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7th Le Tour du Grand Montréal - 2.1
Canada, June 2-5, 2008
Main Page Results Overall standings Previous Stage
Stage 5 - June 5: Mont-Saint-Hilaire road race, 115km
High Road claims Grand Tour du Montreal
By Kirsten Robbins in St. Hilaire, Montreal
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After her World Cup win in Montreal just one week ago, Judith Arndt (High Road) attacked at the crest of the final climb in stage five of the Tour du Grand Montreal and gained an eight second advantage over the field to take the final stage and the overall. The sprint for second was won by Brooke Millar (Tibco) from Audrey Cordon (Vienne Futuroscope).
"I attacked over the climb at a point when I knew De Goede could not continue to chase," said Arndt.
Arndt first took the jersey after her solo victory in Mont Saint Hillarie. That win set her up for the final overall win ahead of Suzanne De Goede (Nurnberger) and Oenone Wood (High Road).
"I didn’t have to think too much, this is what we have Petra Rosner for - She thinks and we do," said Arndt regarding High Road’s perfect execution of team tactics used to take leaders jersey off of Nurnberger’s Suzanne Ge Goede and claim it for their own.
"There is always a team effort behind every victory because without the team you are nothing," continued Arndt. "We wanted to stick together as a team and the plan she had worked out perfectly today. We always try to win the races we go to and we were a good team here and we had to try hard to achieve this victory."
De Goede admitted that her team anticipated the work they had ahead of them if they hoped to hold onto the leader’s jersey. While they did not succeed in retaining the yellow jersey, she was pleased with her teams overall performance during the weeklong event.
"I think we did a really good team effort here," said De Goede. "We won two stages and started the last stage in the leaders jersey. We tried to do what we could and we did our very best."
"We expected this to happen this morning already and the girls did a really good job trying to go with all of the attacks but in the end I also had work a lot," said De Goede regarding her team’s reaction to the relentless High Road attacks.
"There were just too many High Roads on the last climb and they did really well trying to get me tired--I could not follow Judith in the end. The problem is you cannot follow everyone but because the time gaps are so close here you really have to follow everyone."
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Second place on the day Brook Millar was happy with her result in such a world-class field. "It’s always an honor to sprint against these women and I love it," said Millar.
"This tour is my first bunch sprints against this type of peloton. Last year I was finishing fifth or sixth against these girls and this year I really wanted to be able to sprint with them. Just being up there to contend the sprint is a big progression for me."
How it unfolded
Nurnberger had their work cut out for them at the start of the women’s five-lap road race over Mont Saint Hilaire totaling 114 kilometres. De Goede started the race seven seconds ahead of Arndt, not nearly enough padding to hold off the former World Champion in the end.
Canadian legend Clara Hughes (Specialized) made the first move of the day within five kilometers of the start and was quickly followed by Victoria Bastide (Tibco) and Beatrice Thomas (ESGL 93).
A four-rider chase group that included QOM leader Felicia Gomez (Aaron’s), Erinne Willock (Webcor), Emma Pooley (Specialized) and Mara Abbott (High Road) bridged across to the trio at the top of the first ascent over Mont Saint Hilaire.
The seven rider break forced Nurnberger to organize themselves at the front in what turned into an epic chase that would last nearly 100 kilometers.
"I jumped on the climb and the motivation was to make Nurnberger do as much chasing as possible as soon as possible," said current US national road champion Mara Abbott, whose sole focus was to maintain a more than one minute gap over the peloton.
"It was great that the break had already started, that way we didn’t have to create it, we just had to bridge across to it. I was working hard to keep the break going as long as we could."
Felicia Gomez solidified her lead in the climber’s competition picking up full points on each lap. "Emma Pooley went for one of the climbs but that was it," said Gomez who also won the ladies plus thirty-five competitions.
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"We worked really well together in the break. I went today because I needed to defend the polka dot. I saw Mara go and then Erinne and I just went with it, there was a lot of horsepower and we drove it over the top. We caught the other three on the decent right after."
High Road director Petra Rosner commented on her the team’s secret to success that paid off in the team’s fifth victory this week. "There has been a lot of work that goes into High Road, we have great ambitions but we are always smart in the race, we work for each other and we do it for the moment when we realize we have won and we are better than the others."
