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LYNE BESSETTE WINS THE CANADIAN TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Geneviève Jeanson is runner-up

Hamilton, Ontario

Saturn’s Lyne Bessette won the Canadian time trial championship today, beating RONA/Esker’s Geneviève Jeanson by 25 seconds on the tough course that will host the World Championships in October.  Bessette completed the course’s 21 kilometres in 29’ 18”, at the average speed of 43.0 km/h.  Quebec resident Anne Samplonius took the third sport on the podium.  Manon Jutras and Clara Hughes came in fourth and fifth, for an all-Québec top five in today’s race.

“Twenty-nine minutes and forty-three seconds, that’s the best time my legs could produce today”, analysed Jeanson after the race.  “I can’t blame any technical flaw or anything else.  That was my speed today.  I ‘suffered the course’, more than I attacked it.  But hey, Lyne (Bessette) rode a great race, she’s going really strong and anyway, I didn’t expect a picnic today.”

“The time trial course is interesting, varied and demanding, fit for the World Championships”, added Jeanson, “but it’s not a real climber’s course.  The two climbs are power climbs and the course will favour power riders.”

For his part, Team RONA/Esker’s manager André Aubut thought about the work remaining until the World Championships in October.  “Under conditions comparable to what we had today”, he predicted, “a woman will have to go under 28 minutes to win gold here in October.”

Team RONA/Esker will compete in the Canadian Road Championships on Sunday June 29.  Probable starters for the team are Canadians Andrea Hannos, Geneviève Jeanson, Carrie Tuck, Erinne Willock, and New Zealander Melissa Holt.  This year the race is open to non-Canadian racers.  This weekend RONA/Esker’s Magali Le Floc’h and Catherine Marsal are competing in their own national championship in France, while Karen Bockel is competing in the German championship.

Team RONA/Esker is one of only two Canadian women’s cycling teams in the Elite Category that are recognized by the International Cycling Union. The team is made up of four Canadian racers (Geneviève Jeanson, Andrea Hannos, Carrie Tuck and Erinne Willock), French racers Catherine Marsal and Magali Le Floc’h, New Zealander Melissa Holt, German Karen Bockel and American Kristen LaSasso. The team’s web site is at www.ronateam.ca.

 RONA is Canada’s leading hardware and home renovation retailer (www.rona.ca). Esker is a natural spring water from the north of Canada, sold in North America and Asia (www.eskerwater.com).

 The team also receives equipment and service sponsorships from many companies, including Colnago, Biemme, Shimano, Michelin, Mavic, Diadora, Limar, Selle Italia, ITM, Look, CatEye, Tacx, Finish Line, Cane Creek, Saris, Power Tap, Cycles Lambert and Club Médico-Sportif. 

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