Benoot takes seventh after grueling GP de Montréal
# Benoot Secures Seventh Place in Intense GP de Montréal
In a fiercely competitive GP de Montréal, Tiesj Benoot managed to clinch seventh place, marking a noteworthy performance following the previous grueling race in Québec. Competing in the fastest edition of the event on record, riders faced a daunting 4,500 meters of climbing across 17 laps in the Canadian city.
The race kicked off with Jørgen Nordhagen attempting an early breakaway. However, a response from the main contenders kept the lead group in check. The high intensity led to several Team Visma | Lease a Bike riders retiring early, but Benoot, well-known for his resilience in the Canadian doubleheader, held strong throughout.
While Benoot could not match the pace set by teammates Tadej Pogacar and McNulty, who were part of a late attack, he continued to vie for a top finish. Unfortunately, a crash late in the race dashed his hopes for a higher position. The Belgian cyclist crossed the finish line more than two minutes after the winner, McNulty, ultimately securing seventh place.
Reflecting on his performance, Benoot expressed satisfaction, stating, “I have never had such a good day in Montréal in my career. We raced extremely fast today, much faster than last year’s edition.” He lamented the crash, noting, “In the end, I finish seventh, which is a bit of a pity because I really had great legs today. I felt a top-five was possible. That makes the crash unfortunate, although the damage seems limited. I’m very satisfied with this performance – I was right up there with the best riders in the race.”
Nordhagen, despite finishing 33rd, was recognized as the best U23 rider of the event, showcasing the depth of talent in this year’s competition.
### Final Results:
1. Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) – 05:14:04
2. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) – +00:00:00
3. Quinn Simmons (Lidl – Trek) – +00:01:03
7. Tiesj Benoot (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:02:25
33. Jørgen Nordhagen (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:11:30
Multiple riders from Team Visma, including Wout van Aert, did not finish.
