Leah Kirchmann wins 10th Grand Prix Cycliste de Gatineau

Leah Kirchmann of Team Canada won a reduced sprint to bring the Grand Prix Cycliste de Gatineau title back to Canada on Thursday. It was Kirchmann’s second victory in the UCI 1.1-rated race in Gatineau Park, QC. Canadians have now won four of the ten editions.

Riders had 104 rolling kilometres to ride through Gatineau Park, with two big loops, each with a 2.1 km, 5.7 per cent climb, followed by five 9-km laps.

The first big lap saw the peloton keep mostly intact, but by the second, a group of 20, including all the Rally UHC riders, Marie Soleil Blais and cyclocross ace Jenn Jackson (NCCH Elite), had skipped off the front.

All six of our ladies have made the front group of 20 riders at @GPCycliste. Gap to chase 1m 30s. Watch the final 50 km LIVE ?

? https://t.co/NNi5uUWYVj@KristabelDH | @_SaraBergen | @GillianEllsay | @katherine_maine | @abimickey | @Alli_Bev #GPCyclisteGatineau #ReasonToRide pic.twitter.com/s2ibjtQIZG

— Rally Cycling (@Rally_Cycling) June 6, 2019

Lex Albrecht (Team Tibco) and Holly Simonson of Team Canada led the chase over a minute behind going into the third of five laps.

Rally covered a couple of moves from lead group in the penultimate lap before Canadian champion Katherine Maine attacked with Albrecht’s teammate Emily Marcolini. The duo soon came to heel.

Going into the final 3-km, the front group was still together but very strung out. Kirchmann stayed ahead of two Rally riders at the line, Allison Beveridge and Krista Doebel-Hickok.

The Chrono Gatineau rolls tomorrow.

An impressive display of strength by the team today in @GPCycliste to place @Alli_Bev and @KristabelDH in 2nd/3rd. Awesome race to watch. #GPCyclisteGatineau #ReasonToRide pic.twitter.com/uxC5cH2ZWY

— Rally Cycling (@Rally_Cycling) June 7, 2019

2019 Grand Prix Cycliste de Gatineau
1) Leah Kirchmann (Canada/Team Canada) 2:45:14
2) Allison Beveridge (Canada/Rally UHC) s.t.
3) Krista Doebel-Hickok (USA/Rally UHC) s.t.