Benoît Cosnefroy: "I don't realize
"This is amazing! I don't realize. I had exactly planned to attack at this point. If it didn't work out, we had Greg Van Avermaet to do the sprint. I'm very happy because I didn't expect to be able to resist like that in the last two kilometers. I gave it my all and I was able to enjoy the last 50 meters.
From an average season, I've had an exceptional season. With six second places including the Amstel Gold Race and the Flèche Brabançonne, I was only waiting for this victory and it comes on one of the most beautiful races of the calendar, it is huge.
A big thank you to the public and the organization here. The whole international peloton was eager to come back and we are not disappointed.
We will enjoy and then focus on the Montreal Grand Prix which is even better for me on paper. We will try to do as well."
Vincent Lavenu: "A great Benoît".
"I thought Benoît's attack at that point was daring, but we know what he is capable of when he is at his best. By resisting against the best riders in the world in the last kilometers, he achieved a high level sporting feat. Very few had managed to do it before in this Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec.
This performance is a step above his victory at the Bretagne Classic in 2021. It puts him among the strongest of the international peloton. I'm glad he's lifting his arms because with six second places this season, all he needed was a win. It was a great performance by Benoît today.
The number: 2
By winning the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec, Benoît Cosnefroy won for the second time in the UCI World Tour after the Bretagne Classic in 2021.
It is the first time in his career that he has won outside of France.
This is Benoît Cosnefroy's first victory and the eleventh for the AG2R CITROËN team this season.
Greg Van Avermaet takes 13th place in the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec. Last winner in 2019, he will put his title on the line again at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal this Sunday.
News: Ben O'Connor eighth overall at Vuelta a Espana
Ben O'Connor is still eighth overall in the Vuelta a Espana before the last two stages.
"There is still a battle to be fought to try and claw back one or two places in the overall standings and try to lift the arms to validate the AG2R CITROËN team's goals at the start of this Vuelta a Espana," said Julien Jurdie, AG2R CITROËN team sport director.
