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.

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