Ramsden set to defend elite road title

Denise Ramsden is focused on defending her elite women’s road race title at the national road championships held on Friday between Saint-Georges and Saint-Odilon, Que. She will be on the start line along side her Optum Pro Cycling presented by Kelly Benefit Strategies teammates Joëlle Numainville and Leah Kirchmann.

“I will be there to defend my title,” Ramsden told Canadian Cycling Magazine. “I’m in Beauce now with my Canadian teammates from Optum Pro Cycling.”

Last year, Ramsden was apart of a late-race two-woman breakaway with the decorated Clara Hughes in Lac-Mégantic, Que. It was Ramsden who won the sprint to the line, forcing Hughes to have to settle for second place. Numainville secured third place after taking the bunch sprint.

The under-23 and elite women’s road race will take place on three circuits, totalling 110 kms. Other riders that are expected to have strong performances are former champion Véronique Fortin, Jasmin Glaesser and Joanie Caron, among others.

Ramsden is just getting her season started after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in cell biology and genetics from the University of British Columbia. “I didn’t race too much at the beginning of the year,” she said. “I started out with Redlands and Gila. Since school finished just before Gila, racing has been more full on. I’ve been racing about every week and a half or so at the Gatineau, Philly, Nature Valley and then straight here to nationals.”

Ramsden has not seen the road circuit but she thinks the race will pan out similar to last year with a small group at the finish.

“I’ve heard from those who have ridden it that it might be even more challenging than last year,” she said. “If that’s the case, I think the race might end with the peloton being whittled down to a small group over the course of the race. I think from there it will just depend on who is aggressive. There are lots of strong individual riders but I think we definitely have the strongest team with Joëlle and Leah. They’re both strong sprinters and I think we should have lots of options.”

Ramsden will also be competing in B.C. Superweek and Cascade Cycling Classic later this summer.

Follow the national road championships under-23/elite women’s race here.