May 31, 2004 – Tina Mayolo-Pic (USA, Genesis Scuba) today won the first stage of the Tour of Greater Montreal. She completed the 3.5-kilometre time trial in 3:56:00, at an average speed of 53.38km/h. Dede Demet-Barry (USA, T Mobile) and Lyne Bessette (CAN, Quark) completed the podium, finishing second and third behind Mayolo-Pic.

Katrina Grove achieved Team RONA’s best performance, placing 8th in 4:01:05 from the lead. “I’m happy with my race,” said Grove. “I gave it everything I had. It’s an out-and back course, so you must pace yourself on how much you expend on the way out to be sure and have enough for the finish. It’s hard to compare because the wind is always different, but I think I gained about 20 seconds since I raced this course two years ago.”

Geneviève Jeanson finished 21st in 4:08:12 behind Mayolo-Pic. “I rode like a potato!” exclaimed Jeanson, laughing. “I felt ‘diesel’, after 30 seconds I knew I didn’t have it today. But it’s not the end of the world, the two previous years in this race I won the prologue and got smashed afterwards. So we’ll see what happens.”

Tonight the riders will race the Little Italy Criterium, a 50-kilometre race held on a 1-kilometre course in Little Italy.

Team RONA is a Canadian women’s cycling team in the Elite Category recognized by the International Cycling Union. The team is made up of four Canadian racers (Geneviève Jeanson, Andrea Hannos, Émilie Roy and Erinne Willock), three Americans (Kathryn Curi, Katrina Grove and Anna Milkowski), Israeli Shani Bloch and Australian Helen Kelly. The team has exercised a policy of zero tolerance for banned substances since it was founded in 2000. This policy is explicitly stated in all its contracts.

RONA is the largest Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, home renovation and gardening products. Team RONA receives equipment and service sponsorships from many companies, including Colnago, Biemme, Shimano, Vittoria, Bontrager, Sidi, Limar, Selle Italia, USE, Cinelli, Look, CatEye, Elite, Finish Line, Cane Creek, Saris, Power Tap, Trialtir and Cycles Lambert.