Live Replay- Grand Prix Cycliste de Gatineau p/b Hydro-Quebec

Roberto Gaggioli’s wife is also participating the the race today — Whitney Gaggioli (Forno D’Asolo-Colavita) is a strong American rider.

Whitten rides for the U.S.-based TIBCO-To the Top team, which is managed by Linda Jackson, who hails from just across the river in Ottawa. Jackson dropped by for the start riding on an ancient, dusty team-issue Cannondale from her racing days. She said it had been in her parents’ basement for the last 15 years.

Race radio says the gap is up to 1:40.

Whitten is wearing #1 today. Last year’s winner, Italian Giorgia Bronzini, isn’t here.

TIBCO director Angela Van Smoorenburg said before the start that the team is not waiting for a bunch sprint … Seems like Tara got the message.

The chatter on race radio is more about what’s happening in the caravan than what’s going on up front. Gap is now 58″.

It’s possible I mis-heard the 1:40 gap earlier. Still waiting to see how this settles in …

Gaggioli echoed a lot of other teams in saying that the success of any breakaway will depend on whether the three big teams are represented — Faren Honda, Specialized-lululemon and Orica-GreenEdge.

Whitten is relatively new to cycling. Here is how she says she got into the sport. “I had a good friend in Edmonton who was a part of the cross country ski club but was also very involved in track cycling. His name was Roger Tetrault. He convinced me to try track cycling. It took a long time for him to convince me, but once I tried it, I was hooked!”

Before the start Canadian Moriah “Mojo” MacGregor said there’s more appetite for a breakaway this year, and the fact that there’s a deeper field should bear that out.

Whitten now has 1:04 on the peloton.

MacGregor is riding for the U.S. domestic team Colavita ESPN. The team is completely independent from Forno d’Asolo-Colavita, despite sharing a sponsor’s name. The U.S. team, which came together just recently, is sponsored by the U.S. importer. The Italian UCI team is sponsored by the parent company.

Whitten now has 1:15 on the pack.

When asked about her ambitions for the Chrono Gatineau and the Grand Prix Cycliste de Gatineau, Whitten said, “this month is mostly about training for me, so I am still kind of coming into form on the road. That said, whenever there is a time trial I want to do well.”

The gap’s up to 1:25 after two laps. Nobody’s chasing — the pack was spread across the road.

Rachel Heal, the former racer and now director of the Optum Kelly Benefits team, which includes 2010 winner Joelle Numainville, had an interesting point about teams’ wanting a breakaway today. With the off-camber hairpin just 400 m from the line nobody wants to crash this close to the Olympic Games.

As for Optum Kelly Benefits’ strategy today, Heal didn’t give much away: “We have lots of cards to play,” she said.

The announcer today is Randy Ferguson, who is doing his usual great job in both French and English.

There’s a small crowd so far, but we can expect it to grow quite a bit before the finish. There was a pretty big turnout for the last wave of the time trial Saturday thanks to Clara Hughes’ star power.

Speaking of Hughes, she looked a lot more relaxed before the start today than she did on Saturday.

It’s starting to get hot. It doesn’t help that the live text position is in the sun …

After watching Specialized-lululemon sweep the Chrono Gatineau time trial podium on Saturday, it is clear they have the horsepower to bring this breakaway back. Perhaps they will, instead, wait for a late-race attack or set-up for their sprinter Ina-Yoko Teutenberg.

The latest gap for Tara Whitten is 1:14.

Sounds like they’re getting their time checks a little mixed up. Now I’m hearing 1:28.

Former CCA director and now UCI AmericaTour representative Pierre Hutsebaut said he doesn’t understand why nobody else went with Whitten. “They’re all waiting to be beaten by Teutenberg,” he said.

Ina-Yoko Teutenberg is one of Clara Hughes’ Specialized-lululemon teammates, and she has a mean sprint. Most famously she won the Triple Crown in 2007: The Reading Classic, the Lancaster Classic and the Liberty Classic in Philadelphia.

The gap is now 1:40.

Whitten is just completing lap 3.

Gap is 1:41. Whitten averaged 37.6 km/h for the third lap.

The lap time was 16:14.

Everyone’s moving their tables and chairs into any available shade, including me. That sun is baking hot!

If anything the wind is dropping, making it feel even hotter.

Apparently there’s a dead Canada goose lying in the course … Some little kids think it’s sleeping.

The goose has been moved to the grass.

We are wondering what happened to the Canada goose. Do any of the bikes in the peloton have goose feathers stuck in the front wheel?

It’s believed the goose died of natural causes. No cyclists were involved.

