June 2/05 11:40 am - Tour du Grand Montreal: Stage 5 and Final GC (brief)

Posted by Editoress on 06/2/05
 

Tour du Grand Montreal
By Leigh Hargrove

Stage Five: Mont-St-Hilaire, 114.55km

Today's race, although the fifth and final event of the multi-day international women's stage race, was full of non-stop action which kept spectators guessing until the finish.

An early crash took down Canadian Erinne Willock (Webcor Builders). A top four contender in the race, Willock was able to get back on her bike with some quick assistance from her mechanic. Teammates Betina Hold, also Canadian, and Stephanie Graeter waited behind to assist Willock in getting back to the pack. They were successful and the cheerful rider was able to get back in the race.

Attacks were plentiful and one that did stick was that of Subway rider Melissa Sanborn. She was later joined by two riders, Nobili Rubinetterie pro Daniella Fusar Poli and Team S.A.T.S. Rider Melissa Holt.

The break held its own 'till the end. Fusar Poli captured the win on the
uphill sprint finish, Sanborn was second, Holt third. Pack sprint was won by Oenone Wood.

Wood hung onto the leader's jersey in overall rankings, followed by Quark
powerhouse Annette Beutler. Third went to Team S.A.T.S rider Dorte Lohse
Rasmussen.


Unofficial

1. Daniella Fusar Poli (Ita) Nobili Rubinetterie-Menikini, 3:07:15
2. Melissa Sanborn (USA) Subway
3. Melissa Holt (Nzl) Team S.A.T.S, both s.t.
4. Oenone Wood (Aus) Nurnberger Versicherung, 3:09:35
5. Judith Arndt (Ger) Nurnberger Versicherung
6. Geneviève Jeanson (Can) ACDA-RONA
7. Annette Beutler (Sui) Quark
8. Pliego Moreno Dulce (Mex) Biovail
9. Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Nobilie Rubinetterie-Menikini
10. Grace Fleury (USA) Quark, all s.t.

Final GC

1. Oenone Wood (Aus) Nurnberger Versicherung
2. Annette Buetler (Sui) Quark
3. Dorte Lohse Rasmussen (Den) Team S.A.T.S