May 30/05 7:22 am - Tour du Grand Montreal: Stage 1

Posted by Editoress on 05/30/05
 

Tour du Grand Montreal
By Leigh Hargrove

Stage One: Lachine ITT

Photos by Andrea Brewer

With an average speed of over 43km/h American ITT Champion Christine Thornburn (Webcor Builders) took the win in Montreal earlier today on the 2.82km time trial course that launched the week's Grand Tour du Montreal.

"I wanted to win!" The Webcor Builders rider exclaimed after she found out she had beat Canadian rider Geneviève Jeanson (RCDA-RONA) for the win. The American has been training on the velodrome this year with an intent to compete on the track later this year, giving her the jump she needed for this short course.

"My ride was working well today," 2nd placed rider Canadian Geneviéve Jeanson seemed pleased with her race. "The wind was a good headwind going out, the minute you turn, you think you have a tailwind but the way the course is the wind is from the south - when you turn around you expect a tailwind coming back, but you don't have a tailwind because of all the trees. The wind didn't help me out at all today. "

Jeanson reflected on her training this year and seems excited for the upcoming Nationals later this summer."(My season has been) very relaxed, very different. It's been going well - I'm pretty happy. I've done more cross-training, more stuff not just cycling, it's been great for my head."

Canadian Erinne Willock (Webcor Builders) is still going strong after her top ten performance at the World Cup this past weekend. She finished 5th in the time trial, beating current World Road Champion Judith Arndt.

Canadian National Road Champion and current junior rider, Joelle Numainville (Espoirs Laval) finished 41st out of the 79 rider field. The rider was excited about riding with the international field this upcoming week. "I'm kinda nervous, it's a great experience to ride with the best riders in the world, and seniors! I've never done that, so it's a good experience for me."

Canadian Heather Lamson from New Brunswick started the tour off today by guest riding with Trade Team Diet Cheerwine. Only in her 3rd season, Lamson came to Montreal with as part of the Canadian National Development Team. She was actually supposed to compete with the Canadian Team this week but opted to help out Diet Cheerwine by becoming their mandatory fourth teammate. She was excited for the race to begin, her first time racing it. "I'm looking forward to this time trial, I'm just going to go all out, and hurt lots for only a few minutes."

Lamson will be racing with fellow New Brunswick native, Julie Belanger, also on Diet Cheerwine. Belanger is a fan of the Grand Tour. "What I like is that it's in Canada, Montreal is French, I know a lot of the spectators, I know a lot of the riders, I like it because it's fun! I like the level (of the riders) as well." Belanger has been enjoying racing with the new trade team this year. "It's a good team for development, to learn a lot, it's great. We have pro riders who have a lot of experience." She finished 35th in today's time trial.

Sue Palmer (Colavita/Cooking Light) seems to have finally recovered from a two-month illness that has been plaguing her since early this season. Even after winning the local race in Ontario (Niagara-Hamilton Classic: Effingham RR) she still didn't feel at full-form. She finished 11th in the time trial earlier today and seems to be coming back to full recovery.

Quark rider Canadian Audrey Lemieux had a great ride finishing 15th, a personal best for the rider at this event. "My goal was to do the best time that I could. I went very hard, too hard I think! I like the corners, technical corners." The young rider is looking forward to tonight's criterium. "I think it's going to be fun but I think we are going to have to ride hard."

The women compete later today in a criterium that runs through the streets of Little Italy.