May 11, 2012 (Gatineau, QC) – The best women cyclists in the world will face off on boulevard des Allumettières, in Gatineau, Quebec on May 19 and 21, with big names such as Clara Hugues, Olympic Champion Nicole Cooke and the legendary Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli. The Chrono Gatineau Rona (TT) and the Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau presented by Hydro-Québec – two up-and-coming races on the world women’s cycling circuit – will welcome a top class peloton on the eve of the London Olympic Games.

A total of 21 teams from different countries will gather at the starting line for both races, including some of the best teams in the world, such as Team Specialized – Lululemon (Germany), Greenedge (Australia), Faren Honda (Italy), Tibco to the Top (United States), Farno D’Asolo Colavita (Italy) and Optum Kelly Benefits (United States).

Chrono Gatineau Rona
The Chrono Gatineau Rona, which will take place on May 19 starting at 8:45 a.m., is an 18.4 km time trial with two laps of a 9.7 km loop that includes a 500 m hill with a 5.9% slope, and a few technical turns that should help the more powerful riders. Everyone is eagerly waiting to see outgoing champion Clara Hugues (CAN, Specialized Lululemon), the multiple world champion Jeannie Longo (FR) and American Amber Neben (USA, Specialized), 2008 time-trial world champion. There will also be several national TT champions, including American Evelyn Stevens (USA, Specialized-Lululemon), Danish Linda Villumsen (DAN, GreenEdge) and Australian Shara Gillow (AUS, GreenEdge). Also worth watching are Canada’s Tara Whitten (CAN, TIBCO), world champion of the Omnium in track cycling, and Rhae Shaw (CAN, Team Canada), who came in 7th at the last time trial world championship. At this level of competition, the winner will be one to watch at the Olympics this summer.

Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau presented by Hydro-Québec
The course of the Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau presented by Hydro-Québec is longer and more challenging this year, with 13 laps of a 10.18 km circuit, for a total of 134 km. A real endurance course, the succession of hills will eliminate the weaker riders and should benefit a small group of breakaways. The riders to watch include Nicole Cooke (G-B, Faren Honda Team), the Olympic Champion preparing to defend her title in London this summer, Fabiana Luperini (ITA, Faren Honda Team), multiple winner of La Grande Boucle Féminine, and German champion Ina-Yoko Teutenberg. Other favourites are American Megan Guarnier (USA, TIBCO), recent winner of the Redlands Classic, and Evelyn Stevens (USA, Specialized-Lululemon), winner of the Flèche Wallone in April. And of course, Canada’s Joëlle Numainville (CAN, Optum Kelly Benefits), winner of the race in 2010, and in terrific shape this year, with a third place finish of the Tour des Flandres, Karol Ann Canuel (CAN, Canadian National Team) and Véronique Fortin (CAN, TIBCO), the Canadian champion living in Gatineau, who will be highly motivated to race on her home turf!

The GP Cycliste Gatineau presented by Hydro-Québec and the Chrono Gatineau Rona are the only two races sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale in Canada (UCI WE 1.1). In addition to the two women’s races, the Grand Prix will also organize a provincial men’s race, a Gran Fondo, a family outing and numerous activities to promote cycling.

List of the teams as of May 11, 2012
Chrono Gatineau Rona: Chrono
Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau presented by Hydro-Québec: GPCG

Axman Team (TAI)
– Ho Hsun Huang (TPE) – Chrono and GPCG
– Mei-Yu Hsiao (TPE) – Chrono and GPCG
– Hsiao-Chia Tseng (TPE) – Chrono and GPCG
– Yu-Hsuan Lee (TPE) – Chrono and GPCG
– Chia-Hui Lin (TPE) – Chrono and GPCG

Colavita ESPN (USA)
– Moriah Macgregor (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Jamie Bookwalter (USA) – Chrono and GPCG
– Joanie Caron (USA) – GPCG
– Jasmin Glaesser (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Leah Guloien (CAN) – GPCG
– Mary Zider (USA) – GPCG

Destination Cycling (USA)
– Marty Shea (USA) – Chrono
– Dolmans Boels (NED)
– Emma Trott (GBR) – Chrono
– Pauliena Rooijakkers (NED) – Chrono

Canadian National Cycling Team (CAN)
– Rhae Christie Shaw (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Julie Beveridge (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Karol Ann Canuel (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Carrie Cartmill (CAN) – GPCG
– Candice Vermeulen (CAN) – GPCG

Ukraine National Team (UKR)
– Olena Pavlukhina (UKR) – Chrono and GPCG
– Alona Andruk (UKR) – Chrono and GPCG
– Olena Sharga (UKR) – GPCG
– Ielizaveta Oshurkova (UKR) – GPCG
– Viktoriia Vologdina (UKR) – GPCG

