Sometimes, a second-place finish can feel like a victory, and that was certainly the case for Pello Bilbao at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal on Sunday, September 15th.
On a hot day and a highly demanding circuit (17 laps of a 12.3-kilometer course, totaling over 4,573 meters of climbing), the Basque climber delivered a remarkable performance. He attacked from a small group of chasers on the final climb, setting off alone in pursuit of race leader Tadej Pogacar (UAE), who had gone solo 23km from the finish on the penultimate ascent of the Côte Camillien-Houde (2.3km at 6.2%). The Slovenian champion, maintained his lead to cross the finish line on Avenue du Parc for his second career victory at this event. Bilbao followed 24 seconds behind, finishing solo in 2nd place, with Julian Alaphilippe (SOQ) rounding out the podium in 3rd.
“It feels amazing,” said a glowing Bilbao. “We came here with a strong team, confident that this could be a great opportunity. The guys did an incredible job for me, especially after Quebec. They believed in our chances, and everything went perfectly. I saved a lot of energy because they protected me throughout the race, so in the end, I just had to give my best. Catching Pogacar was impossible, but I did my own race, set my rhythm on the last climb, and made it to the finish line. This podium finish at the end of the season is a huge morale boost for the upcoming races.”
The 34-year-old secured his second top-10 finish of the week, having placed 9th just two days earlier at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec. Bahrain Victorious also celebrated another strong result from Edoardo Zambanini, who finished in the top 10 of both races, taking 10th in Quebec and 9th in Montréal.
“We can be very satisfied as a team after these two races,” commented Sports Director Michal Golas. “We’re thrilled with Pello’s podium in Montréal. The team followed the plan perfectly, staying aggressive in the latter part of the race. Matej Mohorič’s attack with 50km to go was key in forcing other teams to react and it was important to use other teams’ strength. Pello had fantastic legs today, and I’m proud that he believed in himself enough to take the risk and go solo behind Pogacar. His second place is a testament to the hard work of the entire team.”
