Fortin wins Canadian nationals

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Veronique Fortin gave local team P-K Express/HNZ Strategic.com a lot to cheer about when she became the women's national road cycling champion on Friday after breaking clear of an elite group of riders on the final climb of the 103 kilometre race. Fortin finished with a time of three hours, four minutes and nine seconds. Lex Albrecht (Juvederm-Specialized) finished 18 seconds behind to take the silver medal, and Erinne Willock (Team TIBCO/To the Top) won the bronze medal, a further two seconds in arrears.

The 12.9 kilometre circuit, on the outskirts of Burlington, Ontario, which the women covered eight times, was dominated by a steep finishing climb up the Niagara Escarpment. Albrecht's team mate Moriah MacGregor of Whitehorse, Yukon, attacked early in the race, building up a lead of over four minutes, before she was finally caught in the last five kilometres. Fortin, one of the best climbers in the race, upped the tempo on the final climb to the finish line, riding away from the rest of the field to win her first national title.

"We were concerned about [MacGregor]," agreed Fortin, "but my team mate Sue Palmer-Komar did a lot of work for me helping to bring her back, and when I got to the climb I was able to go hard. This course suited me, so I knew that I had a good chance here."