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2016 Tour of Alberta Stage 1: Colin Joyce wins in Lethbridge

Axeon Hagens Berman rider takes first yellow jersey

Colin Joyce
September 1, 2016
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Colin Joyce
Colin Joyce of Axeon Hagens Berman drives for the finish line of the first stage of the 2016 Tour of Alberta. Photo credit: Oran Kelly

Young American Colin Joyce (Axeon Hagens Berman) took the flowers in the first stage of the 2016 Tour of Alberta on Thursday, winning from a breakaway sprint in Lethbridge to wear the first yellow jersey.

Stage 1 would be a city circuit, with the northern part of Lethbridge’s 2014 loop retained. The riders would face 9 laps of 11.9-km, with all-important intermediate sprints on Laps 4 and 7 and King of Mountain points awarded at the peak of climbs 3, 5 and 7.


Ninety-nine athletes set out onto the sunny roads and streets of Alberta’s fourth largest city. Winds buffeted the riders. The first move of the 4th edition was neutralized on Lap 1 and then a twenty-rider break including title-holder Bauke Mollema (The Netherlands/Trek-Segafredo) shuffled away, running up a 1:30 gap by kilometre-18. The first KOM was taken by Matthieu Jeannes of Lupus Racing.

At the first intermediate sprint, John Murphy, one of five UnitedHealthcare men in the escape, grabbed three bonus seconds. The effort split the break into three parts with Danilo Celano (Italy/Amore-Vita Selle) carrying on solo long enough to top the next KOM point.

More fugitives worked their way over and the escape came together again. Back in the peloton H&R Block and Jelly Belly worked to bring the now 29-rider escape to heel. With 45-km to go the gap was 1:50. Celano worked very hard to claim the last KOM point too. Joyce nicked the second intermediate sprint and its three bonus seconds.


A streamlined breakaway emerged from the sprint action on lap 7, Mollema and Canadians Alexander Cataford (Silber) and Antoine Duchesne (Team Canada) included. Going into the final lap it seemed likely that the winner would come from the 11-rider bloc.

The last scraps would come on the final climb and then the sprint out of whoever was left. The attacks started with 4.5-km to go, as Evan Huffman (USA/Rally) tried to get away on the uphill. Daniel Eaton (USA/UnitedHealthcare) had sat on for over a dozen kilometres, and he surged from of the group. But the others brought him back.

Joyce led out the sprint early and Alex Howes (USA/Cannondale-Drapac) thought he had the lead out he wanted, but Joyce couldn’t be stopped. It was the 22-year-old’s first career win.

Duchesne was the top Canadian in fifth.

Stage 2 sees a mostly downhill profile as the race travels from Kananaskis Country to Olds, although there in a 4-km climb in Cochrane.

2016 Tour of Alberta Stage 1
1) Colin Joyce (USA/Axeon Hagens Berman) 2:23:30
2) Alex Howes (USA/Cannondale-Drapac) +0:07
3) Robin Carpenter (USA/Holowesko-Citadel) s.t
9) Antoine Duchesne (Canada/Team Canada) +0:13