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Le Tour du Grand Montréal - 2.1
Canada, June 4-7, 2007
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Stage 1 - June 4: Châteauguay, 107 km
Schleicher's triple lead
By Kirsten Robbins in Montreal, Canada
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Unfavorable weather condition greeted the Le Grand Tour du Montreal's inaugural road stage opener, the event having commenced with an individual time trial in years past. Equipe Nurnberger-Versicherung went up against T-Mobile and Safi-pasta in pursuit of the opening stage win. In the final kilometre Equipe Nurnberger proved it had the stronger lead out, with former world champion Regina Schleicher blazing across the finish line ahead of Oenone Wood (T-Mobile) and Georgia Bronzini (Safi-Pasta).
Of the 24 squads to start Saturday's women's World Cup round, some 22 stuck around to contest the tour and the large number of sprinters favoured the event's new start. The stage was changed from a speedy prologue to a 107 kilometre race where the women completed eight laps of a technical circuit.
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Sprint laps were held with five and three laps remaining and were hotly contested by both T-Mobile and Nurnberger. In the end it was Schleicher who reigned supreme, with two second places accumulating the German enough points to take the sprint jersey, and the points jersey, in addition to the overall leader's jersey.
The new race format ensured a flurry of activity in the opening stage as teams vied to get the jump on one another. "We were trying to gain as much time as we could," Wood said. "We were going for the intermediate sprints too. But, the whole race was pretty fast and there were a lot of attacks even though nothing was able to stay away for longer than a few seconds."
Constant attacks kept the race alive but all attempted getaways were scooped up by the speeding peloton before the sprint finale. Equipe Nurnberger executed its lead out flawlessly, beginning with Trixi Worrack through the last corner and Schleicher nestled in tight on her wheel. "Coming into the last corner it was very chaotic," Wood said. "It was a very technical finish with lots of corners but with six hundred meters to go I was able to get into good position behind Regina [Schleicher]. Trixi [Worrack] was the first through the corner to lead her out and I wasn't able to come around her."
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Mitch Friedman/www.mitchophoto.com
- Regina Schleicher (Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung) looks cool before the race.
- Cheerwine rider Christine Ruiter.
- Cyclingnews writer and rider for Advil/Chapstick Kirsten Robbins.
- Elodie Touffet of the Menikini - Selle Italia Gysko team.
- T-Mobil’s Judith Arndt leads her teammate.
- Safi-Pasta rider Daniela Fusar Poli.
- Team Expresscopy rider Joelle Numainville looks to have taken a spill.
- Always playful: Giorgia Bronzini sticks her tongue out at the photographers.
- Team meeting for Colavita Sutter Home.
- TEAm LIPTON rider Meredith Miller.
- Dotsie Bausch (Team Colavita Sutter Home)
- The race goes through Chateauguay.
- The peloton neogtiates a chicane.
- Kerry Litka of Terry Precision cycles team.
- Xiao Ning Gao (Giant) leads a pair of Cuban riders.
- Diana Zilute had a front flat and had to chase the bunch down.
- Check out Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli's helmet, it seems to be an old TT helmet.
- Webcor's Helen Kelly
- Safi-Pasta teammates Luisa Tamanini and Daniela Fusar Poli.
- Andrea Graus (Nurnberger) inside of third place Giorgia Bronzini (Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan).
- TEAm Lipton's Lauren Franges has a hurt right hand.
- Luisa Tamanini (Safi-Pasta) inside of Iona Wynter (Colavita Sutter Home).
- Elisa Gagnon (Advil/Chapstick).
- Amber Rais (Webcor)
- Regina Schleicher (Nurnberger) takes the win over Oenone Wood (T-Mobile).
- Podium (L-R): Oenone Wood (T-mobile), Regina Schleicher (Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung), and Giorgia Bronzini (Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan).
- Regina Schleicher (Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung) leads heading into Stage 2.
Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net
- The race rolls out under threatening skies.
- Edwige Pitel (Uniqa) celebrated her birthday today.
- Gina Grain (ExpressCopy.com) tried an early break.
- Oenone Wood (T-Mobile) corners in the pack, with several teammates around her.
- Lunch on the run.
- Canadians in their 'home' tour: Leigh Hobson (Cheerwine), Joelle Numainville and Anne Samploniuos (ExpressCopy.com).
- Trixi Worrack (Nurnberger) leads Alison Powers (Colavita Sutter).
