June 4, 2007 (Chateauguay, QC) — Germany’s Regina Scheichler (Numberger Versicherung) won the 107km first stage of the Tour du Grand Montreal with a time of 2:45:43. She was followed by Australian Oenone Wood (T-Mobile) and Italian Giorgia Bronzini (Safi — Pasta Zara Manhattan). The top Canadians were Gina Grain (Expresscopy.com) in eighth spot and Anne Samplonius (Expresscopy.com) in 14th spot, all with the same time as Scheichler.

“It was like a big crit course,” laughed Samplonius after the race (it was billed as a road circuit). “I didn’t enjoy the race. The roads here are often hazardous and it’s amazing that there weren’t any crashes. Gina (Grain) was cramping at the end. Melissa (Holt) made a break and held it for 3km. I also would have liked it if there were a climb.”

The race profile was quite flat and the 13.4km course wound through the Montreal suburb of Chateauguay, crossing the Chateauguay River twice. The start and finish were at Chateauguay’s cultural centre on Maple Blvd. Mayor Sergio Pavone was pleased with the turnout saying that locals came out to watch the race in great numbers and made a point of lighting BBQs on their front lawns, making a party of the event. “Chateauguay is becoming a cycling town,” added Pavone.

Light rain fell on the race, but the roads stayed surprisingly dry until after the lead cyclists crossed the finish line in a big wave; then it began to pour. The awards ceremony was held up for a few minutes as the announcer called several times for Bronzini to come to the podium. Scheichler described the stage as “a fast race” and expressed modest surprise at winning. Wood described the race as “technical.”

Saturday’s World Cup winner, Fabiana Luperini (Menikini-Selle Italia-Gysko), was nowhere to be seen, and was rumoured to have already returned home.

