Denise Ramsden to defend title at the Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau

At last year’s Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau road race, it was Denise Ramsden who came out on top.

Ramsden started her big for the win a full kilometre back from the finish. She launched into a headlong uphill drive, a hard grind against a stiff headwind, finishing ahead of Flavia Oliveira by a bike length. This year, she’s back for the 2015 Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau, bringing the same power, experience and tactical savvy. Canadian Cycling Magazine had a chance to catch up with last year’s winner, getting a sense of her focus going into this year’s competition.

“I think this year’s field is going to be quite strong,” she said, considering what Gatineau has in store for her. “We’re coming in to the final push for this Olympic cycle, so UCI points become increasingly important for countries. That means everyone shows up, ready to race more than ever.”

Since Gatineau’s debute in 2010 as a UCI event—Ramsden has been a veteran of each race. As a result, Ramsden has had a good deal of opportunity to weigh what each race involves, and has considered the challenges that might affect her performance, as well as how to overcome them. “I’m pretty famliar with the event,” she said, “which I think helps. For me, it’s always been a challenge to balance the time trial and road race events. Last year I had a terrible time trial and was pretty disappointed in my performance. It was a good challenge to move on from that and try and be ready for the road race the next day.”

Meeting that challenge, though, was a tonic. “Being able to come back from a poor time trial and win the road race was a good mental boost.”

This year, what drives her preparation for Gatineau is her preparation for other races—and right now, she said, those opportunities aren’t in short supply. “I raced the Tour of California a few weeks ago,” she said, “and since then have been training at home in Vancouver. We have B.C. provincials this weekend, so that will be a good tune-up race weekend before we head to Gatineau. I have been spending a bit more time on my [time trial] bike as well, as this is one of the first big one-day time trials we have.”

Much of the recipe for a strong competition-day showing, she said, is a part of the experience itself. Gatineau, Ramsden said, is one of her favourite racing experiences, thanks to being a big, influential supporter of women’s cycling for years. It also started the “wave”—to use Ramsden’s word—of UCI races coming to North America that highlight the spirit of the competition, and it’s a spirit that can be felt by those in the saddle.

“A hard race and great fans make for the best racing experience for me,” Ramsden said. “A race where you are challenged the whole time, with a great atmosphere—thanks to the fans—makes the pain and suffering a little more bearable.”

Follow our live coverage of the Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau, starting June 4.