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Dauphiné Libéré
Photo ©: Sirotti

Le Tour du Grand Montréal - 2.1

Canada, June 2-5, 2008

Main Page    Results   Overall standings             Next Stage

Stage 1 - June 2: Châteauguay Road Race, 85.5km

Schleicher off to a winning start

By Kirsten Robbins in Montréal

Victory is sweet for Regina Schleicher (Equipe Nürnberger Versicher)
Photo ©: CJ Farquharson
(Click for larger image)

Former world champion Regina Schleicher (Equipe Nürnberger) started the Tour du Grand Montréal in similar fashion to the previous year, outsprinting the bunch for her second consecutive victory in the opening stage. Schleicher jumped her competitors with 200 metres to go, winning the dash to the line ahead of Oenone Wood (High Road) and Rochelle Gilmore (Menikini-Selle Italia).

"The race really got hard after the first sprint and then a lot of riders were aggressive and trying to make a break away," said Schleicher of the world-class field in attendance. "But my team-mates were represented in everything so that was great. I was really hoping for a field sprint today.

"It was a much better race than last year," added the German, remembering her 2007 win on a circuit littered with technical turns. "I don't remember how many corners there were last year, maybe 40 or more, but it was a lot. The course was very straight forward today and most of the aggression was happening through the start finish."

Schleicher assumes the overall lead, three seconds ahead of Equipe Nürnberger team-mate Suzanne De Goede who accumulated seven bonus seconds in the intermediate sprints and enough points to place her in the green jersey of points competition leader.

"I won one sprint and got third in two of them," said De Goede. "But I think it made some good action for the viewers here today. We were trying to get a win and were saving Regina for the finish. To take the sprints for the seconds is also good for the overall, so by going for the sprints it turned out to be very good for the finish."

The podium
Photo ©: CJ Farquharson
(Click for larger image)

Second placed Oenone Wood acknowledged her team's efforts to control a race which typically sees GC contenders separated by just a handful of seconds. "Kate Bates was going for the intermediate sprints because we are mindful of the overall," said Wood.

"I think this race often comes down to bonus seconds and we had that all under control today. The girls were also very aggressive in the race and it was up to me to sprint for the finish well."

Rochelle Gilmore proved to be on good form by placing third two days after achieving her goal of finishing the notoriously epic Montreal World Cup. "I didn't feel great in the race today, maybe because I had worked really hard in the World Cup and that was a good day," said Gilmore who sent her teammates on the attack during the stage.

"So I think I struggled a little bit in the race today. I wanted to take some pressure off of myself and get a rider in the break but it all came back to a sprint. I left it a little too late to kick in the sprint. I felt like I was coming in fast at the finish but I left it a little too late."

How it unfolded

The bunch sprint approaches the finish line
Photo ©: CJ Farquharson
(Click for larger image)

Sunny skies welcomed the 103 women for the start of the 85-kilometre stage in downtown Châteauguay. The women completed 15 laps of a 5.7-kilometer circuit, a considerable change from the previous year's highly technical longer route.

The three intermediate sprint competitions contributed to the 42 km/h average speed as well as the flood of futile flyers. One after another each team launched a rider out to dangle for a few seconds until the strong winds and natural momentum of the circuit made for an impossible getaway.

Menikini-Selle Italia, Webcor-Builders, Team Canada and High Road were amongst the stand-out aggressors in the field, on the hunt for a breakaway opportunity. With the field intact at one lap to go, Nürnberger set up their lead out train but were quickly overtaken by High Road in the last kilometre.

