Team Canada dominates Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau 2017, gallery and full results
Leah Kirchmann and Kirsti Lay make it one-two for Canada
Riders line-up up for 104 km of racing under sunny skies
Early on the race was controlled with riders taking up the width of the road.
Kirchmann stayed comfortably tucked into the wheels.
Emily Flynn (Cyclery-4iiii) and Emily Marcolini (Highgate Racing) formed a brief break in the park.
Kirsti Lay drives the peloton at the 2017 GP Gatineau. Photo: Philippe Tremblay
Canada was at the front the second time up the climb but this time applying a bit less pressure as Kirchmann chased back on after a mechanical.
Attacks heading out of the park strung the peloton out but no group was able to establish a gap.
Onto the urban circuit for the peloton where there were accelerations but again, no real breakaway.
Through the corners the peloton was lined out but the elastic never really snapped.
Marie-Soleil Blais (Fearless Femme) at the 2017 GP Gatineau.
The peloton was all together with one lap to go with the stage set for a sprint.
Which Kirchmann took by a commanding margin.
Kirchmann, in her eighth participation, took her first GP Gatineau win in 2017.
Kirchmann flanked by teammate Kirsti Lay and Kendall Ryan
And the ceremonies end with champagne
The Grand Prix Cycliste has come down to a sprint in most of its editions and despite early pressure by Team Canada, a peloton of 46 riders contested the victory. Leah Kirchmann was the strongest on the day with her Team Canada teammate Kirsti Lay taking second and Kendall Ryan of Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank taking third place.
On a cool and sunny day in Gatineau, Que., 78 riders lined-up for 104 km of racing. Two laps through the Gatineau national park and five of a 9.4 km urban circuit. Despite a lively pace throughout the race with the peloton averaging 36 kph, no significant move ever got enough time to be a real threat for victory.
As 46 riders raced to the finish line on the final lap, Leah Kirchmann was the strongest. A strong lead-out by Kirsti Lay who was one of the riders tasked with making the pace hard in the park, Kirchmann put in a powerful acceleration to take her first win at the GP Gatineau.
