Recently on Cyclingnews.com |
 Mont Ventoux Photo ©: Sirotti |
Le Tour du Grand Montréal - 2.1
Canada, May 30-June 2, 2005
Main Page Results Overall standings Previous Stage
Stage 4 - June 2: Mont-St-Hilaire, 114.55km
Fusar Poli takes finale after Sanborn initiates three-rider escape
By Leigh Hargrove
|
The international women's field in Montreal completed their five-day stage race in utter style today when an active and exciting race kept spectators guessing who would come across the line first.
Yellow jersey Oenone Wood (Nürnberger Versicherung) started today's final stage a mere ten seconds ahead of second place GC rider Annette Beutler (Quark) and only eighteen seconds ahead of third placed rider Dorte Lohse Rasmussen (Team S.A.T.S.). With three time bonus sprints lined up for this race, (on laps 1, 2, and 5) Wood was in danger of losing precious seconds to the Quark rider.
At the end of lap one, Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung showed how prepared they were to protect the leader's jersey by taking all top three positions in the first sprint for time bonuses. None of the top five GC contenders were able to contest the strong powerhouse team, including Beutler.
The pancake flat loop ended with a kilometre long climb that split the field into two distinct groups. The descent on the backside however brought the pack back together again.
Midway through the second lap a crash took down fourth place GC contender, Erinne Willock (Webcor Builders) and six other riders. Willock was fortunate to come out with only a few cuts and bruises but was able to get back on her bike again. Teammates Stephanie Graeter and Betina Hold hung back to help pull Willock back to the pack.
ACDA-RONA attacked the field at the point and the pace was high on the backside of the second lap, aided by a tailwind. Willock however, chased, and was able to catch back on by the end of the second lap.
Wood took third place points in the second time bonus sprint which would ultimately secure the overall win for her as long as she finished with the main top 4 GC riders. Rasmussen took second place points which gave her two extra seconds, putting her only six seconds behind Beutler in GC.
During the third lap, 60 km into the race, Subway rider Melissa Sanborn attacked the pack and opened up a 23 second gap fairly quickly. "My teammates were covering moves and finishing moves," she told Cyclingnews. "Then it was my turn to go. I jumped very hard, and went as went hard as I could. Quickly established a 20-30 second gap, Anne (Samplonius, team director) just told me to keep it steady, and I kept it steady."
The pack didn't respond except for Team S.A.T.S. rider Melissa Holt. She was able to open up a gap on the field, before the second climb, in order to chase Sanborn down. Before the third lap was over Sanborn had increased her gap to just under one minute.
QOM points were up for grabs at the end of the third lap and back in the pack, Beutler was aggressively pursuing the mountain jersey. She took the points at the top of the third climb bringing her closer to the goal. On the descent after the climb, at the beginning of the fourth lap, Nobili-Rubinetterie Daniella Fusar Poli attacked the main group and was quickly up the road with a significant gap.
70 kilometres into the race, Fusar Poli caught Holt and the two worked well together to chase down the gutsy Subway rider. At this point Sanborn's gap had opened up to two minutes with the two rider chase group one minute down.
The pack followed and race leader Wood seemed comfortable to let the attacks go on the final stage. "I guess a lot of riders were looking for an opportunity to get away in a break today," said Wood. "That worked out well for us. Earlier on there were a few breaks that went down the road which one of our riders was in. We would have liked to have a chance at another stage victory. It didn't get away and the one that eventually stuck actually worked in our favour too because it allowed us to keep the jersey!"
With 35 kilometres remaining in the race, the two-rider chase group caught Sanborn and the three continued to maintain their gap.
Midway through the fourth lap a group of two riders followed by another four women rolled off the front of the pack and formed a new chase group. That chase group included Canadian riders Lisa Sweeney (Ellicycle Sport expert Louis Garneau) and Kirsten Robbins (Canadian National Team), two RONA riders Magen Long and Kelly Benjamin, Subway rider Nicole Wangsgard, and Vela Bella rider Melodie Metzger.
The six riders initially didn't work well together but eventually things were smoothed out and the chase went up the road. With the three lead riders two and half minutes up, the chase was able to get one minute on the main field.
With just over one lap remaining the chase group was ultimately reeled in by the main field. Robbins was sure the chasing break would last. "At one point we had a minute and a half on the field, thought we were golden. But, then we reached the climb, and got to the top of the climb, Annette Beutler had made contact with my wheel."
Meanwhile, going into the fifth and final lap the three lead riders were still a minute and a half up on the field. There were several attacks that went off the front but the main pack seemed content to keep things together.