Iraida Garcia had tested her sprint mid-race and the Cuban speedster started her effort with 400 metres to go, gaining several bike lengths on the field. However, the early jump was not enough to hold off Schleicher, Wood and Gilmore, but Garcia did salvage a credible fourth place.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Mitch Friedman/www.mitchophoto.com

Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net

Results

1 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher         1.59.41
2 Oenone Wood (Aus) High Road Women                                  
3 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour         
4 Iraida Garcia (Cub) Cuban National Team                            
5 Nathalie Lamborelle (Lux) UNIQA                                    
6 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team                       
7 Tanja Hennes (Ger) Specialized Designs for Women                   
8 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders                               
9 Yeima Torres (Cub) Cuban National Team                             
10 Christine Majerus (Lux) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion                       
11 Mirjam Hauser-Senn (Swi) Specialized Designs for Women            
12 Fanny Riberot (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz                   
13 Lauren Franges (USA) Team TIBCO                                   
14 Karin Aune (Swe) UNIQA                                            
15 Kori Kelley Seehafer (USA) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour    
16 Aude Pollet (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz                     
17 Yong Li Liu (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                               
18 Sophie Creux (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion                            
19 Joelle Numainville (Can) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion                      
20 Li Ping Zhang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                             
21 Jenny Trew (Can) Canadian National Team                           
22 Bettina Hold (Can) Canadian National Team                         
23 Fiona Dutriaux (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                           
24 Elizaveta Bochkarova (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team                
25 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher                
26 Anne Samplonius (Can) Canadian National Team                      
27 Julie Bellerose (Can) Equipe Cascades                             
28 Fei Wang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                                  
29 Dalila Rodriguez (Cub) Cuban National Team                        
30 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders                              
31 Foresilorena (Ita) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour            
32 Julie Beveridge (Can) Aaron's Professional Cycling                
33 Lang Meng (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                                 
34 Louise Moriarty (Irl) Specialized Carrefour Multis                
35 Emmanuelle Merlot (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                        
36 Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis               
37 Leigh Hobson (Can) Canadian National Team                         
38 Olena Andruk (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team                        
39 Larissa Kleinmann (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher               
40 Meredith Miller (USA) Aaron's Professional Cycling                
41 Janel Holcomb (USA) Webcor Builders                               
42 Nikki Egyed (Aus) Australian National Team                        
43 Carissa Wilkes (NZl) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz                  
44 Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher          
45 Sarah Grab (Swi) Specialized Designs for Women                    
46 Audrey Cordon (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                            
47 Moriah Jo Macgregor (Can) Canadian National Team                  
48 Katherine Bates (Aus) High Road Women                             
49 Daniela Pintarelli (Aut) UNIQA                                    
50 Audrey Lemieux (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis                 
51 Monika Schachl (Aut) UNIQA                                        
52 Yeugeniya Vysotska (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team                  
53 Judith Arndt (Ger) High Road Women                                
54 Veronique Labonte (Can) Equipe Cascades                           
55 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders                          
56 Yoanka Gonzalez (Cub) Cuban National Team                         
57 Kateryna Krasova (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team                    
58 Kimberly Anderson (USA) High Road Women                           
59 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Australian National Team                   
60 Joanie Caron (Can) Equipe Cascades                                
61 Trine Schmidt (Den) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour           
62 Helen Kelly (Aus) Team TIBCO                                      
63 Julie Dheruelle (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                          
64 Svitlana Galyuk (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team                     
65 Brooke Miller (USA) Team TIBCO                                    
66 Marie Lindberg (Swe) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher                  
67 Kristen Lasasso (USA) Specialized Designs for Women               
68 Rachel Heal (GBr) Team TIBCO                                      
69 Kristin Sanders (USA) Aaron's Professional Cycling                
70 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Australian National Team                      
71 Felicia Gomez (Can) Aaron's Professional Cycling                  
72 Eugenie Mermillod (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz               
73 Susan Palmer-Komar (Can) Advil-Chapstick                          
74 Alyssa Mellon (Can) Ultralink                                     
75 Mary Zider (USA) Advil-Chapstick                                  
76 Bernadette Schober (Aut) UNIQA                                    
77 Victoria Bastide (Swe) Team TIBCO                                 
78 Chantal Beltman (Ned) High Road Women                             
79 Mathilde Hupin (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis                 
80 Alison Testroete (Can) Aaron's Professional Cycling               
81 Min Gao (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                                   
82 Sufen Ma (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                                  
83 Thomas Béatrice (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion                         
84 Mara Abbott (USA) High Road Women                                 
85 Julie Marceau (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis                  
86 Yumari Gonzalez (Cub) Cuban National Team                         
87 Emma Pooley (GBr) Specialized Designs for Women                   
88 Elisa Gagnon (Can) Advil-Chapstick                                
89 Nathalie Bates (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour          
90 Jocelyn Loane (Aus) Australian National Team                      
91 Brei Gudsell (NZl) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz                    
92 Julia Farell (Can) Ultralink                                  0.23
93 Clara Hughes (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis               4.53
94 Jen Stephenson (Can) Ultralink                                    
95 Andrea Knecht (Swi) Specialized Designs for Women             8.43
96 Anne Guzman (Dom) Equipe Cascades                            11.22
97 Johanne Cyr (Can) Equipe Cascades                            14.56
98 Estelle Patou (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion                           
99 Jessica Burns (Can) Equipe Cascades                          15.38
100 Sarah Coney (Can) Ultralink                                 18.32
DNF Allison Lampi (Can) Ultralink                                    
DNF Kirsten Robbins (Can) Advil-Chapstick                            
DNF Carmen McNellis (USA) Aaron's Professional Cycling               
 
