Cycling Queensland

Australian Rory Sutherland has been crowned champion of the Tour de Beauce after the final and 6th stage in the Canadian town of Saint-Georges.

The United Healthcare rider won the yellow jersey by a 19 second margin final margin over Hugo Houle (Spidertech) with third place claimed by Christian Meier from the Canadian National Team who was 43 seconds adrift of Sutherland.

During the six stage event Sutherland was second in the stage four individual time trial and third on stage 3.

Queensland's Ben Day, who lives in Saint-Georges with wife Isabelle Vachon, won the tour in 2010 but this year rode in support of Sutherland in the United Healthcare team.

"We are very good friends and they were both telling me I should take part in the Tour de Beauce," said Sutherland. "I have no regrets. The team has done a great job for me and I am happy to have won although In the best case scenario we would have preferred that Ben (Day) win.

"He has had a rough couple of weeks with the passing of his mother," said Sutherland of his friend whose mother last month lost her three year fight with cancer. "It would have been good for his spirits to win today."

Day finished the race 12th overall while United Healthcare also took out the teams trophy.