Trinidad and Tobago veteran road cyclist Emile Abraham stood tall on the podium on Sunday when he claimed the Tour of Quebec in Canada.
The 2007 Pan American Games silver medallist, who rode for Predator Carbon Repair, took the winner’s white jersey for three of the four stages to finish the undisputed winner in the sixth edition competition.
Abraham just needed to have a good finish in the fourth and final stage, a 65-kilometre criterium on Parliament Hill in Quebec, after winning both opening stages on Thursday and Friday.
On Saturday, he retained the leader’s yellow jersey although failing to win, before he made certain his triumph by edging out Australian Douglas Repacholi (second) to the line, while Pierrick Naud, the first Canadian to cross the finish, was third. Abraham also picked up the overall green jersey for best sprinter.
The US-based Abraham was more than pleased with his “amazing week” in Canada, which he said exceeded his expectations. The rider last year missed out on the final stage of the event because he failed to sign in. And he almost missed out this time around due to “logistics” of competing in Canada.
“…It was during the week before the start of the Tour that I finally decided to take part,” he told the Quebec media. “Things took a wonderful turn. I really could not have hoped for better. “
Overall, Naud, rider for Team Garneau Quebecor, was second, and Repacholi of Stevens Racing, third. Naud grabbed the blue jersey as the best Under-23 rider, and Anton Varabei (Team Jet Fuel Coffee), for his climbing skills, got the red jersey.