The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team’s Rory Sutherland (AUS) took hold of the overall lead in the 2012 Tour de Beauce in Saint-Benoit-Labre (Quebec), Canada following his second place finish in the Stage 4 Individual Time Trial (ITT) earlier today, Friday, June 15. Teammates Marc de Maar (CUR) and Ben Day (AUS) also finished in the top 10, taking 7th and 8th place respectively and putting three UnitedHealthcare Team riders in the top 10 for the stage.
 
Sutherland, who won the overall at last month’s 26th SRAM Tour of the Gila in New Mexico, was able to grab the yellow jersey today and move into first overall after his second place time trial run through a hard out and back, undulating course. Svein Tuft (Team Canada) was the winner on the day in 27 minutes and eight seconds, 30 seconds in front of Sutherland’s time. Hugo Houle (Team SpiderTech p/b C10) secured third place, coming in 16 seconds behind Sutherland.
 
A leader throughout his tenure thus far with Team UnitedHealthcare, Sutherland was pleased with his result as well as the efforts from his Teammates. Sutherland said, “I think the course today was made for the bigger, stronger guys. This was a day where we could make our mark and put ourselves in a good position. Marc and Ben had good rides, as did I, which put is in a good spot for the coming days. It will be a hard few days of racing ahead, but putting ourselves in a good place with cards to play was the plan and we have achieved that.”

The Team heads into Stage 5 tomorrow, Saturday, June 16, with both Sutherland and de Maar standing in first and sixth in the General Classification.  

Team UnitedHealthcare’s Roster for the Tour de Beauce 2012
Ben Day (AUS),
Marc de Maar (CUR)
Jason McCartney (USA)
Rory Sutherland (AUS)
Davide Frattini (ITA)
Chris Jones (USA)
Kai Reus (NED)