June 4/03 10:22 am - Tour de Grand Montreal Final Stage

Posted by Editor on 06/4/03
 

Tour du Grand Montréal

Stage 4 - Ville de Terrebonne 80 km

Amber Neben has given the T Mobile team their first big win by taking the overall title at the Tour de Grand Montreal. Diana Zilute (Acca Due O Pasta) took the final 80 kilometre stage, an 8 lap circuit race in this small town eats of Montreal, but Neben took the overall title, 3 seconds ahead of Lyne Bessette (Saturn). Katie Mactier (Saturn) did not start due to sickness.

Saturn attacked repeatedly in the early part of the stage, but could not shake either T Mobile or Genèvieve Jeanson (Rona-Esker). Jeanson, who lost the jersey yesterday, soon realized that she could not make up the necessary 38 seconds and concentrated on maintaining her lead in the Climber's Competition.

Zilute took the Sprint Jersey and Sue Palmer-Komar (Genesis Scuba/FFCC) the 35+ Riders Jersey.

Neben: "Our plan all week was to race intelligently and keep control. I was expecting Lyne and Jeanson to attack, but knew my team could do the job. It was a big win for us, the first international one for the team, and I'm very proud of my team mates."

Bessette: "I tried to get the bonus sprints in the stage, but there were other teams trying for the stage win, so it was not possible. The hill was not enough to break it up."

Jeanson: "Each time I race, I am not there as a tourist, so I will try to take the win. Last year I lost the lead in the crit, and this year I held it for one more stage. The gap was too great in this final stage - I would have had to be 10% stronger than the rest of the field!"


Stage

1 Diana Zilute (Acca Due O Pasta)
2 Regina Schleicher (German National
3 Rochelle Gilmour (Ausra Gruo Dis-Safi)

7 Lyne Bessette (Saturn) all s.t.
12 Geneviève Jeanson (Rona-Esker) at 0:04
Pack all s.t.

GC
1 Amber Neben (T Mobile)
2 Bessette at 0:03
3 Magali Le 'Floch (Rona-Esker) 0:16
4 Zilute 0:19
5 Jeanson 0:38
6 Dede Demet-Barry (T Mobile) 0:48
7 Palmer-Komar 0:50
8 Kim Bruckner (T Mobile) 0:51
9 Amy Moore (Saturn) 0:52
10 Leah Goldstein (Victory Brewing/Amoroso's) 0:56