Tour de l'Abitibi 2026
For seven unforgettable days, PNW Racing competed against some of the world's best junior cyclists at the Tour de l'Abitibi, the longest-running event on the UCI Junior Nations Cup calendar. Racing in Rouyn-Noranda, Québec, our riders experienced everything that makes this event so special, fast racing, tactical breakaways, time trials, unpredictable weather, and the opportunity to test themselves against elite international competition.
More importantly, the week was about growth. Every rider left Abitibi stronger, more experienced, and better prepared for the next challenge.
A New Partnership Takes to the World Stage
This year's Tour also marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter for PNW Racing as we proudly unveiled our special edition Tour de l'Abitibi jersey in partnership with Earth Alive Clean Technologies.
The jersey represented far more than a fresh look. It showcased a partnership with a Canadian company that believes in innovation, sustainability, and supporting the next generation of athletes. Throughout the week, our riders proudly wore the Earth Alive colours while competing on one of junior cycling's biggest stages.
We were also honoured to welcome Simon Neufeld, Director of Research & Development at Earth Alive Clean Technologies, who joined us throughout the week. Simon experienced life inside the team, meeting riders and staff, attending race meetings, spending Stage 4 inside the team car, and witnessing firsthand the passion, teamwork, and commitment that defines the PNW Racing program.
Stage 1: A Fast Start
Stage 1 set the tone for the week with aggressive racing from the opening kilometres. Cor spent time off the front in an early move, while Marcus launched an attack on one of the day's climbs alongside Team Canada rider Aubrey. The pair stayed clear for a considerable distance before the peloton regrouped heading into the fast finishing circuits through Rouyn-Noranda.
Luke capped off a strong opening day by sprinting to 10th place in a high-speed bunch finish.
Stage 2: Cor Shines in the Break
Following a detailed pre-race strategy session led by our Directors Sportif, Dave and Ellie, Cor joined the day's decisive breakaway alongside four other riders. The group steadily built an advantage of more than three minutes before additional riders bridged across to form a powerful 17-rider lead group.
Cor demonstrated tremendous strength throughout the stage, winning two Intermediate Sprint competitions, before finishing 9th on the stage, moving into 5th Overall on General Classification and 4th in the Young Rider Classification.
The rest of the team finished safely in the peloton, making it another successful day for PNW Racing.
Stage 3 & 4: Double Duty
The riders faced a demanding double-header with the Individual Time Trial in the morning followed by an evening road race.
Marcus led PNW Racing with a strong 13th-place finish in the time trial, while former PNW riders Mitch and Aubrey delivered outstanding performances for Team Canada, finishing 2nd and 4th respectively.
That evening, the team proudly lined up wearing their new Earth Alive jerseys for a fast and aggressive 58 km road race that ultimately came down to another bunch sprint.
Stage 5 & 6: Resilience Through Adversity
Stage 5 saw Cor once again animate the race, spending more than 40 kilometres in an early two-man breakaway.
Sebastian later launched another attack with over 90 km remaining as the team continued to race aggressively throughout the day.
The stage was unfortunately overshadowed by a significant crash involving several riders. Thankfully, every PNW Racing athlete avoided the incident and finished safely. Our thoughts remained with everyone involved.
Stage 6 brought challenging weather, including wind and rain, making for another demanding day of racing.
Breakaways formed throughout the stage before Team Canada riders Mitch and Aubrey launched a late move entering the finishing circuits. The move was ultimately reeled back before the finish, where Luke sprinted to 7th and Adam followed closely in 8th after another strong team performance.
Stage 7: Finishing on the Podium
The final stage provided the perfect ending to an incredible week.
After numerous attacks throughout the opening half of the race, Cor, Sebastian, Marcus, and Mitch all featured in aggressive moves before the peloton regrouped for the finishing laps.
With the final attack caught just before the line, the stage came down to one last bunch sprint.
Adam delivered an outstanding ride to finish 3rd, earning PNW Racing a well-deserved podium to close out the Tour.
It was a fitting reward for a team that had raced aggressively all week long.
Celebrating the Week
While the podium was a fantastic result, the week represented much more than results on paper.
Across seven demanding stages, our riders demonstrated courage, resilience, teamwork, and a willingness to race aggressively against some of the strongest junior cyclists in the world. A standout performance came from Cor, who rode aggressively throughout the Tour, spending significant time in breakaways, claiming two intermediate sprint victories, and finishing an impressive 10th overall on the General Classification.
A special congratulations also goes to Sebastian Grund, who was named PNW Racing's Most Valuable Rider for his consistency, work ethic, and commitment throughout the week.
Thank You
Events like the Tour de l'Abitibi are only possible because of an incredible community.
Thank you to Alyssia Hamel, the entire Tour de l'Abitibi organizing committee, the dedicated volunteers, and the welcoming communities across Northern Québec for once again delivering a world-class event.
Thank you to our Directors Sportif, Dave and Ellie, whose leadership, preparation, and countless hours behind the scenes ensured our riders were ready to perform every day.
Thank you to Earth Alive Clean Technologies for believing in our athletes and becoming part of the PNW Racing journey. We look forward to continuing this exciting partnership.
Finally, thank you to Image Nomad Production for capturing the incredible moments that tell the story of our week.
PNW RACING
ASPIRE | TRAIN | ACHIEVE
Results: https://tourabitibi.com/resultats/
