June 14, 2010 (Gatineau, QC) – “I won!” exclaimed Joelle Numainville (Webcor Builders Cycling Team), almost in disbelief a few moments after winning the 99.2km Grand Prix Gatineau elite women’s road race on Sunday. The 22-year-old Montreal area native was happy, to put it mildly.

Speaking again just before the awards ceremony a more composed and confident, Numainville suggested that the 12.4km course through Gatineau Park was perfect for her and her strength as a sprinter. She came around the last corner and became a green blur, holding her two arms high as she crossed the line. Numainville attributes her victory to a flawless performance by her Webcor team – and she said that she was not intimidated by going up against some of the world’s best riders.

She spoke highly of Erinne Willock and Audrey Lemieux (current and former team mates, respectively), saying that both of them serve as role models for her. She also spoke about the two things she likes best about cycling: ‘going fast and climbing hills.’

Numainville then offered advice to younger female cyclists who might be interested in racing as she recounted her own experiences as a youth with the Espoirs Laval team. “Girls should start going out for rides and concentrate first on having a fun,” said Numainville.

On the sidelines there was much discussion about how Numainville might have won the Canadian road title last year if she hadn’t pulled a pedal 50 metres from the finish.

The weather was sunny and 25 degrees on race day with 79 riders from 15 teams on the start line Sunday at 1pm coming from as far as Europe and Australia. Following a slow start the lead would change often over the eight-lap course. As they approached the half-way mark it was the USA’s Evelyn Stevens (HTC Columbia) leading the charge with Canada’s Anne Samplonius (Eat clean Diet Women’s Cycling Team) in second. The pack began to spread out as the pace increased to about 40kmh.

One their fifth pass over the 12.4km loop, a group of eight cyclists had built up a 20s lead, led at one point by Carmen Small (USA) Colavita Baci Pro Cycling Team. But soon after this group was swallowed up by the chasing peloton.

In the final run to the finish Numainville held off Jo Kiesanowski (Nzl) TIBCO/To the Top who finished second and Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ltu) Colavita Baci Pro Cycling Team who claimed the final spot on the podium.

The riders spoke highly of the course. “Awesome! It’s a wide road with a great surface,” said Ottawa’s Sophie Matte (Stevens p/b the Cyclery) who flatted 15 minutes into the race, but managed to get that fixed by her support crew. Matte then realized that she had a brake problem as well and had to bail out of the race. Ariane Patenaude (Specialized) and team mate Kyla Rollinson who also DNF’d echoed many of Matte’s comments about the beautiful circuit.

Unlike the former Montreal Women’s Road World Cup, there was no steep 600 foot hill in the middle of the Gatineau circuit, but rather a gradual climb up to about 300 feet. Numainville mentioned there’s a ‘tricky section on the course where there was wind’.

Near the finish of the Gatineau GP road race a group of five cyclists went down on that last turn with Jenny Trew (Specialized Mazda Samson Groupe Conseil) perhaps getting the worst of it. The last we heard, Trew’s injuries seemed limited to road rash and a sore calf – we wish her a speedy recovery.

Organizer John Large explained that he was only toying with the idea of this race in December when news broke that the Montreal Women’s Road World Cup had been cancelled. He rushed to put everything into place and had to take time off work to get everything organized. He praised the efforts of Race Director, Remi Berube, in making connections with local governments and the support of local Ottawa cyclists Gord Fraser and Linda Jackson (respective team directors of the UnitedHealthcare-Maxxis and Tibco). “We held this race on the right circuit, in the right city, and in the right province,” summed up Large.

Asked about 2011 and a possible world cup road event, Large said, “We need to fine tune things first before committing to something bigger.” He added that he has lots plans for the event, but asked that we not release the details just yet…

Full results here.