Faren Honda Team (ITA)
– Nicole Cooke (GBR) – Chrono and GPCG
– Fabiana Luperini (ITA) – Chrono and GPCG
– Rochelle Gilmore (AUS) – Chrono and GPCG
– Luisa Tamanini (ITA) – Chrono and GPCG
– Jennifer Hohl (SUI) – GPCG
– Myfnwy Galloway (AUS) – GPCG

Farno D’Asolo Colavita (ITA)
– Whitney Gaggioli (USA) – Chrono and GPCG
– Sari Saarelainen (FIN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Jessica Uebelhart (SUI) – Chrono and GPCG
– Uenia Fernandes (BRA) – Chrono and GPCG
– Flavia Oliveira (BRA) – Chrono and GPCG
– Liza Racchetto (USA) – GPCG

GreenEdge – AIS (AUS)
– Linda Villumsen (NZL) – Chrono and GPCG
– Shara Gillow (AUS) – Chrono and GPCG
– Alexis Rhodes (AUS) – Chrono and GPCG
– Melissa Hoskins (AUS) – GPCG
– Claudia Hauesler (GER) – Chrono and  GPCG
– Jessie Maclean (AUS) – GPCG

Infinit Nutrition Cycle Power (CAN)
– Veronik Bourgon (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Nina Nesdoly (CAN) – GPCG
– Heather Shearer (CAN) – GPCG
– Alexandria Wilson (CAN) – GPCG
– Courtnay Romkey (CAN) – GPCG
– Allison Lampi (CAN) – GPCG

Kallisto Wheels of Bloor (CAN)
– Steph Skoreyko (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Jamie Gilgen (CAN) – GPCG
– Cathy Zeglinski (CAN) – GPCG
– Anna Harkowska (CAN) – GPCG
– Cheryl Rondeau (CAN) – GPCG

Now and Novertis for MS
– Olivia Dillon (IRL) – Chrono

Optum Kelly Benefits Strategies (USA)
– Joelle Numainville (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Carmen Small (USA) – Chrono and GPCG
– Denise Ramsden (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Leah kirchmann (CAN) – GPCG
– Lex Albrecht (CAN) – GPCG
– Annie Ewart (CAN) – GPCG

PK Express Biemme (CAN)
– Suzie Brown (CAN) (AUS) – Chrono and GPCG
– Kacy Wander (USA) (AUS) – Chrono and GPCG
– Susan Palmer-Komar (CAN) – GPCG
– Laura Haapamaki (CAN) – GPCG
– Jenny Yves – GPCG

Real Deal Racing La Bicycletta (CAN)
– Julia Bradley (CAN) – GPCG
– Myriam Gaudreault (CAN) – GPCG
– Catherine Dessureault (CAN) – GPCG
– Évelyn Blouin (CAN) – GPCG
– Arlene Marchildon (CAN) – GPCG
– Laurie Dumas (CAN) – GPCG

Specialized Lululemon (GER)
– Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (GER) – Chrono and GPCG
– Amber Neben (USA) – Chrono and GPCG
– Clara Hughes (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Evelyn Stevens (USA) – Chrono and GPCG
– Ally Stacher (USA) – Chrono and GPCG

Specialized Mazda (CAN)
– Allison Bevridge (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Karlee Gendron (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Anne Marie Morin (CAN) – GPCG
– Virginie Gauthier (CAN) – GPCG
– Nik Vogler (CAN) – GPCG

Steven’s Racing team p/b The Cyclery (CAN)
– Adrianne Provost (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Sue Schlatter (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Sara Byers (CAN) – GPCG
– Carrie Cartmill (CAN) – GPCG
– Evelyne Gagnon (CAN) – GPCG
– Florence Laplante-Lamarche (CAN) – GPCG

Team Quebec (CAN)
– Alizée Brien (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Gabrielle Pilote-Fortin  (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Véronique Labonté (CAN) – GPCG
– Élizabeth Albert (CAN) – GPCG
– Audrey Bernard (CAN) – GPCG

Tibco to the Top (USA)
– Tara Whiten (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Megan Guarnier (USA) – Chrono and GPCG
– Jen Purcell (USA) – GPCG
– Kendall Ryan (USA) –  GPCG
– Lauren Hall (USA) –  GPCG
– Véronique Fortin (CAN) –  GPCG

Vanderkitten Focus (USA)
– Bridie O’Donnell (AUS) – Chrono and GPCG
– Kathleen Billington (USA) – Chrono and GPCG
– Emily Collins (NZL) – GPCG
– Kate Chilcott (NZL) – GPCG
– Ruth Winder (USA) – GPCG
– Jasmin Hurikino (AUS) – GPCG

West Quebec Wheelers (CAN)
– Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (FRA) (CAN) – Chrono and GPCG
– Caroline Ryan (IRE) – Chrono and GPCG
– Lenores Pipes (GU) – GPCG
– Kristen Lotito (USA) – GPCG
– Olivia Dillon (IRE) – GPCG
– Joyce Nyaruri Matara (KEN) – GPCG