Canadian cyclist Houle wins Stage 16 of Tour de France

Quebec native Houle is 1st Canadian to win Tour de France stage since his compatriot Steve Bauer in 1988

Canadian cyclist Hugo Houle won Stage 16 of the 2022 Tour de France on Tuesday as Israel–Premier Tech's 31-year-old rider went down history for his nation.

Hugo Houle surged clear of a strong breakaway to take a first ever pro win in Stage 16 at Foix and end Canada’s long drought on the Tour de France. The Israel-Premier Tech rider became the first Canadian stage winner since Steve Bauer in 1988 on a day race leader Jonas Vingegaard weathered the storm after a series of attacks from his yellow jersey rival Tadej Pogacar in the Pyrenean foothills.

After a successful breakaway to win Stage 16 of the 2022 Tour de France -- his first professional victory -- an emotional Hugo Houle paid tribute to his brother Pierrick, who passed away in 2012.

Houle, a Quebec native, is the first Canadian man to win a Tour de France stage since his compatriot Steve Bauer in 1988.

Bauer – a retired road bicycle racer – was victorious in France's Machecoul in 1988.

Houle completed Tuesday's Stage 16 in four hours, 23 minutes and 47 seconds to be the winner in Foix.

The 178.5-kilometer (110.9-mile) Stage 16 was held on a hilly track between Carcassonne and Foix.

Groupama-FDJ rider Valentin Madouas of France came second, and Houle's teammate at Israel-Premier Tech Michael Woods finished third in Foix.

Stage 17 – a mountain stage between Saint-Gaudens and Peyragudes in southwest France – will be run on Wednesday.

VIDEO: 2022 Tour de France Stage 16 Highlights

2022 Tour de France Stage 16 Top 10

1 CAN Hugo Houle Israel-Premier Tech 04:23:47
2 FRA Valentin Madouas Groupama-FDJ + 01:10
3 CAN Michael Woods Israel-Premier Tech + 01:10
4 USA Matteo Jorgenson Movistar Team + 01:12
5 AUS Michael Storer Groupama-FDJ + 01:25
6 RUS Aleksandr Vlasov BORA-hansgrohe + 01:40
7 BEL Dylan Teuns Bahrain Victorious + 01:40
8 GER Simon Geschke Cofidis + 02:11
9 FRA Mathieu Burgaudeau TotalEnergies + 05:04
10 ITA Damiano Caruso Bahrain Victorious + 05:04

2022 Tour de France GC after stage 16

01 DEN Jonas Vingegaard Jumbo-Visma 64:28:09
02 SLO Tadej Pogacar UAE Team Emirates + 02:22
03 GBR Geraint Thomas INEOS Grenadiers + 02:43
04 COL Nairo Quintana Team Arkéa-Samsic + 04:15
05 FRA David Gaudu Groupama-FDJ + 04:24
06 GBR Adam Yates INEOS Grenadiers + 05:28
07 RSA Louis Meintjes Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert + 05:46
08 RUS Aleksandr Vlasov BORA-hansgrohe + 06:18
09 FRA Romain Bardet Team DSM + 06:37
10 GBR Tom Pidcock INEOS Grenadiers + 10:11