May 31, 2008 (Montreal, QC) – It was raining hard this morning but it has eased up and looks like it might stop soon, however there’s still heavy cloud coverage as the 11th Montreal Women’s Road World Cup, round #6 of the UCI series, is about to begin. There are thinner crowds here for the start likely due to the weather and there are 42 Canadians on the start line out of field of 135 racers. Riders will complete 11 laps of the 10.06km circuit. Top Canadian contender, Alex Wrubleski (Webcor) turns 24 today – happy birthday Alex – and it’s not hard to guess what her birthday wish is.

Lap 1
The riders got off to a smooth start and have stayed together for the most part with no crashes as was the case last year.

Lap 2
Leading the charge at the start of lap 2 it’s Emma Pooley (Gbr) Specialized Designs for Women at the front followed by Carmen Mcnellis (USA) Aaron’s Professional Cycling Team in second.

Now there’s been a crash – we believe on the descent.

Lap 3
Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Team High Road Women is now leading at the start of lap 3 with Mirjam Hauser-Senn (Sui) Specialized Designs for Women in 2nd and Tibco’s Brooke Miller (USA) in third. Top Canadian at this point looks like Betina Hold (Canadian National Team).

Teutenberg has now jumped ahead and opened up 50-sec. lead.

Lap 4
At the start of lap 4 it’s Teutenberg now at minute with 3 chasers lead by Pascale Schnider (Sui) Cervelo-Lifeforce, then Lauren Franges (USA) Tibco followed by Meredith Miller (USA) Aaron’s Professional Cycling Team. Top Canadian is Leigh Hobson (Canadian National Team) in 17th.

No one was injured seriously in the earlier crash. The rain, which picked up after the start, has eased again.

Lap 5
Teutenberg has increased her lead to 1:18 at the start of lap 5 as the rain is stopping. Schnider’s in second followed now by Kori Kelleyseehafer (USA) Menikini-Selle Italia Master Color in 3rd with Canada’s Alex Wrubleski (Webcor) now in 4th – the peloton is close behind.

Lap 6
As the riders begin lap 6, over 1/2 way through the race, it’s Teutenberg still leading but now at 50 seconds. Patricia Schwager (Sui) Cervelo-Lifeforce has moved into second with team mate Schnider in third and Wrubleski in fourth with the peloton strung out behind. Last year’s winner Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Menikini-Selle Italia Master Color is having trouble while veteran rider Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Fra) Team Pro Femininles Carroz appears to be hurting.

Lap 7
Teutenberg is at 53 seconds with Schwager still in second as Pooley moves up into third and Canada’s Erinne Willock (Webcor) takes over 4th as Wrubleski drops back into 7th. The course is now drying out which will make for an interesting finish with 4 laps go after they complete lap 7. The crowds are still thinner than expected at the start-finish.

Lap 8
Teutenberg comes through first on lap 8 but the gap has closed considerably and Pooley is gaining fast and has now caught her. Judith Arndt (Ger) Team High Road Women has moved up as well now in 3rd with Canada’s Wrubleski and Willock working together in 5th and 6th as the pace picks up.

Luperini who appeared to be having trouble previously has moved up and has taken over the lead with Arndt in 2nd and Kristen Armstrong (USA) Cervelo-Lifeforce is now in third with Wrubleski and Willock still in the mix with Felicia Gomez (Can) Aaron’s Professional Cycling Team not far behind.

Lap 9
The race has become more animated as Nikki Egyed (Aus) Australian National Team is leading at the start of lap 9 with Giant’s Lang Meng (Chn) in second and Franges in 3rd, Willock is 5th, Wrubleski is 7th, with Anne Samplonius (Canadian National Team) now moving up as well.

As the riders hit the big climb it’s Italy’s Luperini taking over the lead again with Emma Pooley (Gbr) behind her and Armstrong taking back third place.

