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Ramsden claims elite women road race crown

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Youngster also clinches U23 title

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.”

In the U23 category, Jasmin Glaesser (CyclingBC) finished second while Annie Ewart (Optum) finished third behind the champion Denise Ramsden.

Results

#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Denise Ramsden Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)*2:57:06
2Clara Hughes (Specialized-Lululemon)
3Joelle Numainville (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)0:02:20
4Jasmin Glaesser (Cycling BC)*0:02:21
5Rhae-Chistie Shaw (Exergy TWENTY12)
6Julie Beveridge (Equipe Vienne Futuroscope)
7Véronique Labonté (CSM Epinay sur Seine)
8Karol-Ann Canuel (Vienne-Futurocope)0:05:00
9Annie Ewart (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies)*0:06:28
10Jenny Lehmann (Trek Red Truck Racing)0:06:41
11Gabrielle Pilote Fortin (Equipe du Québec)*
12Maghalie Rochette (Powerwatts-FITTIME)*
13Myriam Gaudreault (GTH port)0:07:59
14Kristine Brynjolfson (Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes)
15Élisabeth Albert (Rocky Mountain-Forget -Aubin)*0:08:09
16Joanie Caron (Colavita-ESPNw)
17Julia Bradley (Real Deal Racing/ La Bicicletta)0:08:10
18Carrie Cartmill (Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery)
19Shoshauna Laxson (Trek Red Truck Racing p/b Mosaic Homes)
20Catherine Dessureault (Real Deal Racing / La Bicicletta)
21Ruth Mclean (Powerwatts-FITTIME)*
22Marie-Noel Labrecque (4CX)
23Moriah Macgregor (Cycling BC)
24Virginie Gauthier (Specialized-Mazda SGC)*
25Véronique Fortin (TIBCO to the top)0:08:16
26Julie Lafrenière (Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery)0:08:41
27Jozina Vander Klok (Powerwatts-FITTIME)
28Alizée Brien (Specialized-Mazda SGC)*0:08:58
29Annie Foreman-Mackey (Team Ontario/Team CHCH)*0:10:50
30Rachel Carbonneau (Sportically)0:13:59
31Annick Dufour (Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery)0:15:07
32Heather Shearer (Infinit/Cycle Power)
33Kelly Knowles (Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery)0:15:08
34Alexandria Wilson (Infinit/Cycle Power)
35Suzie Brown (P-K Express/ Biemme)
36Allison Beveridge (Specialized-Mazda SGC)*0:21:03
37Drapeau-Zgoralski (Specialized-Mazda SGC)*
38Katlyn Dundas (TEAM ONTARIO/Trek Store Cycling Club)*
39Emily Flynn (Team Ontario/Tommy and Lefebvre Cycling)*
40Julie Bellerose (Metromint Cycling)0:21:04
41Elyse Nieuwold (Team CHCH)*
42Anne-Marie Morin (Specialized-Mazda SGC)*0:21:08
43Tatjana Zaharova (Aquila / Racer Sportif / Mattamy Homes)0:23:48
44Hélène Pilote Fortin (Equipe du Québec)*0:23:52
45Adriane Provost (Equipe du Québec)*
46Sarah Rasmussen (Team Ontario/Hamilton Cycling Club)*0:32:46
47Evelyne Gagnon (Equipe du Québec)*0:32:51
48Audrey Bernard (Powerwatts-FITTIME)*0:33:01
49Josiane Boily (Alma Acura Ultraviolet Devinci)*0:34:47
50Nina Nesdoly (Infinit/Cycle Power)*0:50:02

* = U23

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