The uphill sprint at the finish saw the Italian rider Fusar Poli attack with 200m to go and take the win from the two other break riders. Fusar Poli was excited about her win in today's stage. "It was very difficult because I didn't know when I should start my sprint," she said. "I waited and I waited, and then at 200 meters it got a little flat, and immediately I thought to start my sprint and put my wheel on the other wheels of the other girls. Then I heard Go Daniella! Go Daniella! I won and I am very, very happy."
Sanborn initially attacked with two hundred and fifty meters to go but was unable to hold it against the Italian rider. Third place went to Team S.A.T.S. rider Melissa Holt. The pack followed two and half minutes later and Oenone Wood took the field sprint.
Last year the talented rider rode with the Australian National team here in Montreal and finished 25th. This year she returned with one of strongest women's team in the world, Nürnberger Versicherung. The change has affected her. "It gives you so much confidence. You ride with all the girls on the team, everyone is so strong. I think here's such a good feeling on the team. Everybody is willing to work for whatever rider is the best on GC. Or whoever is most likely to win a particular stage. Everyone is committed to that. It's a good feeling."
Still stiff from yesterday's crash, Wood was able to keep the leader's yellow jersey and take the overall win. She also claimed both leader's jerseys for the points and sprinters categories. The current World Cup leader will be heading to Philadelphia this weekend to compete at the Wachovia Classic - a race she has never done before but looks forward to.
Thirteen seconds down after today's time bonuses, Quark rider Annette Beutler secured the mountain jersey and second place overall in today's final stage.
Team S.A.T.S. rider Dorte Lohse Rasmussen was pleased with how the dynamics of the race worked out today and was content with third place overall. "I was just happy to keep my third place. So I had to keep an eye on Erinne Willock. So that was what I was hoping for, was to keep my third position. I knew that I would never be allowed to get away in a break. Never! Nürnberger or Quark would pull me in. We hoped that one of the others could get in a breakaway and then we did!" The Danish rider recently took a leave of absence from work in order to race full-time.
Canadian Willock finished with the main pack today and held on for fourth place overall.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Mitch Friedman/www.mitchophoto.com
- An early break tried to get away but was recaptured.
- Christine Thorburn (Webcor) leads the chase
- The pack rolls through.
- Audrey Lemieux (Quark) grabs a bottle in teh feed zone.
- Marielle Aunave (Mixed team espoirs Laval) hits the ground hard in the feed zone after hitting someone who stepped out.
- Daniella Fusar Poli (Nobili Rubinetterie) leads out the sprint
- Daniella Fusar Poli (Nobili Rubinetterie) takes a big win
- It's only a flesh wound - Erinne Willock (Webcor) will need stitches for this one.
- Melissa Holt (SATS) was very happy with 5th. Come to think of it, when is Ms Holt not happy?
- Daniella Fusar Poli and team manager Walter Ricci Petition are quite excited about the result.
- Fusar Poli, Petition and Edita Pucinskaite celebrate
- The Nobili team celebrates - Fusar Poli, Petition and Pucinskaite are very happy, as you'd expect.
- That's gotta hurt - Erinne Willock (Webcor) went down hard but finished.
- Stage winner Daniella Fusar Poli (Nobili Rubinetterie) goes for the win the 'biggest podium grin' contest too
- The podium - Melissa Holt (Team S.A.T.S), Daniella Fusar Poli (Nobili Rubinetterie) and Melissa Sanborn (Subway)
- Oenone Wood (Nurnberger) celebrates her overall victory.
- The overall top three - Annette Beutler (Quark), Oenone Wood (Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung) and Dorte Lohse Rasmussen (Team S.A.T.S)
- Oenone Wood and proud team manager Petra Rossner. They came to win, and they did.
- Tour winner Oenone Wood gives a post-race interview.