Lap 10
Coming through on lap 10 with one more to go after this lap it’s Priska Doppman (Sui) Cervelo-Lifeforce leading followed by Egyed in second, High Road’s Kimberly Anderson (USA) in third, Kelleyseehafer in 4th with Wrubleski maintaining her position near the front in 6th.

Again as the peloton hits the big ascent up Mount Royal the climbers take over with Luperini and Pooley attacking.

Now a group of 8 riders has made a move including 3 Canadians – Willock, Samplonius and Hobson – the others are Luperini, Arndt, Armstrong and Sara Carrigan (Aus) Australian National Team – 8th rider’s name to come.

Lap 11 Final
The break has been caught and coming through the final lap it’s Armstrong in 1st with Samplonius in 2nd and Arndt in 3rd with the riders strung out close behind.

Following the climb it’s Luperini and Arndt leading with 30-40 sec. over Canada’s Willock and Hobson chasing close behind.

Arndt takes win over Luperini with Hobson in 3rd.

With Hobson’s strong 3rd place finish she has set herself up unofficially for Canada’s second spot for Beijing along with Wrubleski, while the third selection “will be a tough decision with Samplonius and Willock being the top contenders,” commented FQSC director general, Louis Barbeau.

Results

1. Judith Arndt (Ger) Team High Road Women 3:11:34
2. Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Menikini-Selle Italia Master Colors
3. Leigh Hobson (Can) Canadian National Team 0:32
4. Sara Carrigan (Aus) Australian National Team 0:34
5. Kristen Armstrong (USA) Cervelo-Lifeforce
6. Anne Samplonius (Can) Canadian National Team
7. Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders
8. Emma Pooley (GBr) Specialized Designs for Women 0:38
9. Priska Doppman (Sui) Cervelo-Lifeforce 0:51
10. Nikki Egyed (Aus) Australian National Team
11. Edwige Pittel (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz 0:53
12. Lauren Franges (USA) Team Tibco 1:10
13. Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl) Team Tibco 1:23
14. Lang Meng (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling
15. Chantal Beltman (Ned) High Road Women
16. Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ltu) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung
17. Felicia Gomez (Can) Aaron’s Professional Cycling Team
18. Kimberly Anderson (USA) High Road Women
19. Giuseppina Grassi (Mex) Equipe Nationale Mexique
20. Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders
21. Ruth Corset (Aus) Australian National Team
22. Julie Beveridge (Can) Aaron’s Professional Cycling Team
23. Kori Kelley Seehafer (USA) Menikini-Selle Italia Master Colors 1:26
24. Monika Schachl (Aut) Uniqua 3:00
25. Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master Colors 9:11
26. Nathalie Bates (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master Colors 9:13
27. Karin Aune (Swe) Uniqua
28. Audrey Cordon (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope 9:15
29. Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung
30. Sarah Grab (Sui) Specialized Designs for Women
31. Victoria Bastide (Swe) Team Tibco
32. Christine Majerus (Lux) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion
33. Sue Schlatter (Can) EMD Seronon Stevens
34. Rachel Heal (GBr) Team Tibco
35. Patricia Schwager (Sui) Cervelo-Lifeforce
36. Brooke Miller (USA) Team Tibco
37. Oenone Wood (Aus) Team High Road Women
38. Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team
39. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Australian National Team
40. Yeugeniya Vysotska (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team 14:18
41. Johanne Cyr (Can) Equipe Cascades
42. Kristin Sanders (USA) Aaron’s Professional Cycling Team 17:17
43. Bettina Hold (Can) Canadian National Team
44. Moriah Jo Macgregor (Can) Canadian National Team
45. Sarah Duster (Ger) Cervelo-Lifeforce
46. Julie Bellerose (Can) Equipe Cascades
47. Min Gao (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling
48. Sufen Ma (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling
49. Daniela Pintarelli (Aut) Uniqua
50. Jennifer Stephenson (Can) Ultralink