General Classification after Stage 1
 
1 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher         1.59.31
2 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher             0.03
3 Oenone Wood (Aus) High Road Women                              0.04
4 Katherine Bates (Aus) High Road Women                          0.05
5 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour     0.06
6 Larissa Kleinmann (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher            0.07
7 Brooke Miller (USA) Team TIBCO                                 0.08
8 Lauren Franges (USA) Team TIBCO                                0.09
9 Iraida Garcia (Cub) Cuban National Team                        0.10
10 Nathalie Lamborelle (Lux) UNIQA                                   
11 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team                      
12 Tanja Hennes (Ger) Specialized Designs for Women                  
13 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders                              
14 Yeima Torres (Cub) Cuban National Team                            
15 Christine Majerus (Lux) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion                       
16 Mirjam Hauser-Senn (Swi) Specialized Designs for Women            
17 Fanny Riberot (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz                   
18 Karin Aune (Swe) UNIQA                                            
19 Kori Kelley Seehafer (USA) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour    
20 Aude Pollet (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz                     
21 Yong Li Liu (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                               
22 Sophie Creux (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion                            
23 Joelle Numainville (Can) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion                      
24 Li Ping Zhang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                             
25 Jenny Trew (Can) Canadian National Team                           
26 Bettina Hold (Can) Canadian National Team                         
27 Fiona Dutriaux (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                           
28 Elizaveta Bochkarova (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team                
29 Anne Samplonius (Can) Canadian National Team                      
30 Julie Bellerose (Can) Equipe Cascades                             
31 Fei Wang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                                  
32 Dalila Rodriguez (Cub) Cuban National Team                        
33 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders                              
34 Foresilorena (Ita) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour            
35 Julie Beveridge (Can) Aaron's Professional Cycling                
36 Lang Meng (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                                 
37 Louise Moriarty (Irl) Specialized Carrefour Multis                
38 Emmanuelle Merlot (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                        
39 Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis               
40 Leigh Hobson (Can) Canadian National Team                         
41 Olena Andruk (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team                        
42 Meredith Miller (USA) Aaron's Professional Cycling                
43 Janel Holcomb (USA) Webcor Builders                               
44 Nikki Egyed (Aus) Australian National Team                        
45 Carissa Wilkes (NZl) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz                  
46 Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher          
47 Audrey Cordon (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                            
48 Sarah Grab (Swi) Specialized Designs for Women                    
49 Moriah Jo Macgregor (Can) Canadian National Team                  
50 Daniela Pintarelli (Aut) UNIQA                                    
51 Audrey Lemieux (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis                 
52 Monika Schachl (Aut) UNIQA                                        
53 Yeugeniya Vysotska (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team                  
54 Judith Arndt (Ger) High Road Women                                
55 Veronique Labonte (Can) Equipe Cascades                           
56 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders                          
57 Yoanka Gonzalez (Cub) Cuban National Team                         
58 Kateryna Krasova (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team                    
59 Kimberly Anderson (USA) High Road Women                           
60 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Australian National Team                   
61 Joanie Caron (Can) Equipe Cascades                                
62 Trine Schmidt (Den) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour           
63 Helen Kelly (Aus) Team TIBCO                                      
64 Julie Dheruelle (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope                          
65 Svitlana Galyuk (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team                     
66 Marie Lindberg (Swe) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher                  
67 Kristen Lasasso (USA) Specialized Designs for Women               
68 Rachel Heal (GBr) Team TIBCO                                      
69 Kristin Sanders (USA) Aaron's Professional Cycling                
70 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Australian National Team                      
71 Felicia Gomez (Can) Aaron's Professional Cycling                  
72 Eugenie Mermillod (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz               
73 Susan Palmer-Komar (Can) Advil-Chapstick                          
74 Alyssa Mellon (Can) Ultralink                                     
75 Mary Zider (USA) Advil-Chapstick                                  
76 Bernadette Schober (Aut) UNIQA                                    
77 Victoria Bastide (Swe) Team TIBCO                                 
78 Chantal Beltman (Ned) High Road Women                             
79 Mathilde Hupin (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis                 
80 Alison Testroete (Can) Aaron's Professional Cycling               
81 Min Gao (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                                   
82 Sufen Ma (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling                                  
83 Thomas Béatrice (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion                         
84 Mara Abbott (USA) High Road Women                                 
85 Julie Marceau (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis                  
86 Yumari Gonzalez (Cub) Cuban National Team                         
87 Emma Pooley (GBr) Specialized Designs for Women                   
88 Elisa Gagnon (Can) Advil-Chapstick                                
89 Nathalie Bates (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour          
90 Jocelyn Loane (Aus) Australian National Team                      
91 Brei Gudsell (NZl) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz                    
92 Julia Farell (Can) Ultralink                                  0.33
93 Clara Hughes (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis               5.03
94 Jen Stephenson (Can) Ultralink                                    
95 Andrea Knecht (Swi) Specialized Designs for Women             8.53
96 Anne Guzman (Dom) Equipe Cascades                            11.32
97 Johanne Cyr (Can) Equipe Cascades                            15.06
98 Estelle Patou (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion                           
99 Jessica Burns (Can) Equipe Cascades                          15.48
100 Sarah Coney (Can) Ultralink                                 18.42
 