Clara Hughes and her Specialized-lululemon teammates are riding with purple D.I.F.D. wristbands this weekend. It’s for the Do It for Daron foundation in memory of Daron Richardson, the 14-year-old girl who committed suicide in November 2010. Daron’s father Luke is a former NHL player and is now assistant coach for the Ottawa Senators. Luke and his wife Stephanie were here Saturday to watch the race and hang out with Clara, and they had a great time — it was their first live bike race experience. Clara said every time she was suffering she’d look at her wristband and think of Daron.

If you want to know more about D.I.F.D. visit www.doitfordaron.com.

It’s great to see our Olympic medallist, Clara Hughes bike racing again. She re-joined the international peloton last year after a successful career as a speed skater.

Tha gap is now 1:44 to Tara Whitten. Still no chase in the peloton. Clara Hughes and her teammate Evie Stevens are at the front, along with the Orica-Greenedge team.

Four laps down, nine to go.

The gap is now 1:29 just after the feedzone.

The wind appears to have picked up a bit again, and switched direction. It’s a little hard to tell at the start-finish because it’s sheltered by trees.

Tara Whitten averaged 36.9 km/h for the fourth lap.

There are some interesting riders here that you may not have heard of. Local club West of Quebec Wheelers entered a composite team that includes two Irish women. Olivia Dillon was Irish road race and time trial champion in 2010, and Carolyne Ryan won the 2011 time trial championships. Their coach, Brian Nugent, was inspired by the Chrono Gatineau to launch a similar UCI race called the Celtic Crono, which had its first edition this year. He’ll be inviting some Canadians over for the 2013 event.

The gap is now 1:13. Is Tara tiring or is the pack finally taking an interest?

There’s a very international peloton assembled here today with riders from Finland, Brazil, New Zealand, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Australia, Great Britain and the U.S. …

The gap is now 1:31. It seems to be jumping around a lot, which is probably because of the short climb which comes after a quick descent. A pack will go a lot quicker through there.

Tara Whitten is just finishing her fifth lap.

One rider to watch out for is Italy’s legendary Fabiana Luperini (Faren Honda). She has been racing bikes for nearly two decades and is a five-time winner of the women’s Giro d’Italia.

The pack was a bit more strung out through the start-finish this lap. But for some reason it was Myriam Gaudreault of Real Deal Racing La Bicicletta setting temp. Not sure why she’s chasing …

The usual suspects are all sitting near the front of the pack, but nobody is taking the race by the scruff of the neck yet.

Tara Whitten now has 1:17 on the pack.

Evelyne Gagnon of Stevens Racing p/b The Cyclery has dropped out.

I spoke to Joelle Numainville before the start. The Optum Kelly Benefits rider won this race in 2010 and was second in 2011. She says the longer distance is better because it should encourage more breakaways, but the revised course is a little easier so that might have the opposite effect. Either way, she says she’s ready for however the race plays out.

Yes, I believe Gagnon is the first to drop out. There are a couple of stragglers who will likely quit at any time, but none of them are well-known riders.

The gap is now back up over 1:40.

I’m standing in the VIP tent next to Rémi Bérubé, who works for the City of Gatineau and has been instrumental in getting this race up and running. Rémi used to be the events director at the Canadian Cycling Association and before that worked for GESTEV, who organize the Mt. Ste. Anne mountain bike world cup, so he knows cycling inside and out. There has been universal praise from the riders about the quality of the course and the excellent road security.

Evelyn Stevens of Specialized-lululemon said after the time trial that she was really enjoying the courses here and riding the great network of pathways in the region here.

All the top Canadians and Quebeckers are in the peloton — except of course Tara Whitten, who is forging ahead solo.

Canadian national team coach Denise Kelly said before the start that their main focus will be trying to get Karol-Ann Canuel or Rhae-Christie Shaw into a UCI points-scoring position. Olympic qualification is based on each country’s top five riders, and Canuel and Shaw are the only national team riders here in that position.

How many Olympic medals has Canada’s Clara Hughes (Specialized-lululemon) earned? The answer is six. She earned two bronze medals at the Summer Olympics in cycling and four medals (one gold, one silver and two bronze) at the Winter Olympics in speed skating.

The gap is 1:09 at the end of the sixth lap. Alizée Brien flatted just as the pack passed the start-finish, but she’s underway again. The pack was not going hard, but Myriam Gaudrealt attacked just after the line.

Doesn’t look like Gaudreault has a gap, but Whitten’s lead is down to 1:06.

Yes, some other teams need to take the initiative and start something, otherwise everyone’s playing into Specialized-lululemon’s hands.

There are seven laps to go.

Alizée Brien got a very quick wheel change from Quebec coach Pascal Choquette, a former national team rider himself (he was on the team for the first national team project I managed, the Tour de Hokkaido in 1999).

The VIP tent here is starting to fill up. People smelled the beer and are gravitating towards it ….

