July 23, 2013 (Saint-Denis-de-Jouhet, France) – Katarzyna Pawlowska, a Polish cyclist riding for Montreal-based Team GSD Gestion Kallisto Specialized, won the overall on Sunday at the 19th edition of the Tour International Féminin en Limousin (TIFL) stage race. Pawlowska won both Stages 3 and 4, to top the final GC by 11 seconds over Tatiana Antoshina (Russian National Team) in second and Edwige Pitel (Ita) Michela Fanini in third. This is the team’s first international stage victory.

Pawlowska cried out “we did it!” shortly after crossing the finish in the final stage, hugging each of her three team mates – Claire Thomas (GBR), Stephanie Roorda (CAN), and Anne-Marie Morin (CAN). The victory was all that more impressive because of the numerous Russian riders who were trying to trap and pin Pawlowska in on the final stage.

Another Canadian who competed at the 4-stage event was Karol-Ann Canuel (Vienne Futuroscope) who was 3rd on the podium in  in Stage 3 and finished 6th overall.

Pawlowska, a world track champion, began wearing the leader’s pink jersey after her Stage 3 victory, but the question was whether she could hang onto it with one more stage to go. The weather was very hot for the end of the TIFL but Pawlowska prevailed for the victory. The 2012 GC winner at the TIFL was Marianne Vos (Rabobank-Liv Giant)

Results (brief)

Stage 4

1. Katarzyna Pawlowska (Pol) GSD Gestion 3:31:18
2. Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) RusVélo
3. Svetlana Stolbova (Rus) Russian National Team
4. Sara Moustonen (Swe) Faren
5. Jennifer Fiori (Ita) Fassa Bortolo

Final GC
1. Katarzyna Pawlowska (Pol) GSD Gestion 10:58:19
2. Tatiana Antoshina (Rus) Russian National Team 0:11
3. Edwige Pitel (Ita) Michela Fanini 0:52
4. Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) RusVélo 1:06
5. Svetlana Stolbova (Rus) Russian National Team 1:10

6. Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Vienne Futuroscope 1:14
32. Stephanie Roorda (Can) GSD Gestion 5:55
52. Anne-Marie Morin (Can) GSD Gestion 35:38