Canadian Cyclist Road Nationals: Women's Road race UPDATES

Daily News

June 24/11 17:45 pm - Road Nationals: Women's Road race UPDATES

Posted by Editoress on 06/24/11

With less than 15 min to go before racing is to start, it is NOT currently raining, as it has been off and on all day, but it looks like ot could start up again at any point. The wind is out of the west and will be the headwind on Brittannia Rd and a crosswind on Appleby and Bell School. BUT the biggest factor will be the climb up Rattlesnake Point, not long enough for a pure climber, but a real leg breaker none the less, especially after a few laps.

69 women are on the start list for the 8 lap, 103 km road race.

Wearing #1 will be defending champion Joelle Numainville (Team TIBCO/To The Top), hopeing to defend her title, but she is going to have a lot of competition. Clara Hughes (Quebec) is a power rider and the climb should give her no trouble. Other riders are Denise Ramsden and her teamate Lex Albrecht (Juvéderm-Specialized). Veronique Fortin (P-K Express/HNZ Strategic.com) is a fresh new face on the scene will also be a rider to watch. Erinne Willock (Team Tibco/To The Top) is healthy and fit after an early season injury, so looking for some trophy to take home.

Nationals always provides great racing, but are also a crap shoot.

6:08 pm

Stephanie Roorda (Cycling BC), Cara Gillis (Missing Link Coaching Systems/Specialized) Moriah Macgregor (Juvederm-Specialized) and Sara Byers (Juvederm-Specialized) attacked on the descent and now have 20 seconds

6:23 pm

The break is caught at the top of the climb, just before lap 1 ends. Pack is disintegrating on the climb.

6:28 pm

CORRECTION Macgregor, Roorda and Byers are still away over the top at 15 seconds

Lap 1 completed in 22:08 minutes

6:37 pm

As they start the climb to end lap 2 - Roorda and Moriah Macgregor (Juvederm-Specialized) are leading with Sara Byers (Juvederm-Specialized) at 30 sec. Peloton at 1 min

The rain is holding off

6:44 pm

Rhae Shaw has flatted, but after a quick change is safley back in the bunch.

6:45 pm

Lap 3 starts - Macgregor now alone at the front. Roorda at 30 seconds. Peloton at 2 min with Hughes at the front of it

6:57 pm

Midway through the 3rd lap and the gap is 3:40. Tara Whitten (TIBCO) is at the front of the pelton now

7:02 pm

At the base of the climb on lap 3. Macgregor with Roorda at 1:20. Peloton at 4 min

A lot of riders are gone....having dropped out or have just lost contact with the peloton.

7:11 pm

Starting Lap 4 . Gap to the peloton now 3 min. Team TIBCO has gone to the front and are chasing

Roorda has been caught

7:32 pm

MacGregor on the climb, lap 4 and the gap has gone back up, now over 4 min again.

7:38 pm Lap 5

MacGregor 1/2 way through race now gap 3:28 ~1000 people on the climb watching/cheering

Top riders are having no problem on the climb. But there are also those who are ..... walking it.

Lots of riders being shed on the climb, but then getting back on along the run down Bell School line. The headwind on Britannia is pretty stiff.

Rain still holding off

7:58 pm

End of Lap 5. Erinne Willock (Team TIBCO/To The Top) has attacked on the climb. Her teammates Whitten and Numainville hav gone with her. Hughes looks tired as she climbs, but she digs deep.

Gap to McGregor falling - now 2:20

8:09 pm

Lap 6 - A group of 15 now chasing having gotten away on the climb. Willock (TIBCO) is being very aggressive, but is heavily watched

8:25 pm

Lap 7 starting - 2 to go. Willock again lead up the climb . At the top the group was 9 riders... Willock, Hughes, Beveridge, Numainville, and ....

Whitten and Shaw chasing at 15 sec. MacGregor still away and her gap is 2:40

8:30 pm

Chase group now 25. Team BC at front driving, but they are not moving very fast. They NEED to close that gap

8:32 pm

Gap down to ~ 2 min with 1.5 laps to go

8:38 pm TIBCO working hard but gap holding at 2 min

8:40 pm

Starting the last lap and the gap is 58 sec. There is a chase group of 10 now. Whitten has been dropped

8:43 pm

Beveridge is attacking... but is soon caught

Chasers are:

Veronique Fortin (P-K Express/HNZ Strategic.com)
Joelle Numainville (Team TIBCO/To The Top)
Nik Vogler (West Wood Cycle Cannondale p/b Vision Sports)
Anne Samplonius (Now And Novaris For MS)
Rhae Shaw (Independent)
Leah Guloien (Missing Link Coaching Systems/Specialized)
Susan Palmer-Komar (P-K Express/HNZ Strategic.com)
Clara Hughes (Equipe du Quebec)
Julie Beveridge (Vienne-Futuroscope)
Leah Kirchmann (Team Manitoba)

Erinne Willock (Team Tibco/To The Top)

Denise Ramsden (Juvederm-Specialized)

Lex Albrecht (Juvéderm-Specialized)

Tara Whitten has rejoined them and they are flying ... more riders coming up too

8:50 pm

gap is 45 seconds with 1/2 lap to go

8:55 pm

They caught MacGregor as they made the turn onto Appleby Line

Finish is at the top of the climb, so who will have the power to go on the climb?

Finish

Unofficial

1 Veronique Fortin (P-K Express/HNZ Strategic.com)