Whitten’s gap is now 51 seconds.

As the race approaches the half-way point the crowds are getting bigger.

Sounds like they’re pulling out Whitten’s following car — always a bad sign for a breakaway.

So, what will happen when they catch Whitten? Will there be some attacks, or is everyone to scared of the Specialized-lululemon train?

The pack is going at about the same pace as Whitten, about 37 km/h. There’s a lot more speed than that in those legs …

Everyone’s waiting for the big teams to take the initiative. Canadian coach Denise Kelly said they’d try, but would key off of what the big teams do. One national team rider who could surprise is local girl Audrey Labrie, who won silver in the road race at the junior Pan Am championships last year

The gap is down to 36 seconds.

Chiara Nadalutti of Faren Honda has taken off solo and is 17″ behind Whitten. The pack is at 23″.

Correction: It’s Bridie O’Donnell of Vanderkitten Focus who bridged up to Whitten and went straight past her. Whitten is about 50 metres behind, and the pack is at a little over 30″ with six laps to go.

Audrey Bernard is still in the pack as far as I can tell. She’s a local, from Gatineau, and she’s been racing for a few years now. She’s just 19 but three years ago she was able to hold her own in the local training races.

The gap is 31 seconds. It’s unclear whether Whitten is with O’Donnell or not. I’ll let you know as soon as I do!

There is a small chase group according to race radio. 25 seconds.

Things are starting to get a little more interesting.

I’m getting a gap of 18 seconds over the radio.

Bridie O’Donnell has been caught. It’s all together again.

Who will attack next?

There are some attacks happening. 5 riders have 8 seconds.

They are Rochelle Gilmore (Faren Hondo), Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Specialized-lululemon), Alona Andruk (Ukraine) Melissa Hoskins (Greenedge), Fabiana Luperini (Faren Honda).

Gilmore and Tuetenberg are two of the fastest sprinters in the world.

Waiting for news on the gap …

The group of 5 got caught just before the line with 5 to go. Evie Stevens (Specialized-lululemon) has about 50 metres on the pack, everyone else is strung out behind Rhae-Christie Shaw (Canadian national team)

There’s a group of about 10 riders off the back. The pace has definitely gone up …

Three riders off the front:
33 Evelyn Stevens
50 Rhae-Christie Shaw
81 Carmen Small

The break has 13 seconds. Here are the teams:
33 Evelyn Stevens (Specialized-lululemon)
50 Rhae-Christie Shaw (Canadian national team)
81 Carmen Small (Optum Kelly Benefits)

This is a good move …

Less than 50 km to go now.

The crowd continues to get bigger. A lot of them have little cow bells.

Gap is 12 seconds now.
33 Evelyn Stevens (Specialized-lululemon)
50 Rhae-Christie Shaw (Canadian national team)
81 Carmen Small (Optum Kelly Benefits)

So far this year, Carmen Small won Classica Citta’ di Padova in Italy and finished 13th in the Tour of Flanders.

Sounds like the break’s been pegged back. All together.

Yes, it is a perfect rest day for the Giro d’Italia. Let’s hope Canada’s Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) can take back that pink jersey during the final week of racing.

Candice is still in the pack, near as I can tell. There was a small group of dropped riders but I didn’t get the number.

Another group has gone off the front:
24 Jennifer Hohl (Faren Honda)
31 Amber Neben (Specialized-lululemon)
73 Claudia Haussler (GreenEdge-AIS)

Haussler won both the Giro Donne and the Tour de l’Aude in 2009. Neben is the 2008 world time trial champion. Hohl is the 2008 and 2009 Swiss time trial champion.

Still waiting for news on the gap ….

All back together at the start-finish with four laps to go. Amber Neben and Rhae-Christie Shaw were a few metres off the front of a completely strung-out peloton.

Another move has gone off the front:
21 Fabiana Luperini (Faren Honda)
31 Amber Neben (Specialized-lululemon)
73 Claudia Haussler (GreenEdge-AIS)

Now it’s just two in front:
21 Fabiana Luperini (Faren Honda)
31 Amber Neben (Specialized-lululemon)

Correction – the two breakaway riders are:
21 Fabiana Luperini (Faren Honda)
33 Evelyn Stevens (Specialized-lululemon)

Just one rider off the front now: Clara Hughes

The situation is really fluid — nobody’s getting more than a few seconds.

A second rider is bridging up to Hughes: Melissa Hoskins (GreenEdge-AIS)

Thanks Russ! The info is coming thick and fast now …

I’m getting 23 seconds for Hughes, with Hoskins about 15″ behind her.

Hughes and Hoskins are now together. 17″ is the gap.

