December 9, 2006 – On Friday, Dec. 8, at the double press conference on Montreal's St. Denis Street, Daniel Manibal, President of the Road UCI World Cup (women), featured in both. For the first conference, Manibal sat with Michel Le Chasseur, General Manager Strait Crossing Bridge Limited (the company that operates Confederation Bridge linking New Brunswick to PEI) and spoke about the new, 5-stage Tour de PEI, a UCI-sanctioned, women's event.
Also sitting at the front with Manibal was Quebec cyclist, Emilie Roy. The race will feature time trials on the Bridge and when asked by reporters why the Confederation Bridge was behind a cycling event, Le Chasseur replied that the event was likely to draw more tourists to the Island, "and after all, we do operate a toll bridge!"
After a few minutes pause between acts, another press conference followed, introducing a new women's team - Specialized-Menikini. The team combines Canadian, Australian, and French talent with Italian expertise. Sitting at the table was French cyclist Elodie Touffet (a bronze medalist at the French National Championships), Gerard Penarroya (directeur sportif), Walter Ricci Peititoni (sports manager of the Italian-based Menikini team), Daniel Manibal, and Karol-Ann Canuel (an 18-year-old rising Canadian star). Posing for a team photo afterwards were: Shanie Bergeron, Marie-Pier Bedard, Karol-Ann Canuel, Emilie Roy and Elodie Touffet. Touffet will continue to race in Europe and come to North America in 2007 for a few select events.
|
Photo: John Symon
(l-r): Gerard Penarroya (directeur sportif), Marie-Pier Bedard, Elodie Touffet, Karol-Ann Canuel, Shanie Bergeron, and Emilie Roy. (Olivia Gollan and Heather Lamson missing).
Photo: John Symon
Photo: John Symon
(l-r) Michel Le Chasseur, General Manager Strait Crossing Bridge Limited and Daniel Manibal, President of Road UCI Montreal Women's Road World Cup
Photo: John Symon
|