"We decided in our meeting that we were going to try to win it, even if we had to take risks lose it - we race for the victory," said Rosner who sent each member of the team who was a threat on the GC in a pursuit to tire Nurnberger before the final lap.
"We had to put Nurnberger in a position where they had to chase all day and then be patient and wait for them to lose each of their team members with our attacks," continued Rosner. "We could have won the tour with each of our riders and we were calculating in that we knew De Goede would have to chase each of our riders once her team got tired. She had to chase on her own."
Nurnberger used each of their five riders to bring back the lengthy break on the fifth and final lap where High Road started to launch riders one after another until De Goede was left to defend the race on her own.
"It isn’t about Judith being so powerful to stay away in the last few kilometers, it’s about the other team members making the race so hard that they couldn’t chase Judith in the end," reiterated Rosner. "We didn’t care who would win this tour its important that one of our members gain the seconds needed to win."
Arndt was the last to attack over the crest of Mont Saint Hilaire, after De Goede had responded to several earlier attacks on the ascent. The German barreled down the twisty descent alone and gained eight seconds on the field.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by CJ Farquharson/WomensCycling.net
- Joelle Numainville (ESGL 93 GSD) is interviewed fot TV before the start.
- Beatrice Thomas (ESGL 93 GSD) leads the small break onto the first climb.
- Clara Hughes (Specialized Carrefour Multisport) on the climb.
- Mara Abbott (High Road) chases as she bridges across to the break.
- Felicia Gomez (Aaron's Pro) in the mountains leader jersey.
- Christine Thorburn (Webcor) can see the summit of the climb above her.
- Gomez glances across to the very top of the climb .
- Nikki Egyed (Australia) was at the head of the chase group after the race split.
- The Canadians 'do it tough' in their home tour.
- Petra Rossner talks to Oenone Wood and Kate Bates about High Road's tactics pre-race.
- Dave Drumm wears Alex Wrubleski's bikes - maybe she didn't like the 'bar tape?!.
- The bunch altogether on the climb, happy to let the break go.
- Judith Arndt (High Road) was visible towards the front of the bunch throughout the race.
- Anne Samplonius (Canada) started the day in the over-35 jersey.
- Judith Arndt (High Road) was ecstatic, knowing that the stage win would give her the race win due to the bonus seconds gained.
- The sprint for third place was won.
- Handshakes on the podium for the successful High Road women.
- Oenone Wood, Judith Arndt and Suzanne De Goede on the podium.
- Suzanne De Goede (Equipe Nurnberger) won the sprints competition, consolation maybe?.
- Felicia Gomez (Aaron's Pro) won the mountains jersey overall.
- Gomez was also the best over-35 rider in the Tour of Greater Montreal.
Images by Mitch Friedman/www.mitchophoto.com
- Rochelle Gilmore and Trine Schmidt on the start line
- The first lap breakaway
- Tibco rider Victoria Bastide and Clara Hughes of Specialized Carrefour Multisport
- Team meeting for Vienne Futurescope
- Suzanne De Goede and team Soigneur Maja
- Lap one start of the big hill
- Mara Abbott (High Road) leads Erinne Willock (Webcor) , Emma Pooley (Specialized Designs for Women) and a hidden Queen of the Mountains Aaron’s cycling rider Felicia Gomez
- Suzanne De Goede (Nurnberger) , leads the way up the hill
- Sufen Ma (Giant) and Joelle Numainville (ESGL 93 GSD Gestion) near the top of the climb
- Judith Arndt (High Road) wins the stage and the Tour
- Nurnberger rider Modesta Vzesniauskaite fell with 3k to go and ended up in a ditch. A bit muddy but all ok.
- Aaron’s Cycling Carmen McNellis fell early in the week but is healing up fine
- Top 3 overall in the Tour of Montreal L-R: 3rd Oenone Wood (High Road), 1st Judith Arndt (High Road), and Suzanne De Goede (Nurnberger)
- Tour of Montreal and World Cup organization team all happy
Images by John Pierce/Photosport International
- Suzanne De Goede (Nurnberger) heads the race.
- The racing heats up in the final stage.
- Suzanne De Goede (Nurnberger) was to lose the race overall by the end of the stage.
- USA's Brooke Miller (Team TIBCO) looking concentrated.
- Judith Arndt (High Road) takes it all: the stage and the Tour's overall.
