June 27/09 13:01 pm - Road Nationals: Women's Road Race Updates

Posted by Editoress on 06/27/09
 

The women will do 3 laps of the 45 km loop.  It rained steadily overnight and through part of the morning.  Currently there is cloud in all directions.. in the distance, but overhead it is clear.

Some news.  Francois Parisien, who uncharacteristically struggled during the Tour de Beauce, learned that he is suffering from anemia - haematrocrit  of 40. He is undergoing treatment and will ride Sunday's road race in support of his Planet Energy teammates

1:00 pm -   Start delayed by 10 minutes.  The ambulance had not arrived.

1:10pm -  They are off.  And as a preview of what might be expected (weather wise) during the race.  it clouded over, it rained

and then the sun came out..  all in the 10 minutes waiting to start.

1:18pm - Erinne Willock  (Webcor Builders Cycling Team) attacked up the climb and gained 30 seconds

1:30pm - Willock is still away and has a gap of 55 seconds now.  She will shortly make the turn at RTE  269 and head toward St Martin where the turn is back toward St Georges .  There will be a crosswind on the short bottom section on 269 and then a headwind back to St Georges.

1:36 pm -  Moriah MacGregor  (Cycling BC) has attacked from the peloton and is ~ 10 seconds clear.  Julie Beveridge (Team TIBCO) flatted, but has now caught back onto the bunch.

1:45 pm - They have just passed the 25 km point and Willock's gap is 50 seconds.   CORRECTION  30 seconds (bad cell connection). MacGregor is back in the bunch.  Tara Whitten  (Velocity Cycling Club) is at the front of the peloton doing a lot of work.

1:55 pm - 15 km to go (30 km completed) to complete lap 1 and Willock has been caught

2:20 pm - End of lap One.  All together.  The peloton is stretching out on the climbs and then coming back together on the descent

2:38 pm -  10 km into the 2nd lap. 

Anne Samplonius  (Lip Smacker) attacked just after they started the lap and up teh climb the peloton split.

As they hit the top of the 1st climb, Moriah MacGregor  (Cycling BC) jumped and quickly took a gap that is now 30 seconds to the peloton.  Johanne Cyr  (Rocky Mountain Bicycles/ProCycle) and Cara Gillis  (Touchstone Climbing) are chasing at 20 seconds back.

2:46 pm - 15 km into lap 2.  MacGregor has been caught, but Anne Samplonius  (Lip Smacker) immediately went on the attack and the peloton is strung out chasing.

2:52 pm - Moriah Macgregor  (Cycling BC) has joined Samplonius and the two have 15 seconds on the bunch at ~ 22 km into the 2nd lap.  Tara Whitten  (Velocity Cycling Club) is at the front of the peloton towing them along.

3:11 pm:  All back together w/ 15 km to go to the end of the lap.

3:20pm - Nearing hte end of the 2nd lap.. all together and crawling along at 30 kmph

3:42 pm - Starting up the 1st climb with a couple of attempts, but nothing is sticking.  Still all together.

3:45pm - At 5k in  Willock attacks and is joined by Samplonius and they have a 12 second gap.  Audrey Lemieux  (Équipe du Québec) tries to bridge, but is not successful.

3:50pm - The gap is increasing.  Peloton can't seem to get organized

3:56 pm - At 15 km, it looked like the duo was about to get caught, but then the chase backed of.  They still have ~ a 5 second gap.

3:59 pm - With 25 km to go, the gap is back up, now 23 seconds.  Shortly they will turn onto the 269.

4:05pm - Onto the 269 and into the croswind and the gap has started to drop - now 20 seconds.

4:09 pm - Gap now 35 seconds.  Willock and Samplonius are working well together.  Julie Beveridge (Team TIBCO) stated to chase but backed off when not making ground.

20 km to go to finish.

4:15pm - 17 km to go and the gap is starting to fall, now 13 sec. They have turned at St Martin and are into the wind.

4:17 pm - They are caught

4:30 pm - Just under 10 km to go and they are still all together.  Sprint Finish!!!!

4:47 pm:  Grain goes, but a bit early Testroete comes up on the left and nips her at the line.

Final

Unofficial

1 Alison Testroete  (Total Restoration Cycling Team)

2 Gina Grain  (Webcor Builders Cycling Team)