51. Svitlana Galyuk (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team 17:20
HD Yeima Torres (Cub) Cuban National Team
HD Iraida Garcia (Cub) Cuban National Team
HD Belem Guerrero (Mex) Equipe Nationale Mexique
HD Bernadette Schober (Aut) Uniqua
HD Fei Wang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling
HD Li Ping Zhang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling
HD Marie Lindberg (Swe) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung
HD Sophie Matte (Can) EMD Serono Stevens
HD Yong Li Liu (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling
HD Mary Zider (USA) Advil-Chapstick
HD Sophie Creux (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion
HD Kateryna Krasova (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team
HD Julia Bradley (Can) EMD Serono Stevens
HD Alyssa Mellon (Can) Ultralink
HD Catherine Hogan (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multisport
HD Eugenie Mermillod (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz
HD Beatrice Thomas (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion
HD Dalila Rodriguez (Cub) Cuban National Team
HD Tricia K Spooner (Can) EMD Serono Stevens
HD Trine Schmidt (Den) Menikini-Selle Italia Master Colors
HD Yumari Gonzalez (Cub) Cuban National Team
HD Yoanka Gonzalez (Cub) Cuban National Team
HD Joanie Caron (Can) Equipe Cascades
HD Anne Guzman (Dom) Equipe Cascades
HD Fanny Riberot (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz
HD Genevieve Gauthier (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multisport
DNF Estelle Patou (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion
DNF Carmen Mcnellis (USA) Aaron’s Professional Cycling Team
DNF Natasha Elliott (Can) EMD Serono Stevens
DNF Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz
DNF Mathilde Hupin (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multisport
DNF Jessica Burns (Can) Equipe Cascades
DNF Sarah Coney (Can) Ultralink
DNF Louise Moriarty (Irl) Specialized Carrefour Multisport
DNF Allison Lampi (Can) Ultralink
DNF Veronique Labonte (Can) Equipe Cascades
DNF Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multisport
DNF Lorena Foresi (Ita) Menikini-Selle Italia Master
DNF Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Team High Road Women
DNF Katherine Bates (Aus) Team High Road Women
DNF Larissa Kleinmann (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung
DNF Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nurnberger Versicherung
DNF Janel Holcomb (USA) Webcor Builders
DNF Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders
DNF Joelle Numainville (Can) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion
DNF Jocelyn Loane (Aus) Australian National Team
DNF Emma Rickards (Aus) Cervelo-Lifeforce
DNF Pascale Schnider (Sui) Cervelo-Lifeforce
DNF Tanja Hennes (Ger) Specialized Designs for Women
DNF Kristen Lasasso (USA) Specialized Designs for Women
DNF Mirjam Hauser-Senn (Sui) Specialized Designs for Women
DNF Andrea Knecht (Sui) Specialized Designs for Women
DNF Julia Farell (Can) Ultralink
DNF Chloe St-Arnaud-Watt (Can) Ultralink
DNF Elizaveta Bochkarova (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team
DNF Tetiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team
DNF Olena Andruk (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team
DNF Nathalie Lamborelle (Lux) Uniqua
DNF Alison Testroete (Can) Aaron’s Professional Cycling
DNF Meredith Miller (USA) Aaron’s Professional Cycling
DNF Julie Dheruelle (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope
DNF Fiona Dutriaux (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope
DNF Emmanuelle Merlot (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope
DNF Carissa Wilkes (NZl) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz
DNF Brei Gudsell (NZl) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz
DNF Sue Palmer-Komar (Can) Advil-Chapstick
DNF Kirsten Robbins (Can) Advil-Chapstick
DNF Elisa Gagnon (Can) Advil-Chapstick
DNF Helen Kelly (Aus) Team Tibco
DNF Julie Marceau (Can) Specialized Carrefour Multisport
DNF Veronica Leal (Mex) Equipe Nationale Mexique
DNF Mayra Rocha (Mex) Equipe Nationale Mexique