Team Canada leads after the first stage of the 49th Tour de l’Abitibi

Canadian athletes are off to a roaring start at the 49th Tour de l’Abitibi, currently underway in Amos, Que. Heading into the competition with big goals for criterium, time trial and road events, Team Canada is already making good on its plans, with a win on the opening stage.

Kurt Penno, who took the leader’s jersey after a win on Tuesday’s first stage of the event—and a win at Monday’s Sprint Challenge competition.

Tuesday’s stage was a 119-km haul, kicking off at Rouyn-Noranda and proceeding to Amos. A break of six riders held off the rest of the field until the finish, led by Penno with Nicholas Diniz of Team Ontario and Riley Sheehan of Team USA in second and third. Robin Plamondon of Quebec and Guillaume Davidson of Team Canada, meanwhile, took the fifth and sixth places, respectively.

Reflecting on that first stage, Penno was surprised by its outcome, he said.

“We were trying to work as a team and cover breakaways,” Penno said. “It just happened that the breakaway I covered ended up sticking and staying away. The American [Sheehan] and I rolled away and then the others joined us. At the finish I had good legs, and I just gave it everything I had, and it went in our favour. I went pretty hard, but I do have some left for the rest of the week.”

“It’s a good feeling, knowing that I haven’t gone too deep. I didn’t expect this [to win] right off the gun, so it’s quite awesome,” he added.

Along with the yellow jersey, Penno also leads in time bonuses, up five points over Diniz and seven over Sheehan, and holds the points jersey overall with 32. Sheehan holds the white jersey and the climber’s jersey, while Team Canada leads the United States by 24 points in general team classification.

The Tour de L’Abitibi continues until July 23.