- Judith Arndt (T-Mobile) and Lara Kroepsch (TEAm Lipton).
- Jeannie Long-Ciprelli (Team Uniqa) was well protected from the cold.
- Suzanne van Veen (Team Flexpoint).
- Gina Grain (ExpressCopy.com) tried an escape late in the race too.
- Helen Kelly (Webcor) leads Annette Beutler (Vinci-Specialized).
- Carla Ryan (Australia) plays safe with fingers on the brakes at this corner.
- Oenone Wood (T-Mobile) waits in the bunch with 14km to go.
- American-style commissaires clothing: the gridiron referee-style shirt.
- Regina Schleicher (Nürnberger) had no time for a victory celebration.
- Podium (L-R): Oenone Wood (T-mobile), Regina Schleicher (Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung), and Giorgia Bronzini (Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan).
- Regina Schleicher (Nürnberger) starts Stage 2 in yellow.
Images by Andrea Brewer Photography/www.andreabrewer.com
- Alison Powers (Colavita Sutter Homes) in the first of many corners.
- Melissa Holt (Team Expresscopy.com) had a strong attack towards the end of the stage.
- Judith Arndt (T-Mobile)
- Amber Neben (Team Flexpoint)
- Gina Grain (Team Expresscopy.com) and Toni Bradshaw (New Zealand) attack on the second lap.
- The peloton all strung out.
- Lauren Franges (Lipton) looks focused throughout the race.
- Brooke Ourada (Cheerwine) coming out of corner six.
- The peloton prepares for the final sprint, with one lap to go.
- Trixi Worrack (Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung) gives a salute to Regina Schleicher's stage win.
Results
1 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung 2.45.43 2 Oenone Wood (Aus) T-mobile 3 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan 4 Chantal Beltman (Ned) T-mobile 5 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko 6 Tina Mayolo Pic (USA) Colavita Sutter Home 7 Brooke Miller (USA) Team TIBCO 8 Gina Grain (Can) Team expresscopy.com 9 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung 10 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team 11 Loes Markerink (Ned) Team Flexpoint 12 Elke Gebhardt (Ger) Getranke-Hoffmann 13 Annette Butler (Swi) Vinci-Specialized-Menikini 14 Catherine Cheatley (NZl) Cheerwine 15 Anne Samplonius (Can) Team expresscopy.com 16 Élodie Touffet (Fra) Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko 17 Amber Neben (USA) Team Flexpoint 18 Judith Arndt (Ger) T-mobile 19 Alessandra Borchi (Ita) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan 20 Elena Novikova (Rus) Russian Cyclist Federation 21 Karin Aune (Swe) Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko 22 Fei Wang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 23 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Colavita Sutter Home 24 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko 25 Katherine Bates (Aus) T-mobile 26 Leigh Hobson (Can) Cheerwine 27 Daniela Fusar Poli (Ita) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan 28 Andrea Graus (Aut) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung 29 Alexandra Burchenkova (Rus) Russian Cyclist Federation 30 Yoanka Gonzalez (Cub) Cuba National Team 31 Edwige Pitel (Fra) Team UNIQA 32 Marie Lindberg (Swe) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung 33 Kristin Armstrong (USA) TEAm Lipton 34 Venera Absalyamova (Rus) Russian Cyclist Federation 35 Alison Powers (USA) Colavita Sutter Home 36 Michelle Hyland (NZl) New Zealand National Team 37 Dalila Rodriguez (Cub) Cuba National Team 38 Gina Waibl (NZl) New Zealand National Team 39 Luisa Tamanini (Ita) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan 40 Betina Hold (Can) Cheerwine 41 Stacy Marple (USA) Team TIBCO 42 Liza Rachetto (USA) Team TIBCO 43 Christine Ruiter (USA) Cheerwine 44 Theresa Senff (Ger) Getranke-Hoffmann 45 Helen Kelly (Aus) Webcor Builders 46 