A local Quebec rider, riding for a local Quebec team won the first stageof the Tour de Beauce, despite the presence of top-flite U.S. squads the likes of Navigators, Health Net and Jittery Joe's. Martin Gilbert (VW-Trek) took the leader's jersey after winning the sprint out of select group of 14 riders who finished just under a minute ahead of the peloton.The 169-kilometer stage started in light rain, and overcast skies doggedthe race all day.  The stage featured the long, rolling climbs whichthe region is famous for.  Jean Sebastien Beland (Equipe Quebec) startedthe action in the first few kilometers, and was followed shortly afterwardsby Tomasz Lesniak (Paged-MBK-Scout), and then Jiri Pospisil (Stevens). Lesniak eventually dropped back to the main peloton, but Pospisil joinedBeland, and the duo stayed away until the fist KoM of the day, when theywere finally reeled in shortly before the 80 kilometer mark.Gilbert's team mate, Alexandre Cloutier (VW-Trek) made the next attempt,100 kilometers into the race, and quickly carved out a three minute lead. However, riders were finally starting to wake up in the pack, and a groupof 13 peeled off the front and scooped up the fading Cloutier 113 kilometersinto the stage.This was a serious move, containing previous Beauce winner John Lieswyn(Health Net), Mark Walters (Navigators), Svein Tuft (Symmetrics), DominiqueRollin (Equipe Quebec), Jeff Louder (Navigators), David O'Loughlin (Navigators),Domenico Passuello (Amore & Vita – Beretta), David Krupa (Paged-MBK-Scout)Przemyslaw Mikolajczyk (Paged-MBK-Scout), Tom Barras (Cyclingnews.com),Thorben Wieditz (Le Yeti), Glen Alan Chadwick (Cyclingnews.com), Gilbertand Cloutier.The group, propelled by Navigators, took the gap to over two minutesbut Team Canada and Jittery Joe's, who missed the move, were pushing hardbehind, and brought it back to a minute by the time the race re-enteredSt Georges.  Gilbert attacked out of the final corner to take thevictory, and the yellow jersey of race leader.  Vassili Davidenko(Navigators) led the field home, 57 seconds later."I wanted to attack in the final corner, everyone was being more careful."explained Gilbert.  "I looked back and saw that I had a little gap,so I kept going.  This is a very good win for me and our team."Results - Stage 1
1 Martin Gilbert (Can) Volkswagen-Trek  4:15:15
2 Dominique Rollin (Can) Equipe du Quebec
3 Domenico Passuello (Ita) Amore & Vita-Beretta-Polska
4 Thorben Wieditz (Ger) Yeti
5 Jeff Louder (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
6 Tom Barras (GBr) Team Cyclingnews.com
7 Mark Walters (Can) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
8 Dawid Krupa (Pol) Mesetacaffe-Mbk-Scout
9 Svein Tuft (Can) Symmetrics Cycling
10 John Lieswyn (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis
11 Alexandre Cloutier (Can) Volkswagen-Trek  alls.t.
12 David O'Loughlin (Irl) Navigators Insurance CyclingTeam  at 0:08
13 Glen Alan Chadwick (Aus) Team Cyclingnews.com s.t.
14 Przemyslaw Mikolajczyk (Pol) Mesetacaffe-Mbk-Scout 0:10
15 Vassili Davidenko (Rus) Navigators Insurance CyclingTeam  0:57
16 Charles Dionne (Can) Canadian National Team
17 Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Health Net presented by Maxxis
18 Kevin Lacombe (Can) Volkswagen-Trek
19 Adam Hodges Myerson (USA) Team Nerac.com ProfessionalCycling
20 Pierre-Olivier Boily (Can) Equipe du Quebec all s.t.Overall
1 Martin Gilbert (Can) Volkswagen-Trek  4:15:03
2 Dominique Rollin (Can) Equipe du Quebec  at 0:06
3 Domenico Passuello (Ita) Amore & Vita-Beretta-Polska 0:09
4 Mark Walters (Can) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team 0:11
5 Thorben Wieditz (Ger) Yeti  0:13
6 Jeff Louder (USA) Navigators Insurance Cycling Team
7 Tom Barras (GBr) Team Cyclingnews.com
8 Dawid Krupa (Pol) Mesetacaffe-Mbk-Scout
9 Svein Tuft (Can) Symmetrics Cycling
10 John Lieswyn (USA) Health Net presented by Maxxis
11 Alexandre Cloutier (Can) Volkswagen-Trek  alls.t.
12 David O'Loughlin (Irl) Navigators Insurance CyclingTeam  0:21
13 Glen Alan Chadwick (Aus) Team Cyclingnews.com s.t.
14 Przemyslaw Mikolajczyk (Pol) Mesetacaffe-Mbk-Scout 0:23
15 Jonathan Sundt (USA) Jittery Joe's-Kalahari 1:09
16 Vassili Davidenko (Rus) Navigators Insurance CyclingTeam  1:10
17 Charles Dionne (Can) Canadian National Team
18 Ivan Dominguez (Cub) Health Net presented by Maxxis
19 Kevin Lacombe (Can) Volkswagen-Trek
20 Adam Hodges Myerson (USA) Team Nerac.com  alls.t.Points
1 Martin Gilbert (Can) Volkswagen-Trek  18 pointsMountains
1 Jean-Sebastien Beland (Can) Equipe du Quebec 10 points