Results – 107kms

1. Regina Schleicher (Ger) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung 2:45:43
2. Oenone Wood (Aus) T-mobile
3. Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Safi – Pasta Zara Manhattan
4. Chantal Beltman (Ned) T-mobile
5. Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini – Selle Italia – Gysko
6. Tina Pic Mayolo (Usa) PIC,Tina Colavita Sutter Home P/b Cooking Lig
7. Brooke Miller (Usa) Team TIBCO
8. Gina Grain (Can) Team expresscopy.com
9. Trixi Worrack (Ger) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung
10. Lorian Graham (Aus) Australie équipe nationale
11. Loes Markerink (Ned) Team Flexpoint
12. Elke Gebhardt (Ger) Getranke-Hoffmann
13. Annette Butler (Sui) Vinci-Specialized-Menikini
14. Catherine Cheatley (Nzl) Cheerwine
15. Anne Samplonius (Can) Team expresscopy.com
16. Élodie Touffet (Fra) Menikini – Selle Italia – Gysko
17. Amber Neben (Usa) Team Flexpoint
18. Judith Arndt (Ger) T-mobile
19. Alessandra Borchi (Ita) Safi – Pasta Zara Manhattan
20. Elena Novikova (Rus) Russian Cyclist Federation
21. Karin Aune (Swe) Menikini – Selle Italia – Gysko
22. Fei Wang (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling
23. Alex Wrubleski (Can) Colavita Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light
24. Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Menikini – Selle Italia – Gysko
25. Katherine Bates (Aus) T-mobile
26. Leigh Hobson (Can) Cheerwine
27. Daniela Poli Fusar (Ita) Safi – Pasta Zara Manhattan
28. Andrea Graus (Aut) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung
29. Alexandr Burchenkova (Rus) Cyclist Federation
30. Yoanka Gonzalez (Cub) Cuba équipe nationale
31. Edwige Pitel (Fra) Team UNIQA
32. Marie Lindberg (Swe) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung
33. Kristin Armstrong (Usa) Lipton
34. Venera Absalyamova (Rus) Russian Cyclist Federation
35. Alison Powers (Usa) Colavita Sutter Home p/b Cooking Lig
36. Michelle Hyland (Nzl) Nouvelle-Zélande équipe nationale
37. Dalila Rodriguez (Cub) Cuba équipe nationale
38. Gina Waibl (Nzl) Nouvelle-Zélande équipe nationale
39. Luisa Tamanini (Ita) Safi – Pasta Zara Manhattan
40. Betina Hold (Can) Cheerwine
41. Stacy Marple (Usa) Team TIBCO
42. Liza Rachetto (Usa) Team TIBCO
43. Christine Ruiter (Usa) Cheerwine
44. Theresa Senff (Ger) Getranke-Hoffmann
45. Helen Kelly (Aus) Webcor Builders Women’s Cycling Team
46. Sara Carrigan (Aus) Australie équipe nationale
47. Yudelmis Dominguez (Cub) Cuba équipe nationale
48. Toni Bradshaw (Nzl) Nouvelle-Zélande équipe nationale
49. Vicki Whitelaw (Aus) Australie équipe nationale
50. Jocelyn Loane (Aus) Australie équipe nationale
51. Candice Sullivan (Aus) Australie équipe nationale
52. Yulia Arustamova (Rus) Russian Cyclist Federation
53. Diana Ziliute (Ltu) Safi – Pasta Zara Manhattan
54. Kristen Lasasso (Usa) Lipton
55. Christine Thorburn (Usa) Webcor Builders Women’s Cycling Team
56. Iona Wynter (Jam) Colavita Sutter Home P/b Cooking Lig
57. Jenipher Stevenson (Can) Cascades
58. Iris Slappendel (Ned) Team Flexpoint
59. Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Fra) Team UNIQA
60. Marisa Asplund (Usa) Team TIBCO
61. Tina Liebig (Ger) Getranke-Hoffmann
62. Victoria Bastide (Swe) Team TIBCO
63. Suzanne Van Veen (Ned) Team Flexpoint
64. Olivia Gollan (Aus) Menikini – Selle Italia – Gysko
65. Carla Ryan (Aus) Australie équipe nationale
66. Natalie Bates (Aus) Getranke-Hoffmann
67. Mara Abbott (Usa) Webcor Builders Women’s Cycling Team
68. Anke Wichmann (Ger) T-mobile
69. Megan Guarnier (Usa) Terry Precision
70. Katheryn Curi (Usa) Webcor Builders Women’s Cycling Team
71. Dotsie Bausch (Usa) Colavita Sutter Home P/b Cooking Lig
72. Rachel Heal (Gbr) Webcor Builders Women’s Cycling Team
73. Lauren Franges (Usa) Lipton
74. Meredith Miller (Usa) Lipton 0:17
75. Monika Schachl (Aut) Team UNG
76. Claudia Häusler (Ger) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung
77. Seehafer Kori Kelley (Usa) Lipton
78. Serena Sheridan (Nzl) Nouvelle-Zélande équipe nationale
79. Lara Kroepsch (Usa) Lipton
80. Brooke Ourada (Nzl) Cheerwine
81. Karol-Ann Kanuel (Can) Vinci-Specialized-Menikini
82. Erinne Willock (Can) Team expresscopy.com
83. Elisa Gagnon (Can) Advil/Chapstick
84. Claudia Stumpf (Ger) Équipe Nürnberger Versicherung
85. Joanie Caron (Can) Cascades
86. Alexis Rhodes (Aus) T-mobile
87. Yumari Gonzalez (Cub) Cuba équipe nationale
88. Amber Rais (Usa) Webcor Builders Women’s Cycling Team
89. Hiroko Shimada (Jpn) Target Training Womens Team
90. Kathleen Billington (Usa) Target Training Womens Team 0:59
91. Stacy Spencer (Can) Colavita Sutter Home p/b Cooking Light 1:10
92. Melissa Holt (Nzl) Team expresscopy.com
93. Marina Duvnjak (Nzl) Nouvelle-Zélande équipe nationale
94. Katie Lambden (Usa) Team TIBCO 2:56
95. Jennifer Reither (Usa) Marinoni-Cadence 3:12
96. Jennifer Wilson (Usa) Marinoni-Cadence 5:36
97. Geneviève Gagnon (Can) Cascades 8:35
98. Joelle Numainville (Can) Team expresscopy.com 10:55
99. Marie-Pier Bédard (Can) Vinci-Specialized-Menikini
100. Anna Milkowski (Usa) Target Training Womens Team
101. Su Ma (Chn) fen Giant Pro Cycling
102. Kirsten Robbins (Can) Advil/Chapstick
103. Veronika Sprugl (Aut) Team UNIQA
104. Ekaterina Malomura (Rus) Russian Cyclist Federation
105. Yeima Torres (Cub) Cuba équipe nationale
106. Virginia Hennig (Ger) Getranke-Hoffmann
107. Kerry Litka (Usa) Terry Precision
108. Xiao Gao (Chn) ning Giant Pro Cycling
109. Bernadette Schober (Aut) Team UNIQA UG
110. Natasha Elliot (Can) Terry Precision
111. Véronique Labonté (Can) Cascades 11:26
112. Lila Fraser (Can) Cascades 16:02
113. Ireen Wieditz (Can) Terry Precision
114. Julie Marceau (Can) Marinoni-Cadence
115. Johanne Cyr (Can) Cascades
116. Elena Gayun (Rus) Russian Cyclist Federation 16:53
117. Kathleen Villeneuve (Can) Marinoni-Cadence
118. Ann Hansgate (Usa) Terry Precision 16:57
119. Magali Tisseyre (Can) Marinoni-Cadence
120. Tara Ross (Can) Advil/Chapstick
121. Mandy Lozano (Usa) Target Training Womens Team TTW 23:26
122. Naomi Cermak (Can) Terry Precision
123. Amanda Sin (Can) Advil/Chapstick
124. Brei Gudsell (Nzl) Nouvelle-Zélande équipe nationale
125. Xiong Ruan (Chn) Ying Giant Pro Cycling 30:04:00
126. Karine Tessier (Can) Marinoni-Cadence 32:52:00
Hors délai Kin Lambert-Gosselin (Can) Vinci-Specialized-Menikini
DNF Andrea Meyers Target Training Womens Team TTW
DNF Jessica Phillips Team expresscopy.com