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Australian National Team 47 Yudelmis Dominguez (Cub) Cuba National Team 48 Serena Sheridan (NZl) New Zealand National Team 49 Vicki Whitelaw (Aus) Australian National Team 50 Jocelyn Loane (Aus) Australian National Team 51 Candice Sullivan (Aus) Australian National Team 52 Yalia Arustamova (Rus) Russian Cyclist Federation 53 Diana Ziliute (Ltu) Safi - Pasta Zara Manhattan 54 Kristen Lasasso (USA) TEAm Lipton 55 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders 56 Iona Wynter (Jam) Colavita Sutter Home 57 Jenipher Stevenson (Can) Cascades 58 Iris Slappendel (Ned) Team Flexpoint 59 Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Fra) Team UNIQA 60 Marisa Asplund (USA) Team TIBCO 61 Tina Liebig (Ger) Getranke-Hoffmann 62 Victoria Bastide (Swe) Team TIBCO 63 Suzanne Van Veen (Ned) Team Flexpoint 64 Olivia Gollan (Aus) Menikini - Selle Italia - Gysko 65 Carla Ryan (Aus) Australian National Team 66 Natalie Bates (Aus) Getranke-Hoffmann 67 Mara Abbott (USA) Webcor Builders 68 Anke Wichmann (Ger) T-mobile 69 Megan Guarnier (USA) Terry Precision 70 Katheryn Curi (USA) Webcor Builders 71 Dotsie Bausch (USA) Colavita Sutter Home 72 Rachel Heal (GBr) Webcor Builders 73 Lauren Franges (USA) TEAm Lipton 74 Meredith Miller (USA) TEAm Lipton 0.17 75 Monika Schachl (Aut) Team UNIQA 76 Claudia Häusler (Ger) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung 77 Kori Kelley Seehafer (USA) TEAm Lipton 78 Brei Gudsell (NZl) New Zealand National Team 79 Lara Kroepsch (USA) TEAm Lipton 80 Brooke Ourada (NZl) Cheerwine 81 Karol-Ann Kanuel (Can) Vinci-Specialized-Menikini 82 Erinne Willock (Can) Team expresscopy.com 83 Elisa Gagnon (Can) Advil/Chapstick 84 Claudia Stumpf (Ger) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung 85 Joanie Caron (Can) Cascades 86 Alexis Rhodes (Aus) T-mobile 87 Yumari Gonzalez (Cub) Cuba National Team 88 Amber Rais (USA) Webcor Builders 89 Hiroko Shimada (Jpn) Target Training 90 Kathleen Billington (USA) Target Training 0.59 91 Stacy Spencer (Can) Colavita Sutter Home 1.10 92 Melissa Holt (NZl) Team expresscopy.com 93 Marina Duvnjak (NZl) New Zealand National Team 94 Katie Lambden (USA) Team TIBCO 2.56 95 Jennifer Reither (USA) Marinoni-Cadence 3.12 96 Jennifer Wilson (USA) Marinoni-Cadence 5.36 97 Geneviève Gagnon (Can) Cascades 8.35 98 Joelle Numainville (Can) Team expresscopy.com 10.55 99 Marie-Pier Bédard (Can) Vinci-Specialized-Menikini 100 Anna Milkowski (USA) Target Training 101 Su Fen Ma (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 102 Kirsten Robbins (Can) Advil/Chapstick 103 Veronika Sprugl (Aut) Team UNIQA 104 Ekaterina Malomura (Rus) Russian Cyclist Federation 105 Yeima Torres (Cub) Cuba National Team 106 Virginia Hennig (Ger) Getranke-Hoffmann 107 Kerry Litka (USA) Terry Precision 108 Xiao Ning Gao (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 109 Bernadette Schober (Aut) Team UNIQA 110 Natasha Elliot (Can) Terry Precision 111 Véronique Labonté (Can) Cascades 11.26 112 Lila Fraser (Can) Cascades 16.02 113 Ireen Wieditz (Can) Terry Precision 114 Julie Marceau (Can) Marinoni-Cadence 115 Johanne Cyr (Can) Cascades 116 Elena Gayun (Rus) Russian Cyclist Federation 16.53 117 Kathleen Villeneuve (Can) Marinoni-Cadence 118 Ann Hansgate (USA) Terry Precision 16.57 119 Magali Tisseyre (Can) Marinoni-Cadence 120 Tara Ross (Can) Advil/Chapstick 121 Mandy Lozanno (USA) Target Training 23.26 122 Naomi Cermak (Can) Terry Precision 23.28 123 Amanda Sin (Can) Advil/Chapstick 124 Carissa Wilkes (NZl) New Zealand National Team 125 Xiong Ying Ruan (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 30.04 126 Karine Tessier (Can) Marinoni-Cadence 32.52 127 Émilie Roy (Can) Vinci-Specialized-Menikini 41.18 DNF Andrea Meyers (USA) Target Training DNS Jessica Phillips (USA) Team expresscopy.com