Results
1 Judith Arndt (Ger) High Road Women 2.59.34 2 Brooke Miller (USA) Team TIBCO 0.08 3 Audrey Cordon (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope 4 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour 5 Dalila Rodriguez (Cub) Cuban National Team 6 Tanja Hennes (Ger) Specialized Designs for Women 7 Meredith Miller (USA) Aaron's Professional Cycling 8 Sophie Creux (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion 9 Nikki Egyed (Aus) Australian National Team 10 Yeima Torres (Cub) Cuban National Team 11 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team 12 Yong Li Liu (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 13 Karin Aune (Swe) UNIQA 14 Christine Majerus (Lux) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion 15 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Australian National Team 16 Joelle Numainville (Can) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion 17 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 18 Leigh Hobson (Can) Canadian National Team 19 Yeugeniya Vysotska (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team 20 Trine Schmidt (Den) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour 21 Oenone Wood (Aus) High Road Women 22 Fei Wang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 23 Lauren Franges (USA) Team TIBCO 24 Kori Kelley Seehafer (USA) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour 25 Jen Stephenson (Can) Ultralink 26 Mirjam Hauser-Senn (Swi) Specialized Designs for Women 27 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders 28 Sarah Grab (Swi) Specialized Designs for Women 29 Lang Meng (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 30 Felicia Gomez (Can) Aaron's Professional Cycling 31 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders 32 Anne Samplonius (Can) Canadian National Team 33 Chantal Beltman (Ned) High Road Women 34 Daniela Pintarelli (Aut) UNIQA 35 Monika Schachl (Aut) UNIQA 36 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Australian National Team 37 Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis 0.14 38 Janel Holcomb (USA) Webcor Builders 39 Min Gao (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 0.20 40 Kateryna Krasova (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team 0.25 41 Mara Abbott (USA) High Road Women 0.08 42 Katherine Bates (Aus) High Road Women 43 Kristin Sanders (USA) Aaron's Professional Cycling 44 Iraida Garcia (Cub) Cuban National Team 0.44 45 Eugenie Mermillod (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz 46 Nathalie Lamborelle (Lux) UNIQA 47 Kristen Lasasso (USA) Specialized Designs for Women 48 Johanne Cyr (Can) Equipe Cascades 49 Emmanuelle Merlot (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope 0.56 50 Bettina Hold (Can) Canadian National Team 0.57 51 Emma Pooley (GBr) Specialized Designs for Women 52 Joanie Caron (Can) Equipe Cascades 53 Jocelyn Loane (Aus) Australian National Team 54 Kimberly Anderson (USA) High Road Women 55 Yumari Gonzalez (Cub) Cuban National Team 1.06 56 Julie Marceau (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis 57 Julie Bellerose (Can) Equipe Cascades 58 Moriah Jo Macgregor (Can) Canadian National Team 59 Louise Moriarty (Irl) Specialized Carrefour Multis 60 Li Ping Zhang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 61 Victoria Bastide (Swe) Team TIBCO 62 Bernadette Schober (Aut) UNIQA 63 Rachel Heal (GBr) Team TIBCO 64 Carissa Wilkes (NZl) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz 1.25 65 Brei Gudsell (NZl) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz 66 Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 0.08 67 Helen Kelly (Aus) Team TIBCO 2.08 68 Larissa Kleinmann (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 69 Veronique Labonte (Can) Equipe Cascades 70 Audrey Lemieux (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis 3.22 71 Thomas Béatrice (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion 3.27 72 Marie Lindberg (Swe) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 4.39 73 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 74 Jenny Trew (Can) Canadian National Team 5.10 75 Alison Testroete (Can) Aaron's Professional Cycling 5.30 76 Sufen Ma (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 77 Andrea Knecht (Swi) Specialized Designs for Women 7.12 78 Mary Zider (USA) Advil-Chapstick 79 Alyssa Mellon (Can) Ultralink 10.57 80 Mathilde Hupin (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis 13.54 81 Svitlana Galyuk (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team 82 Clara Hughes (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis 24.02 