- The team who put it all together - the organisers of the tour and the World Cup
Results
1 Daniella Fusar Poli (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 3.07.15 2 Melissa Sanborn (USA) Subway 3 Melissa Holt (NZl) Team S.A.T.S 4 Oenone Wood (Aus) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 2.20 5 Judith Arndt (Ger) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 6 Geneviève Jeanson (Can) ACDA-Rona 7 Annette Beutler (Swi) Quark 8 Lynn Gaggioli (USA) Biovail 9 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 10 Grace Fleury (USA) Quark 11 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders Women's Cycling Team 12 Dorte Lohse Rasmussen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 13 Maria Luisa Calle Williams (Col) Colombian National Team 2.28 14 Gessica Turato (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhatta 15 Miyoko Karami (Jpn) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhatta 16 Olga Slyusareva (Rus) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 17 Ana Paola Madrinan Villegas (Col) Colombian National Team 2.33 18 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders Women's Cycling Team 19 Anna Tratnyek (Can) Canadian National Team 20 Rachel Heal (GBr) Team S.A.T.S 21 Trine Hansen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 22 Patricia Schwager (Swi) Quark 2.37 23 Helen Kelly (Aus) Quark 24 Audrey Lemieux (Can) Quark 2.39 25 Susan Weldon (USA) Subway 2.43 26 Jacqueline Mourao (Bra) Ellicyle Sport expert Louis Garneau 2.46 27 Jennifer Stephenson (Can) Biovail 2.48 28 Heather Lamson (Can) Diet Cheerwine 2.50 29 Melodie Metzger (USA) Velo Bella 30 Monica Lorena Mendes Ortiz (Col) Colombian National Team 31 Tara Ross (Can) Diet Cheerwine 2.53 32 Alessandra Grassi (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhatta 33 Joanie Caron (Can) Ellicyle Sport expert Louis Garneau 34 Barbara Howe (USA) Velo Bella 2.57 35 Magan Long (USA) ACDA-Rona 36 Sima Trapp (USA) Subway 3.00 37 Millerlandy Escobar (Col) Colombian National Team 3.03 38 Kirsten Robbin (Can) Canadian National Team 39 Joelle Numainville (Can) Mixed team espoirs Laval 40 Marielle Aunave (Fra) Mixed team espoirs Laval 41 Geneviève Gagnon (Can) Ellicyle Sport expert Louis Garneau 42 Lisa Sweeney (Can) Ellicyle Sport expert Louis Garneau 43 Hiroko Shimada (Jpn) Velo Bella 3.07 44 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 3.23 45 Anke Wichmann (Ger) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 3.24 46 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 47 Cathrine Walberg (USA) ACDA-Rona 3.30 48 Kelly Benjamin (USA) ACDA-Rona 3.41 49 Nicole Wangsgard (USA) Subway 50 Julia Farell (Can) Diet Cheerwine 4.06 51 Jenny Trew (Can) Canadian National Team 4.33 52 Betina Hold (Can) Webcor Builders Women's Cycling Team 53 Stéphanie Bourbeau (Can) Équipe du Québec 54 Rosanne Kent (USA) Quark DNF Olivia Gollan (Aus) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung DNF Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhatta DNF Suzanne Macht (Can) Canadian National Team DNF Marie-Pierre Bédard (Can) Canadian National Team DNF Jennifer Chapman (USA) Velo Bella DNF Stefanie Graeter (USA) Webcor Builders Women's Cycling Team DNF Julie Bélanger (Can) Diet Cheerwine DNF Caroline Montminy (Can) Équipe du Québec DNF Élisa Gagnon (Can) Équipe du Québec DNF Kathy St-Laurent (Can) Équipe du Québec DNF Julie Hutsebault (Can) Équipe du Québec DNS Kim Anderson (USA) Colavita/Cooking Light Final general classification 1 Oenone Wood (Aus) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 9.53.05 2 Annette Beutler (Swi) Quark 0.13 3 Dorte Lohse Rasmussen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 0.19 4 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders Women's Cycling Team 0.39 5 Geneviève Jeanson (Can) ACDA-Rona 3.51 6 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders Women's Cycling Team 3.58 7 Grace Fleury (USA) Quark 4.05 8 Judith Arndt (Ger) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 4.07 9 Lynn Gaggioli (USA) Biovail 4.12 10 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 4.24 11 Ana Paola Madrinan Villegas (Col) Colombian National Team 4.34 12 Patricia Schwager (Swi) Quark 5.24 13 Rachel Heal (GBr) Team S.A.T.S 5.37 14 Miyoko Karami (Jpn) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhatta 5.38 15 Kirsten Robbin (Can) Canadian National Team 6.24 16 Helen Kelly (Aus) Quark 7.30 17 Audrey Lemieux (Can) Quark 8.37 18 Maria Luisa Calle Williams (Col) Colombian National Team 14.55 19 Melodie Metzger (USA) Velo Bella 17.09 20 Susan Weldon (USA) Subway 17.51 21 Jacqueline Mourao (Bra) Ellicyle Sport expert Louis Garneau 20.15 22 Melissa Holt (NZl) Team S.A.T.S 22.50 23 Daniella Fusar Poli (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 28.07 24 Melissa Sanborn (USA) Subway 28.15 25 Gessica Turato (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhatta 30.54 26 Trine Hansen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 30.59 27 Olga Slyusareva (Rus) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 31.02 28 Jennifer Stephenson (Can) Biovail 31.09 29 Sima Trapp (USA) Subway 31.12 30 Geneviève Gagnon (Can) Ellicyle Sport expert Louis Garneau 31.16 31 Monica Lorena Mendes Ortiz (Col) Colombian National Team 32 Heather Lamson (Can) Diet Cheerwine 31.16 33 Tara Ross (Can) Diet Cheerwine 31.17 34 Joanie Caron (Can) Ellicyle Sport expert Louis Garneau 31.20 35 Lisa Sweeney (Can) Ellicyle Sport expert Louis Garneau 31.26 36 Alessandra Grassi (Ita) Safi-Pasta Zara Manhatta 37 Joelle Numainville (Can) Mixed team espoirs Laval 31.29 38 Millerlandy Escobar (Col) Colombian National Team 39 Madeleine Lindberg (Swe) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 31.47 40 Anke Wichmann (Ger) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 31.48 41 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 31.57 42 Hiroko Shimada (Jpn) Velo Bella 32.04 43 Nicole Wangsgard (USA) Subway 32.08 44 Cathrine Walberg (USA) ACDA-Rona 32.20 45 Marielle Aunave (Fra) Mixed team espoirs Laval 32.48 46 Stéphanie Bourbeau (Can) Équipe du Québec 33.07 47 Anna Tratnyek (Can) Canadian National Team 33.29 48 Rosanne Kent (USA) Quark 33.33 49 Barbara Howe (USA) Velo Bella 50 Kelly Benjamin (USA) ACDA-Rona 33.34 51 Julia Farell (Can) Diet Cheerwine 33.41 52 Jenny Trew (Can) Canadian National Team 37.59 53 Betina Hold (Can) Webcor Builders Women's Cycling Team 46.45 54 Magan Long (USA) ACDA-Rona 47.33 Points classification 1 Oenone Wood (Aus) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 47 pts 2 Annette Beutler (Swi) Quark 32 3 Geneviève Jeanson (Can) ACDA-Rona 26 4 Dorte Lohse Rasmussen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 24 5 Melissa Sanborn (USA) Subway 20 6 Judith Arndt (Ger) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 18 7 Daniella Fusar Poli (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 16 8 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders Women's Cycling Team 15 9 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders Women's Cycling Team 13 10 Melissa Holt (NZl) Team S.A.T.S 11 11 Grace Fleury (USA) Quark 6 12 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 6 13 Lynn Gaggioli (USA) Biovail 5 14 Olga Slyusareva (Rus) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 3 15 Rachel Heal (GBr) Team S.A.T.S 2 Sprint classification 1 Oenone Wood (Aus) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 43 pts 2 Geneviève Jeanson (Can) ACDA-Rona 25 3 Annette Beutler (Swi) Quark 21 4 Dorte Lohse Rasmussen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 20 5 Daniella Fusar Poli (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 15 6 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders Women's Cycling Team 14 7 Judith Arndt (Ger) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 12 8 Melissa Sanborn (USA) Subway 11 9 Grace Fleury (USA) Quark 9 10 Melissa Holt (NZl) Team S.A.T.S 7 11 Lynn Gaggioli (USA) Biovail 6 12 Magan Long (USA) ACDA-Rona 5 13 Monica Lorena Mendes Ortiz (Col) Colombian National Team 5 14 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders Women's Cycling Team 4 15 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 2 Mountains classification 1 Annette Beutler (Swi) Quark 54 pts 2 Geneviève Jeanson (Can) ACDA-Rona 48 3 Oenone Wood (Aus) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 29 4 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders Women's Cycling Team 19 5 Melissa Sanborn (USA) Subway 15 6 Melissa Holt (NZl) Team S.A.T.S 14 7 Lynn Gaggioli (USA) Biovail 12 8 Dorte Lohse Rasmussen (Den) Team S.A.T.S 11 9 Daniella Fusar Poli (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini Cogeas 10 10 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders Women's Cycling Team 9 11 Sima Trapp (USA) Subway 5 12 Monica Lorena Mendes Ortiz (Col) Colombian National Team 5 13 Judith Arndt (Ger) Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 1 14 Tara Ross (Can) Diet Cheerwine 1 15 Lisa Sweeney (Can) Ellicyle Sport expert Louis Garneau 1 Team classification 1 Quark 29.48.54 2 Team S.A.T.S 19.27 3 Équipe Nurnberger Versicherung 21.33 4 Webcor Builders Women's Cycling Team 22.32 5 Nobili Rubinetterie - Menikini Cogeas 28.19 6 Federacion Colombiana de Ciclismo 41.06 7 Équipe Nationale du Canada 48.09 8 ACDA -Rona 57.45 9 Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan(SAF) 58.13 10 Subway 1.07.47 11 Velo Bella 1.10.25 12 Ellicyle Sport expert Louis Garneau 1.12.44 13 Diet Cheerwine 1.26.25
