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11th Montreal World Cup - CDM
Quebec, Canada, May 31, 2008
World Cup's round seven heads to Canada
By Kirsten Robbins
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The Canadian city of Montreal, Quebec is ready to host round seven of the Women's World Cup series, the 11th annual Montreal World Cup, on Saturday, May 31. The event will showcase 23 international teams, with riders from each team battling to score UCI points during their final chance before August's Olympic Games in Beijing, China but one notable absence is 2007 UCI Women's World Cup winner Marianne Vos (DSB Bank).
At noon the world-class field will start 11 laps of a 10 kilometre circuit, equaling a 110 kilometre race of attrition. The event will start and finish on the Park Avenue, at the base of the event's significant two kilometre climb to the top of Mont Royal.
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Following the decisive climb riders will descend through the technical twists and turns of Montreal's city streets and around Jeanne-Mance Park before their arrival back to Park Avenue. Once on Park Avenue the lap is still not over with the riders required to pass through a flat, fast section of the course before taking a hairpin turn which is followed by a 400 metre stretch to the finish line.
One notable rider from the 23 international squads is defending race winner Fabiana Luperini. The Italian won last year's event from a two-woman break away that included the current United States of America National Champion Mara Abbott (High Road). The 2007 edition saw a break-out performance by the young Abbott, who was riding for the domestic Webcor Builders squad at the time.
Former world champion Judith Arndt (High Road) will be a tough contender to beat, having won the event in 2006. The German is leading Vos, who has been competing in South America preparing for the Olympic Games, by just 15 points in the World Cup standings.
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Great Britain's Emma Pooley will lead the Specialized Designs for Women team after proving her climbing strength by winning March's Trofeo Alfredo Binda World Cup in Italy. Former UCI World Time Trial Champion Kristin Armstrong has returned to North American soil with her new Cervelo-Life Force team and will pose a danger to the others over Mont Royal.
France's Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli has arrived in Montreal fresh off of her second place at the Mount Hood, a stage race held in Oregon, USA, earlier this month. Longo-Ciprelli, one of the most successful women's riders in the sport's history, was outdone at Mt. Hood by the new kid on the block Julie Beveridge (Aaron's), who will compete in her first UCI World Cup event this weekend.
On the domestique side other notable riders include the Canadian Champion Gina Grain (Webcor Builders), who will be supported by a select team of climbers including Alex Wrubleski and Katheryn Curi-Mattis. The field also includes Canadian national team rider Anne Samplonius, Tibco's strong Kiwi Joanne Kiesanowski and Advil/ChapStick's Sue Palmer Komar.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Mitch Friedman/www.mitchophoto.com
- Team High Road's sport director Kristy Scrymgeour and Petra Rossner chat.
- Suzanne De Goede (Equipe Nurnberger) is always a strong rider.
- High Road Rider Chantal Beltman has come a long way this year.
- World Cup leader Judith Arndt (L-R), promoter Daniel Manibal, Francie Sencel (City of Montreal), defending champion Fabiana Luperini, and Menikini-Selle Italia Master Colors manager Walter Ricci
- Fabiana Luperini (Menikini-Selle Italia Master Colors) won last year's Montreal World Cup.
- Judith Arndt (High Road), Daniel Manibal, Francie Sencel, defending champion Fabiana Luperini and team-manager Walter Ricci.
- High Road’s Oenone Wood is interviewed. She was the Tour of Montreal - which follows the World Cup race - winner last year.
- Time to eat for the riders from 23 international teams.
- Team UNIQA have a bite to eat together.
- Fabiana Luperini and Walter Ricci from the Menikini-Selle Italia team.