DNF Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders DNF Julie Dheruelle (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope DNF Sarah Coney (Can) Ultralink DNF Elisa Gagnon (Can) Advil-Chapstick DNF Aude Pollet (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz DNF Yoanka Gonzalez (Cub) Cuban National Team DNF Julia Farell (Can) Ultralink DNF Olena Andruk (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team DNF Julie Beveridge (Can) Aaron's Professional Cycling DNF Fiona Dutriaux (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope DNF Fanny Riberot (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz DNS Susan Palmer-Komar (Can) Advil-Chapstick Sprints 1 Judith Arndt (Ger) High Road Women 10 pts 2 Brooke Miller (USA) Team TIBCO 7 3 Audrey Cordon (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope 5 4 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour 3 5 Dalila Rodriguez (Cub) Cuban National Team 1 Teams 1 High Road Women 8.58.58 2 Equipe Nationale Australia 0.08 3 ESGL 93 GSD Gestion 4 Menikini-Selle Italia Master colors 5 Specialized Designs for Women 6 Giant Pro Cycling 7 UNIQA 8 Aaron's Professional Cycling Team 0.09 9 Team TIBCO 10 Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 0.10 11 Webcor Builders 0.14 12 Equipe Nationale Cuba 0.44 13 Equipe Nationale Canada 0.57 14 Equipe Cascades 1.34 15 Specialized Carrefour Multisport Mazd 2.10 16 Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz 3.18 17 Equipe Nationale Ukraine 14.11 Final General classification 1 Judith Arndt (Ger) High Road Women 8.48.54 2 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 0.16 3 Oenone Wood (Aus) High Road Women 0.29 4 Brooke Miller (USA) Team TIBCO 0.35 5 Katherine Bates (Aus) High Road Women 6 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders 0.36 7 Felicia Gomez (Can) Aaron's Professional Cycling 8 Trine Schmidt (Den) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour 0.40 9 Larissa Kleinmann (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 0.41 10 Anne Samplonius (Can) Canadian National Team 11 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Australian National Team 0.44 12 Kori Kelley Seehafer (USA) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour 0.45 13 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour 0.47 14 Chantal Beltman (Ned) High Road Women 15 Meredith Miller (USA) Aaron's Professional Cycling 0.49 16 Lauren Franges (USA) Team TIBCO 0.50 17 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team 0.53 18 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Australian National Team 19 Karin Aune (Swe) UNIQA 0.54 20 Nikki Egyed (Aus) Australian National Team 21 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders 22 Audrey Cordon (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope 0.55 23 Yong Li Liu (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 0.56 24 Dalila Rodriguez (Cub) Cuban National Team 0.57 25 Leigh Hobson (Can) Canadian National Team 0.58 26 Monika Schachl (Aut) UNIQA 1.01 27 Christine Majerus (Lux) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion 1.02 28 Joelle Numainville (Can) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion 29 Sophie Creux (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion 1.03 30 Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 31 Lang Meng (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 32 Mara Abbott (USA) High Road Women 1.04 33 Yeima Torres (Cub) Cuban National Team 1.05 34 Kristin Sanders (USA) Aaron's Professional Cycling 1.07 35 Sarah Grab (Swi) Specialized Designs for Women 1.08 36 Yeugeniya Vysotska (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team 1.11 37 Daniela Pintarelli (Aut) UNIQA 1.12 38 Helen Kelly (Aus) Team TIBCO 1.13 39 Janel Holcomb (USA) Webcor Builders 1.14 40 Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis 1.15 41 Mirjam Hauser-Senn (Swi) Specialized Designs for Women 1.16 42 Tanja Hennes (Ger) Specialized Designs for Women 1.18 43 Min Gao (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 1.31 44 Nathalie Lamborelle (Lux) UNIQA 1.36 45 Iraida Garcia (Cub) Cuban National Team 1.39 46 Kateryna Krasova (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team 1.40 47 Kristen Lasasso (USA) Specialized Designs for Women 1.41 48 Kimberly Anderson (USA) High Road Women 1.42 49 Emma Pooley (GBr) Specialized Designs for Women 1.53 50 Louise Moriarty (Irl) Specialized Carrefour Multis 1.54 51 Bettina Hold (Can) Canadian National Team 1.58 52 Emmanuelle Merlot (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope 53 Eugenie Mermillod (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz 2.01 54 Jocelyn