Sprint Classification
 
1 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher               10 pts
2 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher              10
3 Katherine Bates (Aus) High Road Women                             8
4 Oenone Wood (Aus) High Road Women                                 7
5 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour        5
6 Larissa Kleinmann (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher               5
7 Iraida Garcia (Cub) Cuban National Team                           3
8 Brooke Miller (USA) Team TIBCO                                    2
9 Lauren Franges (USA) Team TIBCO                                   1
10 Nathalie Lamborelle (Lux) UNIQA                                  1
 
Teams Classification
 
1 Cuban National Team                                         5.59.03
2 ESGL 93 GSD Gestion                                                
3 Menikini-Selle Italia Master colours                               
4 Specialized Designs for Women                                      
5 Equipe Nürnberger Versicher                                        
6 Giant Pro Cycling                                                  
7 UNIQA                                                              
8 Canadian National Team                                             
9 Team Pro Feminin Les Carro                                         
10 Webcor Builders                                                   
11 Vienne Futuroscope                                                
12 High Road Women                                                   
13 Australian National Team                                          
14 Ukrainian National Team                                           
15 Specialized Carrefour Multis                                      
16 Team TIBCO                                                        
17 Aaron's Professional Cycling                                      
18 Equipe Cascades                                                   
19 Advil-Chapstick                                                   
20 Ultralink                                                     5.16

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