The Canadian women's road cycling scene has a new champion. And not once but twice, since by winning her first national title, Denise Ramsden (Optum-Kelly-Benefit) also won the U23 title.
The rider originally from the Northwest Territories completed this week full of emotions, as Thursday, Cycling Canada announced that she would be part of Olympic road cycling squad, along with Clara Hughes and Joëlle Numainville. The girls have traveled a total of 104.5 kilometers with twice climbing the challenging ascent at Mount Morne.
Among the Elites, Hughes took the second place after being overtaken in a sprint by Ramsden, and it's Joelle Numainville who finished third in a sprint. An All-Olympic podium.
“It's really wonderful to see that the three girls chosen for the Olympic team find themselves on the podium,” said Clara Hughes (Lululemon Specialized). It's also good to come back after 20 years, to Megantic, the place of my first national title in cycling. Denise attacked a lot during the race, and with 20 kilometers to go left in the race. I managed to link up with her and I asked her if she had the energy to work with me.”
Before the affirmative answer from Ramsden, the two took off. “I worked a little more than her, but it’s okay. I would have done the same thing in her place. And everything was decided in the sprint. The two girls who do not sprint finished the race in a sprint.”
On the top step of the podium, Denise Ramsden fully savored her victory. “It's really fantastic to don the jersey of National Champion. My team did a great job and everything worked well, according to the strategy that we implemented. When I left on a breakaway, I saw that Clara was trying to reach me. She is very strong. We worked together but of course she was doing the bulk of the work. At the end we were wondering how to finish the sprint because we are not girls who are recognized for sprint finishes. Fortunately, Joëlle (Numainville) gave me good advice.”
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denise Ramsden Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)* | 2:57:06 |
| 2 | Clara Hughes (Specialized-Lululemon) | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
| 3 | Joelle Numainville (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies) | 0:02:20 |
| 4 | Jasmin Glaesser (Cycling BC)* | 0:02:21 |
| 5 | Rhae-Chistie Shaw (Exergy TWENTY12) | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
| 6 | Julie Beveridge (Equipe Vienne Futuroscope) | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
| 7 | Véronique Labonté (CSM Epinay sur Seine) | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
| 8 | Karol-Ann Canuel (Vienne-Futurocope) | 0:05:00 |
| 9 | Annie Ewart (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)* | 0:06:28 |
| 10 | Jenny Lehmann (Trek Red Truck Racing) | 0:06:41 |
| 11 | Gabrielle Pilote Fortin (Equipe du Québec)* | Row 10 - Cell 2 |
| 12 | Maghalie Rochette (Powerwatts-FITTIME)* | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
| 13 | Myriam Gaudreault (GTH port) | 0:07:59 |
| 14 | Kristine Brynjolfson (Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes) | Row 13 - Cell 2 |
| 15 | Élisabeth Albert (Rocky Mountain-Forget -Aubin)* | 0:08:09 |
| 16 | Joanie Caron (Colavita-ESPNw) | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
| 17 | Julia Bradley (Real Deal Racing/ La Bicicletta) | 0:08:10 |
| 18 | Carrie Cartmill (Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery) | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
| 19 | Shoshauna Laxson (Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes) | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
| 20 | Catherine Dessureault (Real Deal Racing / La Bicicletta) | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
| 21 | Ruth Mclean (Powerwatts-FITTIME)* | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
| 22 | Marie-Noel Labrecque (4CX) | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
| 23 | Moriah Macgregor (Cycling BC) | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
| 24 | Virginie Gauthier (Specialized-Mazda SGC)* | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
| 25 | Véronique Fortin (TIBCO to the top) | 0:08:16 |
| 26 | Julie Lafrenière (Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery) | 0:08:41 |
| 27 | Jozina Vander Klok (Powerwatts-FITTIME) | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
| 28 | Alizée Brien (Specialized-Mazda SGC)* | 0:08:58 |
| 29 | Annie Foreman-Mackey (Team Ontario/Team CHCH)* | 0:10:50 |
| 30 | Rachel Carbonneau (Sportically) | 0:13:59 |
| 31 | Annick Dufour (Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery) | 0:15:07 |
| 32 | Heather Shearer (Infinit/Cycle Power) | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
| 33 | Kelly Knowles (Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery) | 0:15:08 |
| 34 | Alexandria Wilson (Infinit/Cycle Power) | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
| 35 | Suzie Brown (P-K Express/ Biemme) | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
| 36 | Allison Beveridge (Specialized-Mazda SGC)* | 0:21:03 |
| 37 | Drapeau-Zgoralski (Specialized-Mazda SGC)* | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
| 38 | Katlyn Dundas (TEAM ONTARIO/Trek Store Cycling Club)* | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
| 39 | Emily Flynn (Team Ontario/Tommy and Lefebvre Cycling)* | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
| 40 | Julie Bellerose (Metromint Cycling) | 0:21:04 |
| 41 | Elyse Nieuwold (Team CHCH)* | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
| 42 | Anne-Marie Morin (Specialized-Mazda SGC)* | 0:21:08 |
| 43 | Tatjana Zaharova (Aquila / Racer Sportif / Mattamy Homes) | 0:23:48 |
| 44 | Hélène Pilote Fortin (Equipe du Québec)* | 0:23:52 |
| 45 | Adriane Provost (Equipe du Québec)* | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
| 46 | Sarah Rasmussen (Team Ontario/Hamilton Cycling Club)* | 0:32:46 |
| 47 | Evelyne Gagnon (Equipe du Québec)* | 0:32:51 |
| 48 | Audrey Bernard (Powerwatts-FITTIME)* | 0:33:01 |
| 49 | Josiane Boily (Alma Acura Ultraviolet Devinci)* | 0:34:47 |
| 50 | Nina Nesdoly (Infinit/Cycle Power)* | 0:50:02 |
* = U23
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