Our squad tried to light up the first of the two Canadian races.
For the second time in the space of just one week, Luke Lamperti came close to cracking the top ten in a World Tour one-day race. After finishing last Sunday’s BEMER Cyclassics in 13th place, the American neo-pro – a stage winner at the Czech Tour this season – was again Soudal Quick-Step’s top finisher, this time on Canadian soil.
The Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec, which consisted of 16 laps of a hilly circuit comprising four climbs, was animated by a five-man breakaway which remained off the front until the penultimate lap. Our team made its first move in the last hour of racing, when Gil Gelders attacked together with another rider, staying away until 30 kilometers to go. Then, just a couple of kilometers from home, Julian Alaphilippe opened up the race with a fierce acceleration that split the peloton, leaving only six men in the lead.
They stayed there until under the flamme rouge, where the peloton – who had regrouped in the meantime – overhauled them, making sure this edition would come down to a bunch gallop. On the uphill drag to the line, Luke Lamperti left everything out there, concluding the race won by Michael Matthews (Jayco-AlUla) in 11th place, a result that underlines the 21-year-old’s potential for demanding one-day races.
“It was a really nice race and I enjoyed it. It was similar to a US criterium, but only 200km-long and with a World Tour peloton at the start. We rode well as a team, especially the hard last four laps. Julian attacked on the climb not far from the finish, and when they were caught, I came back with the second group. I just needed a little bit more in the sprint, but I did everything I could, and I look forward to Sunday, with the confidence that the team can get a good result”, Luke explained after the race.
Photo credit: ©Alex Broadway / Getty Images
Luke Lamperti 
