June 2, 2008 (Châteauguay, QC) – Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher won Stage 1 tonight, 15 laps of a 5.7km circuit in Châteauguay, over Oenone Wood (Aus) High Road Women in second and Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master Colour in third. Canada’s Alex Wrubleski (Webcor Builders) was the top Canadian in 8th. The 5-stage Tour du Grand Montréal runs from June 2-6.

German Regina Schleicher wins the first stage
Despite a fall, Clara Hugues continues the Tour

Châteauguay, June 2, 2008 — For a second straight year, the town of Châteauguay hosted the world female cycling elite for the first stage of the Tour du Grand Montréal.

The new 5.7 km circuit was covered 15 times to total 85.5 km in all. The flat course meant riders were able to average 42 km/h and then finish in a pack. German rider Regina Schleicher (Nurnberger Versicherung team) took the lead for the second time in a row in 1:59:41, followed by two Australians: Oenone Wood (Team High Road) and Rochelle Gilmore (Menikini Selle Italia Master Colors).

Four jerseys are in the lineup for the Tour du Grand Montréal. Apart from the yellow jersey (Quebec) now worn by Schleicher, the Dutch Suzanne De Goede (Nurnberger Team) captured the jersey as the leader in the sprint (Natur-a). Tanja Hennes (Specialized Designs for Women) nabbed the jersey for the best cyclist over 35 years old (Argon 18). The queen of the mountain jersey (Swiss International Air Lines) will be handed out for the first time at the next stage.

Canadian Clara Hughes took a fall just three laps from the finish. Despite scratches on her left side (knee, hip, elbow, hand), the cyclist, who has been living in Estrie for several years, was able to finish the race. The medical team is confident she will be on hand tomorrow for the Granby stage.

The Tour du Grand Montréal is a five-stage race being held from June 2 to 5, 2008. The second stage will take place tomorrow in Granby at the Daniel-Johnson Park at 5:00 p.m.

Results

1. Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 1:59:41
2. Oenone Wood (Aus) High Road Women
3. Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master Colour
4. Iraida Garcia (Cub) Equipe Nationale Cuba
5. Nathalie Lamborelle (Lux) UNIQA
6. Lorian Graham (Aus) Equipe Nationale Australia
7. Tanja Hennes (Ger) Specialized Designs for Women
8. Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders
9. Yeima Torres (Cub) Equipe Nationale Cuba
10. Christine Majerus (Lux) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion
11. Mirjam Hauser-Senn (Sui) Specialized Designs for Women
12. Fanny Riberot (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz
13. Lauren Franges (USA) Team TIBCO
14. Karin Aune (Swe) UNIQA
15. Kori Kelley Seehafer (USA) Menikini-Selle Italia Master Colour
16. Aude Pollet (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz
17. Yong Li Liu (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling
18. Sophie Creux (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion
19. Joelle Numainville (Can) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion
20. Li Ping Zhang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling
21. Jenny Trew (Can) Equipe Nationale Canada
22. Bettina Hold (Can) Equipe Nationale Canada
23. Fiona Dutriaux (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope
24. Elizaveta Bochkarova (Ukr) Equipe Nationale Ukraine
25. Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher
26. Anne Samplonius (Can) Equipe Nationale Canada
27. Julie Bellerose (Can) Equipe Cascades
28. Fei Wang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling
29. Dalila Rodriguez (Cub) Equipe Nationale Cuba
30. Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders
31. Lorena Foresi (Ita) Menikini-Selle Italia Master Colour
32. Julie Beveridge (Can) Aaron’s Professional Cycling
33. Lang Meng (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling
34. Louise Moriarty (Irl) Specialized Carrefour Multis
35. Emmanuelle Merlot (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope
36. Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis
37. Leigh Hobson (Can) Equipe Nationale Canada
38. Olena Andruk (Ukr) Equipe Nationale Ukraine
39. Larissa Kleinmann (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher
40. Meredith Miller (USA) Aaron’s Professional Cycling
41. Janel Holcomb (USA) Webcor Builders
42. Nikki Egyed (Aus) Equipe Nationale Australia
43. Carissa Wilkes (Nzl) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz
44. Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher
45. Sarah Grab (Sui) Specialized Designs for Women
46. Audrey Cordon (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope
47. Moriah Jo Macgregor (Can) Equipe Nationale Canada
48. Katherine Bates (Aus) High Road Women n
49. Daniela Pintarelli (Aut) UNIQA
50. Audrey Lemieux (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis
51. Monika Schachl (Aut) UNIQA
52. Yeugeniya Vysotska (Ukr) Equipe Nationale Ukraine
53. Judith Arndt (Ger) High Road Women n
54. Veronique Labonte (Can) Equipe Cascades
55. Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders
56. Yoanka Gonzalez (Cub) Equipe Nationale Cuba
57. Kateryna Krasova (Ukr) Equipe Nationale Ukraine
58. Kimberly Anderson (USA) High Road Women n
59. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Equipe Nationale Australia
60. Joanie Caron (Can) Equipe Cascades
61. Trine Schmidt (Den) Menikini-Selle Italia Master Colour
62. Helen Kelly (Aus) Team TIBCO
63. Julie Dheruelle (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope
64. Svitlana Galyuk (Ukr) Equipe Nationale Ukraine
65. Brooke Miller (USA) Team TIBCO
66. Marie Lindberg (Swe) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher
67. Kristen Lasasso (USA) Specialized Designs for Women
68. Rachel Heal (Gbr) Team TIBCO
69. Kristin Sanders (USA) Aaron’s Professional Cycling
70. Sara Carrigan (Aus) Equipe Nationale Australia
71. Felicia Gomez (Can) Aaron’s Professional Cycling
72. Eugenie Mermillod (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz
73. Susan Palmer-Komar (Can) Advil-Chapstick
74. Alyssa Mellon (Can) Ultralink
75. Mary Zider (USA) Advil-Chapstick
76. Bernadette Schober (Aut) UNIQA
77. Victoria Bastide (Swe) Team TIBCO
78. Chantal Beltman (Ned) High Road Women n
79. Mathilde Hupin (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis
80. Alison Testroete (Can) Aaron’s Professional Cycling
81. Min Gao (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling
82. Sufen Ma (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling
83. Béatrice Thomas (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion
84. Mara Abbott (USA) High Road Women n
85. Julie Marceau (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis
86. Yumari Gonzalez (Cub) Equipe Nationale Cuba
87. Emma Pooley (Gbr) Specialized Designs for Women
88. Elisa Gagnon (Can) Advil-Chapstick
89. Nathalie Bates (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master Colour
90. Jocelyn Loane (Aus) Equipe Nationale Australia
91. Brei Gudsell (Nzl) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz
92. Julia Farell (Can) Ultralink 0:23
93. Clara Hughes (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multis 4:53
94. Jen Stephenson (Can) Ultralink 4:53
95. Andrea Knecht (Sui) Specialized Designs for Women 8:43
96. Anne Guzman (Dom) Equipe Cascades 11:22
97. Johanne Cyr (Can) Equipe Cascades 14:56
98. Estelle Patou (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion 14:56
99. Jessica Burns (Can) Equipe Cascades 15:38
100. Sarah Coney (Can) Ultralink 18:32
DNF Allison Lampi (Can) Ultralink
DNF Kirsten Robbins (Can) Advil-Chapstick
DNF Carmen Mcnellis (USA) Aaron’s Professional Cycling