Teutenberg wins Gatineau women's road race; Numainville 4th

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Teutenberg (Ger) wins Gatineau road race photo © Peter Kraiker  / Miroir du Cyclisme

GP Cycliste Gatineau Hydro-Québec (UCI 1.1 – femmes)

Ina-Yoko Teutenberg domine le sprint!

L’équipe Specialized Lululemon remporte les deux courses du weekend

(English + race quotes below)

par Groupe Simoncic

Gatineau, le 21 mai 2012 - Le weekend a été chaud à Gatineau avec un ciel bleu et une température atteignant les 30 degrés. Samedi, lors du contre-la-montre, la favorite Clara Hughes (Specialized Lululemon) a remporté les honneurs, alors que la journée dimanche était réservée aux amateurs de vélo avec un gran fondo reprenant une partie du parcours des pros dans le Parc de la Gatineau. Aujourd’hui, jour férié, les spectateurs furent nombreux à profiter de l’occasion pour assister à une course enlevante sous un soleil radieux.

Pour sa 3e année, le GP Cycliste Gatineau a apporté de nombreux changements au parcours. Celui-ci a été allongé à 134 km, avec 13 tours d’un circuit de 10.18 km contenant un long faux plat, quelques courtes montées sèches et des sections techniques de style critérium.

À la veille des jeux Olympiques de Londres, la course aux points UCI laissait présager d’une forte concurrence au GP Cycliste Gatineau cette année. De grands noms se retrouvaient sur la ligne de départ ce matin, comme Clara Hughes, Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, Amber Neben, Evelyn Stevens (Specialized Lululemon), Nicole Cooke, Rochelle Gilmore, Fabiana Luperini (Faren Honda), Joëlle Numainville (Optum Kelly Benefits), Tara Whitten (Tibco to the Top), Shara Gillow (GreenEdge AIS) et Karol Ann Canuel (Team Canada). Avec un tel peloton international, la course  pourrait bien être une répétition générale des jeux de juillet!

Une course de mouvement!

À peine quelques kilomètres après le départ, la triple championne du monde sur piste Tara Whitten (Tibco to the Top) s’échappait en solitaire et bâtissait rapidement une avance de plus d’une minute. La chasse n’étant pas organisée dans le peloton, l’avance de Tara montait graduellement jusqu’à 1 minute 49 après 40 km de course, mais cet écart a commencé à redescendre une fois que les équipes GreenEdge et Specialized Lululemon ont pris les choses en main en tête du groupe. Whitten a résisté bravement, mais a dû s’incliner au 7e tour, après 50 km d’échappée.

Après la jonction, une série d’attaques sont parties du peloton sans jamais obtenir plus qu’une poignée de secondes, y compris quelques tentatives sérieuses par Rochelle Gilmore, Fabiana Luperini (Faren Hondo), Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, Evelyn Stevens, Amber Neben (Specialized-lululemon), Alona Andruk (Ukraine), Rhae Shaw (Canadian national team), Melissa Hoskins (GreenEdge-AIS) et une escapade solo par la très populaire Clara Hughes. Il semblait que l’équipe Specialized Lululemon cherchait à être dans chaque échappée.

Avec deux tours à faire, le peloton se retrouvait groupé et la vitesse élevée réduisait la taille du groupe par l’arrière. Dans un rond-point, Rhae Shaw, victime d’une chute, entrainait sa compatriote Clara Hughes qui se heurtait le dos contre la selle. Celle-ci put toutefois remonter sur le vélo et revenir sur la course. À 7 km de l’arrivée, un dangereux groupe de 12 coureuses arrivait à creuser un mince écart, contenant Amber Neben, Evelyn Stevens, Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Specialized-lululemon), Joelle Numainville, Lex Albrecht (Optum Kelly Benefits), Megan Guarnier (Tibco), Alona Andruk (Team Ukraine), Melissa Hoskins, Shara Gillow (GreenEdge Orica), Karol-Ann Canuel (Team Canada) et Rochelle Gilmore (Faren Honda). Le peloton n’a jamais cédé plus de 10 secondes à ce groupe, le talonnant dans le dernier rond-point, mais les leaders ont réussi à maintenir leur avance jusqu’au bout. Et c’est sur un très long sprint que s’est décidée la course, Teutenberg finissant devant Rochelle Gilmore et l’ukrainienne Alona Andruk, Joëlle Numainville se plaçant 4e.

Pour sa part, Clara Hugues finissait 8e, le dos endolori par sa chute. Après la course, elle s’est rendue à l’hôpital pour effectuer quelques tests, mais elle semblait confiante de n’avoir rien de grave. Nous lui souhaitons un prompt rétablissement et bonne chance pour les jeux de Londres!

