces. We have a young team and came in expecting today to be a little easier. We will aim to make the break in the coming stages.”

Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes pro cycling team, continues racing at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Saguenay on Friday with Stage 2. The 171-km race will see the peloton tackle nine laps around a 19-km course with 150 meters of climbing per lap.