Race Overview

Tour de Grand Montréal

^{30 May - 2 June 2005}

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Stage Review - Stage 2        Click here to jump on this page to >> Results   GC after Stage 2     

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GENEVIÈVE JEANSON TAKES THE LEAD AT THE TOUR DU GRAND MONTRÉAL

Canadian Geneviève Jeanson (ACDA-RONA) took the leader’s maillot jaune off  Webcor Cycling’s Christine Thornburn’s back today, thanks to her third-place finish at the tough Rigaud stage, behind Australia’s Oenone Wood (Nurnberger – Versicherung) and Denmark’s Dorte Lohse Rasmussen. 

In general classification, Jeanson now has a 4-second lead over Wood and a 7-second lead over Thornburn.  And while she was at it, Jeanson completed her collection with the jerseys for the best Quebec rider and the Queen of the Mountain.  Wood is wearing the points leader jersey and the best sprinter jersey.  Quark leads the team classification.   

Today’s stage was 120 kilometre-long, on a tough, hilly course climbing the hard Bourget hill three times.

There was an intermediate sprint 3.6 kilometres after the start of this stage, just after a right angle.  As the peloton leaders were fighting for position, three or four riders crashed, among them Oenone Wood and Lynne Bessette.  All could get back to race, except Bessette, who was taken to the hospital for exams.  According to officials, her injuries turned out to be minor. 

Around kilometer 25, as the racers were climbing the Bourget hill for the first time, Jeanson and American Lynn Gaggioli said good bye to the pack and immediately put distance between them and the peloton.  They rode together for about 35 kilometres and, when the Bourget hill showed up for the second time, Gaggioli was dropped, as she couldn’t follow Jeanson’s tempo.  So off went Jeanson, whose lead culminated at three minutes when she got to kilometre 81.  Behind, the main chase group was a dozen or so of riders with a claim to victory – carrying brands like Nurnburger – Versicherung, Webcor, Quark and others.

The chase group got to work and the lead started to melt.  Knowing she was doomed Jeanson slowed down and waited to be reeled in, which happened about 15 kilometres from the finish.  Ten kilometres later, Thorburn attacked and split the lead group in two.

Jeanson remained in the lead group.  She launched her sprint at the 300 metre mark, but Wood and Rasmussen took over, leaving third place to Jeanson.  “I started too early”, admitted Jeanson, “I was out of gas.  But I still raced a third good stage in a row and regularity pays off, I am wearing the leader’s jersey.  I think I’m racing my best Tour du Grand Montréal ever; this race is as well organized as ever and I’m having fun.”       

Le Tour du Grand Montréal is a four-day, five-stage race held from May 30 to June 2.  Tomorrow’s stage is an 80-kilometre race in Terrebonne, on a fast, flat, 10-kilometre course.

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Results  - Stage 2  - Riguad

120.2km  @ 35km/h   :   73 starters, 2 did not finish

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General Classification After Stage 2

 Total Distance so far - 173.02 km at 35km/h average