Encore une fois, l’équipe Specialized Lululemon a prouvé qu’elle est l’une des meilleures équipes du monde, ayant été à l’avant pendant toute la seconde moitié de la course, contrôlant chaque échappée et remportant l’épreuve avec la sprinteuse la plus rapide, Ina-Yoko Teutenberg.

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May 21, 2012 ( Gatineau, QC)– It was a hot spring weekend in Gatineau with blue skies and temperatures reaching the low 30s. Saturday’s times trial had seen pre-race favourite Clara Hughes (Specialized-lululemon) take the honours and Sunday had been a day for the amateurs to ride part of the pro’s course with a Gran Fondo up into the Gatineau Hills.

On Sunday, a national holiday, crowds were pleased to have the opportunity to watch more serious bike racing under some seriously blue skies.

For its third year, the GP Cycliste Gatineau brought many changes to the road race course. It was lengthened to 134km, with 13 loops around a 10.18 km circuit that included a long false flat, a few sharp hills and some crit-like technical sections.

The lead up to the London Olympics meant that many riders were looking for precious UCI points and competition would be fierce at this year’s GP Just a few kilometers after the start, three-time world track champion Whitten (Tibco) made a solo move and quickly built up a lead of over a minute. With no concerted chase behind, Whitten’s lead steadily climbed to 1:49 after 40 km of racing, but that changed when GreenEdge and Specialized-lululemon massed at the front of the pack to pick up the speed. Whitten bravely resisted, but was brought back her back on lap 6, having been on her own at the front for over 50km.

Cycliste Gatineau. Big names were at the start, including Hughes, Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, Amber Neben, Evelyn Stevens (Specialized-lululemon), Nicole Cooke, Rochelle Gilmore, Fabiana Luperini (Faren Honda), Joëlle Numainville (Optum Kelly Benefits), Tara Whitten (Tibco to the Top), Shara Gillow (GreenEdge AIS) and Karol Ann Canuel (Team Canada). With such an international peloton, today was looking like a dressed rehearsal for the Games in August.

Then a series of attacks were launched that never got more than a handful of seconds, including some serious-looking moves by Faren Hondo’s Gilmore and Luperini, Teutenberg, Stevens, Neben , Alona Andruk (Ukraine), Rhae Shaw (Canadian national team), Melissa Hoskins (GreenEdge-AIS) – and a strong solo attack by the crowd’s favourite Hughes. It seemed like the Specialized-lululemon Team wanted to be in every break.

With two laps to go it was all together again and the speed was high as the field was being reduced by attrition as riders were shed off the back. At a hairpin turn, Shaw crashed and Hughes couldn’t avoid her, hitting her back on her saddle, but she was able to remount and chase back on.

With 7km to go, a strong group of 12 got away, containing Neben, Stevens, Teutenberg, Numainville, Megan Guarnier (Tibco), Ukraine’s Andruk, Lex Albrecht, Melissa Hoskins, Shara Gillow (GreenEdge Orica), Canuel (Team Canada) and Gilmore (Faren Honda).

But the main field never allowed them more than 10 seconds and it was right on the breakaway’s heels as they hit the final roundabout – but the leaders were able to keep their advantage. Over the last 300m, the sprint was a real drag race with Teutenberg, Gilmore and Numainville rushing for the line. Teutenberg was the strongest and took the honours over Gilmore with Andruk grabbing 3rd ahead of Numainville in fourth.

Hughes fought back to finish 8th despite having hurt her back in the fall. After the race, she was taken to the hospital to make sure everything was alright. We all wish her a speedy recovery and best of luck for the coming Olympics.

Once again, the Specialized-lululemon Team showed it’s one of the best teams in the world, having been at the front for most of the second half of the race. They were in all the breaks and ultimately had the fastest finisher with Teutenberg.

Race Quotes

Race winner Ina-Yoko Teutenberg:

This was a fast rolling course, so it was hard to get away. A lot of people tried after the first 50 km but it never stuck. The girls from the team went into breaks and they knew they had me in the back in case of a sprint. Sadly we lost Clara after she crashed in the final lap, but I had three girls with me at the end so it worked out very well.

Ronny Lauke, Team Manager for Specialized-lululemon:

The race unfolded as we had planned. We didn’t want to wait for the final sprint as we knew the other teams would expect us to. We tried to be open, and make the race interesting by going in the breakaways and making the other teams work. We’re very happy with how things unfolded having won both races here in Gatineau.

Erik Lyman, Race Director for the GPCG:

This was the ideal scenario. The field was very strong and the second half of the race saw some very aggressive riding and lots of attacking. In the end, a late break made it to the finish with some of the strongest riders. This is exactly the type of racing we were hoping for when the course was redesigned.