Loane (Aus) Australian National Team 2.03 55 Joanie Caron (Can) Equipe Cascades 2.06 56 Rachel Heal (GBr) Team TIBCO 2.08 57 Moriah Jo Macgregor (Can) Canadian National Team 58 Yumari Gonzalez (Cub) Cuban National Team 59 Victoria Bastide (Swe) Team TIBCO 2.10 60 Julie Bellerose (Can) Equipe Cascades 2.16 61 Carissa Wilkes (NZl) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz 2.17 62 Li Ping Zhang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 2.19 63 Julie Marceau (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis 2.20 64 Bernadette Schober (Aut) UNIQA 2.22 65 Veronique Labonte (Can) Equipe Cascades 3.14 66 Fei Wang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 3.18 67 Audrey Lemieux (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis 4.23 68 Thomas Béatrice (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion 4.42 69 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 5.14 70 Brei Gudsell (NZl) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz 5.21 71 Marie Lindberg (Swe) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 5.27 72 Jen Stephenson (Can) Ultralink 6.03 73 Alison Testroete (Can) Aaron's Professional Cycling 6.19 74 Sufen Ma (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 6.43 75 Mary Zider (USA) Advil-Chapstick 8.24 76 Alyssa Mellon (Can) Ultralink 13.31 77 Svitlana Galyuk (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team 14.35 78 Johanne Cyr (Can) Equipe Cascades 16.48 79 Andrea Knecht (Swi) Specialized Designs for Women 17.14 80 Jenny Trew (Can) Canadian National Team 25.58 81 Clara Hughes (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis 29.56 82 Mathilde Hupin (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis 35.04 Sprints 1 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 46 pts 2 Judith Arndt (Ger) High Road Women 33 3 Oenone Wood (Aus) High Road Women 20 4 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 17 5 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour 16 6 Felicia Gomez (Can) Aaron's Professional Cycling 15 7 Katherine Bates (Aus) High Road Women 13 8 Brooke Miller (USA) Team TIBCO 13 9 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders 10 10 Audrey Cordon (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope 5 11 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team 5 12 Larissa Kleinmann (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 5 13 Anne Samplonius (Can) Canadian National Team 5 14 Trine Schmidt (Den) Menikini-Selle Italia Master colour 5 15 Louise Moriarty (Irl) Specialized Carrefour Multis 4 16 Iraida Garcia (Cub) Cuban National Team 3 17 Thomas Béatrice (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion 3 18 Carissa Wilkes (NZl) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz 3 19 Lauren Franges (USA) Team TIBCO 2 20 Dalila Rodriguez (Cub) Cuban National Team 2 21 Mara Abbott (USA) High Road Women 1 22 Tanja Hennes (Ger) Specialized Designs for Women 1 23 Nathalie Lamborelle (Lux) UNIQA 1 24 Emma Pooley (GBr) Specialized Designs for Women 1 Mountains 1 Felicia Gomez (Can) Aaron's Professional Cycling 57 pts 2 Emma Pooley (GBr) Specialized Designs for Women 18 3 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders 17 4 Mara Abbott (USA) High Road Women 11 5 Tanja Hennes (Ger) Specialized Designs for Women 10 6 Judith Arndt (Ger) High Road Women 10 7 Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 7 8 Joelle Numainville (Can) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion 7 9 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Australian National Team 7 10 Nikki Egyed (Aus) Australian National Team 6 11 Christine Majerus (Lux) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion 5 12 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 5 13 Elizaveta Bochkarova (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team 5 14 Rachel Heal (GBr) Team TIBCO 4 15 Thomas Béatrice (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion 2 16 Yong Li Liu (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling 1 17 Victoria Bastide (Swe) Team TIBCO 1 Teams 1 High Road Women 26.28.30 2 Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung 0.28 3 Menikini-Selle Italia Master colors 0.30 4 Aaron's Professional Cycling Team 0.42 5 Equipe Nationale Australia 0.43 6 Webcor Builders 0.50 7 Team TIBCO 0.58 8 UNIQA 1.07 9 Specialized Designs for Women 1.16 10 ESGL 93 GSD Gestion 1.19 11 Giant Pro Cycling 12 Equipe Nationale Canada 1.44 13 Equipe Nationale Cuba 1.53 14 Equipe Cascades 3.04 15 Specialized Carrefour Multisport Mazda GSD 3.20 16 Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz 5.03 17 Equipe Nationale Ukraine
