Stage 3. Time Trial. Thursday, July 22nd, 2010
Neal Forbes is out of the mine and on the above ground part of the 14.5 km time trial course.
On Wednesday July 21 our riders spent the morning completing Stage 3 of the Tour de l'Abitibi. Stage 3 consisted of a 14.5 kilometer individual time trial. Riders and their bikes are taken to the starting line which was deep in an underground gold mine. Then, they rode their bikes 850 meters to the surface and the rest of the time trial course went through the neighborhood streets of Val-d’Or. The map below shows the out and back course starting underground in the upper right corner of the map.
The photograph below shows the riders being taken to the starting line in the underground gold mine. The photo was taken by Paul Brindamour. Used with permission.
The photo below shows the ride out of the mine. This photograph was taken by Paul Brindamour. Used with permission.
Below, the riders exit from the mine. This photograph was taken by Paul Brindamour. Used with permission.
Neal Forbes turned in the best time of the day for the ProChain Junior Cycling Team. This photograph was taken by Paul Brindamour. Used with permission.
Taylor Gaines riding out of the mine. This photograph was taken by Paul Brindamour. Used with permission.
Nathaniel Beams riding out of the mine. This photograph was taken by Paul Brindamour. Used with permission.
Graham Dewart riding out of the mine. This photograph was taken by Paul Brindamour. Used with permission.
All of the boys rode well. Our first rider to go off in the time trial, Johnathan Freter, had to get up at 5:45 AM to catch a shuttle to the mine at 6:40 AM. To find all of his things, Johnathan had to use a flashlight in our darkened room because the rest of the team could keep sleeping because they had later start times.
The photo below shows Johnathan Freter coming out of the mine shortly after sunrise.
Below, Johnathan Freter is out of the mine and on the course and riding with the injured right forearm from the crash in Stage 1.
Below, Graham Dewart on the course.
Below, Brian Lark is out of the mine and on the course.
Neal had a great ride. His time was faster than all of the riders on the USA National Team but one. Because the road in the interior of the mine was wet and muddy, the time trial bikes came back to Cory St Clair, our mechanic, looking like they had been in a cyclocross race. There was little time for cleaning bikes and resting after the time trial was over at noon. We all had to get ready for Stage 4 which started later that afternoon.
ProChain Junior Cycling Team Individual Results For Stage 3 14.5 K Individual Time Trial
| Place | Rider Name | Elapsed Time | Time Behind the Leader |
| 17th | Neal Forbes | 00:22:02 | 00:01:42 |
| 25th | Graham Dewart | 00:22:17 | 00:01:57 |
| 52nd | Brian Lark | 00:22:54 | 00:02:34 |
| 77th | Nathaniel Beams | 00:23:28 | 00:03:08 |
| 85th | Taylor Gaines | 00:23:38 | 00:03:18 |
| 107th | Johnathan Freter | 00:23:49 | 00:03:29 |