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May 21, 2012 (Gatineau, QC) – It’s a hot, sunny and clear day for the 13-lap Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau, 132.34km, presented by Hydro-Québec now underway. At the half-way point Tara Whitten (Can) Tibco to the Top now has a 1-min lead as the 100+ strong chasing pack has started to react.

Whitten had almost a 2-min minute gap at one point with Specialized-lululemon controlling the peloton behind. There were a few attacks early on but nothing stuck until Whitten escaped.

The gap to Whitten is dropping fast as Bridie O’Donnell of Vanderkitten Focus bridges to her with 6 laps to go. But the peloton has had enough and the two are reeled in at the 75km point… there lots of riders off the back and the lead pack has split into two groups.

Now Specialized-lululemon’s Evelyn Stevens attacks and she is joined by Carmen Small of Optum and Team Canada’s Rhae Shaw but once again the peloton say’s NO WAY.

Stevens goes again and Italy’s Fabiana Luperini (Faren Honda) jumps as well… Specialized-lululemon’s Clara Hughes likes her chances and goes too taking the lead – 4 to go.

Hughes is off the front with two Canadian riders… Julie Beveridge of Team Canada and Leah Kirchman of Optum Kelly Benefits have joined the break.

Now Denise Ramsden (Optum Kelly Benefits Strategies) is up there as well in front… back together.

The attacks begin again as the riders know the opportunities are dropping as the race is in the final part…now 5 riders get a gap – 2 laps to go and there are more attacks.

Now O’Donnell and Kathryn Donavan get a gap on the field… the pace is picking up. But they’re not getting away – now a group of 8-10 riders establish a 15-sec gap.

Could this be the winning break…?

We believe Clara Hughes has crashed in a corner (?) but is ok and back up.

Karol-Ann Canuel is in the 12-rider break with Lex Albrecht (Optum), Amber Neben (Specialized-lululemon) and GBR’s Nicole Cooke – this break looks strong with one to go.

Joelle Numainville (Optum) has bridged to the leaders – apparently Hughes and Rhae Shaw both crashed in a corner but are ok and trying to catch back on. Hughes looked like she was going to be crash-free this time in Gatineau but not so fast.

With 5km to go the break is holding… the lead group has swelled to almost 20 riders and it could come down to a bunch sprint – several heavy hitters up there are getting ready to strike.

The group is back together… 2km to go…a crash creates a split in the pack.

Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (GER)  takes the win for Specialized-lululemon – top Canuck is  Numainville.


FQSC Press release: HERE

Results

1. Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Ger) Specialized-lululemon 3:25:03

2. Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Faren Honda Team

3. Alona Andruk (Ukr) Ukraine National Team

4. Joelle Numainville (Can) Optum Kelly Benefits

5. Carmen Small (USA) Optum Kelly Benefits 0:02

6. Kate Chilcott (Nzl) Vanderkitten Focus

7. Nicole Cooke (Gbr) Faren Honda Team 0:05

8. Clara Hughes (Can) Specialized-lululemon   

9. Jasmin Hurikino (Aus) Vanderkitten Focus

10. Evelyn Stevens (USA) Specialized-lululemon 0:14

11. Amber Neben (USA) Specialized-lululemon

12. Leah Kirchmann (Can) Optum Kelly Benefits 0:19

13. Mei-Yu Hsiao (Tpe) Axman Team

14. Lenore Pipes (Gu-) West Quebec Wheelers

15. Jennifer Purcell (USA) TIBCO-To the Top

16. Karlee Gendron (Can) Specialized Mazda-SGC

17. Anne-Marie Morin B. (Can) Specialized Mazda-SGC

18. Julie Beveridge (Can) Canadian National Team 

19. Lex Albrecht (Can) Optum Kelly Benefits 

20. Jennifer Hohl (Sui) Faren Honda Team

21. Kendall Ryan (USA) TIBCO-To the Top

22. Lauren Hall (USA) TIBCO-To the Top

23. Denise Ramsden (Can) Optum Kelly Benefits 

24. Olena Pavlukhina (Ukr) Ukraine National Team

25. Ielizaveta Oshurkova (Ukr) Ukraine National Team

26. Chia-Hui Lin (Tpe) Axman Team

27. Olivia Dillon (Irl) West Quebec Wheelers

28. Véronique Labonté (Can) Equipe Du Québec

29. Chiara Nadalutti (Ita) Faren Honda Team

30. Megan Guarnier (USA) TIBCO-To the Top

31. Élisabeth Albert (Can) Equipe Du Québec 

32. Liza Rachetto (USA) Forno D’Asolo Colavita

33. Flavia Oliveira (Bra) Forno D’Asolo Colavita

34. Olena Sharha (Ukr) Ukraine National Team

35. Viktoria Vologdina (Ukr) Ukraine National Team

36. Ally Stacher (USA) Specialized-lululemon

37. Leah Guloien (Can) Colavita ESPN  

38. Sari Saarelainen (Fin) Forno D’Asolo Colavita

39. Jamie Bookwalter (USA) Colavita ESPN

40. Michelle Gauthier (Can) Infinit Nutrition Cycle Power

41. Jasmin Glaesser (Can) Colavita ESPN  

42. Nik Vogler (Can) Specialized Mazda-SGC

43. Jessica Uebelhart (Sui) Forno D’Asolo Colavita

44. Moriah Jo MacGregor (Can) Colavita ESPN 

45. Hsiao-Chia Tseng (Tpe) Axman Team

46. Myriam Gaudreault (Can) Real Deal Racing La Bicicletta

47. Caroline Ryan (Irl) West Quebec Wheelers

48. Whitney Gaggioli (USA) Forno D’Asolo Colavita

49. Shara Gillow (Aus) GreenEdge-AIS

50. Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Canadian National Team  

51. Gabrielle Pilote-Fortin (Can) Equipe Du Québec  

52. Ho Hsun Huang (Tpe) Axman Team

53. Véronique Fortin (Can) TIBCO-To the Top

54. Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Faren Honda Team

55. Carrie Cartmill (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery 0:37

56. Myfanwy Galloway (Aus) Faren Honda Team 0:45

57. Kathleen Billington (USA) Vanderkkitten Focus 0:46

58. Kathryn Donavan (USA) Colavita ESPN 0:48

59. Claudia Hauesler (Ger) GreenEdge-AIS

60. Rhae Shaw (Can) Canadian National Team 1:14 

61. Bridie O’Donnell (Aus) Vanderkitten Focus 1:36

62. Jessie Maclean (Aus) GreenEdge-AIS 1:38

63. Joanie Caron (Can) Colavita ESPN 2:34  

64. Kacy Kristine Wander (USA) PK Express Biemme 3:50

65. Annie Ewart (Can) Optum Kelly Benefits 4:01 

66. Yu-Hsuan Lee (Tpe) Axman Team 7:09

67. Melissa Hoskins (Aus) GreenEdge-AIS 9:52

68. Alexis Rhodes (Aus) GreenEdge-AIS

69. Cathy Zeglinski (Can) Kallisto Wheels of Oakville 12:34

70. Candice Vermeulen (Can) Canadian National Team 16:42 

71. Kristin Lotito (USA) West Quebec Wheelers

72. Julie Lafreniere (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery

73. Véronique Drapeau-Zgoralski (Can) Specialized Mazda-SGC

74. Alizée Brien (Can) Equipe Du Québec 16:48 

75. Laura Haapamaki (Can) PK Express Biemme 

76. Heather Shearer (Can) Infinit Nutrition Cycle Power 16:50

77. Audrey Labrie (Can) Canadian National Team 16:53 

DNF Tara Whitten (Can) TIBCO-To the Top

DNF Emily Collins (Nzl) Vanderkitten Focus

DNF Ruth Winder (USA) Vanderkitten Focus

DNF Suzie Brown (Can) PK Express Biemme 

DNF Jenny L. Ives (USA) PK Express Biemme

DNF Audrey Bernard (Can) Equipe Du Québec 

DNF Allison Beveridge (Can) Specialized Mazda-SGC

DNF Virginie Gauthier (Can) Specialized Mazda-SGC

DNF Stephanie Skoreyko (Can) Kallisto Wheels of Oakville

DNF Jamie Gilgen (Can) Kallisto Wheels of Oakville

DNF Veronik Bourgon (Can) Infinit Nutrition Cycle Power

DNF Nina Nesdoly (Can) Infinit Nutrition Cycle Power

DNF Alexandria Wilson (Can) Infinit Nutrition Cycle Power

DNF Allison Lampi (Can) Infinit Nutrition Cycle Power

DNF Adriane Provost (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery

DNF Sara Byers (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery

DNF Evelyne Gagnon (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery

DNF Kelly Knowles (Can) Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery

DNF Arlene Marchildon (Can) Real Deal Racing La Bicicletta

DNF Catherine Dessureault (Can) Real Deal Racing La Bicicletta

DNF Evelyne Blouin (Can) Real Deal Racing La Bicicletta

DNF Laurie Dumas (Can) Real Deal Racing La Bicicletta

DNS Cheryl Rondeau (Can) Kallisto Wheels of Oakville

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