So, the breakaway is:
32 Clara Hughes (Specialized-lululemon)
72 Melissa Hoskins (GreenEdge-AIS)

The crowd’s getting really big now — people are jazzed that Clara’s off the front.

Two more riders have bridged up …

It’s Kirchmann and Beveridge who bridged up. 3 Canucks in the break!

So here’s the composition of the break, which has about 25 seconds with 30 km to go:
32 Clara Hughes (Specialized-lululemon)
51 Julie Beveridge (Canadian national team)
72 Melissa Hoskins (GreenEdge-AIS)
83 Leah Kirchmann (Optum Kelly Benefits)

The race is just hitting the 100-km mark and all hell’s breaking loose. Behind the break of four there are attacks going left, right and centre. Looks like Roberto Gaggioli was right.

Gaggioli knows bike racing, of course. He won hundreds of races in his career, including what was then known as the CoreStates USPRO Championships in Philadelphia. He was an amazing sprinter.

Leah Kirchmann is one of Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies’ fastest sprinters. We’re sure she would love to add this win to her career achievements.

That didn’t last long — everything’s back together now. That break was too dangerous.

More attacks going now.

Yes, Tara was caught awhile ago. Everything’s together now.

Six riders off the front with 10″:
4 Kendall Ryan (TIBCO-To the Top)
21 Fabiana Luperini (Faren Honda)
31 Amber Neben (Specialized-lululemon)
74 Jessie MacLean (GreenEdge-AIS)
82 Denise Ramsden (Optum Kelly Benefits)
94 Leah Guloien (Colavita ESPN)

All together again.

The pack’s together again at the start-finish with 20 km to go. Ally Stacher (Specialized-lululemon) was driving things on the front.

It’s pretty strung out, so the tempo is high.

Yes, the repeated attacks are thinning out the peloton. There’s another couple of dropped riders rolling through the start-finish now.

Don’t forget to pick up the latest issue of Canadian Cycling Magazine!

Tara Whitten has dropped out and she’s being interviewed on the podium.

Two riders making a move: Bridie O’Donnell an Kathryn Donavan.

Still waiting for the gap on the break of two riders:
94 Kathryn Donavan (Colavita ESPN)
100 Bridie O’Donnell (Vanderkitten-Focus)

Nine riders off the front — will let you know the gap shortly.

12 riders off the front now, the gap is 16″. Numainville is bridging up. 10 km to go.

Looks like it’s coming back together again before I can give you the composition of the break. It includes Karol-Ann Canuel and Lex Albrecht, Amber Neben, Nicole Cooke, Megan Guarnier, Melissa Hoskins and more …

I’m seeing Clara Hughes crashed at the roundabout with one lap to go. She’s going again, but no word yet if she’s back in the pack.

The women are seeing one lap to go. There are a series of roundabouts before the peloton hits the finale corner, a hairpin with 400 metres to the finish line.

Roundabouts are Hughes’ nemesis — she crashed in the 2011 Chrono Gatineau in the roundabout at the half-way mark, but got up and won anyway!

4 riders off the front now, but they’re being caught. Shaping up for a bunch sprint …

Specialized-lululemon will be looking for Ina-Yoko Teutenberg for the win today. She’s riding in the German champion jersey.

But there are plenty of other strong sprinters. Joelle Numainville (Optum Kelly Benefits), Nicole Cooke and Rochelle Gilmore from Faren Hondo …

There’s another small breakaway — waiting for numbers.

16 riders off the front now.

Among them: Amber Neben, Joelle Numainville, Megan Guarnier, Bridie O’Donnell, Lex Albrecht, Shara Gillow, Karol-Ann Canuel, Evie Stevens, Melissa Hoskins, Rochelle Gilmore, Jessie MacLean, Ina-Yoko Teutenberg …

… But the gap’s just 10 seconds.

18 riders now. Three Specialized-lululemon riders, three Optum Kelly Benefits, three GreenEdge-AIS …

Finish coming soon! Give me a few seconds to give you the winner …

I’m hearing it’s all back together.

Teutenberg wins!

Rochelle Gilmore 2nd, Alona Andruk 3rd.

There were four Specialized -lululemon riders in the top 10.

Unofficial top three:
1 – Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Specialized-lululemon)
2 – Rochelle Gilmore (Faren Honda)
3 – Alona Andruk (Ukraine)

Joelle Numainville was up there, about 5th or so.

I’m off to get some interviews now.

Unofficial top three:
1 – Ina-Yoko Teutenberg (Specialized-lululemon)
2 – Rochelle Gilmore (Faren Honda)
3 – Alona Andruk (Ukraine)

We hope you enjoyed our live coverage of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Gatineau p/b Hydro-Quebec. Visit our website for a post-race report by Kris Westwood atcyclingmagazine.ca.