Remi Pelletier-Roy, Katherine Maine crowned victors following a rainy, aggressive Criterium National
On a rain-slicked Montreal course, kicking off at the base of Mount Royal Park, Saturday evening's Criterium National saw Remi Pelletier-Roy of Garneau-Quebecor and Katherine Maine, riding for the Canadian National Team, crowned the inaugural event's first winners.
On a rain-slicked Montreal course, kicking off at the base of Mount Royal Park, Saturday evening’s Criterium National saw Remi Pelletier-Roy of Garneau-Quebecor and Katherine Maine, riding for the Canadian National Team, crowned the inaugural event’s first winners.
In both races, it was a matter of a well-timed attack paying off at the finish.
Pelletier-Roy’s win came after a break alongside Derek Gee, a Canadian junior rider, leading the St-Augustin de Demaures cyclist to victory after 40 fast, unforgiving laps. Out ahead of the main bunch, the two surged towards the finish. Gee, at points, was riding hard, giving Pelletier-Roy a tough race, but the Quebecois powerhouse’s strength eventually him at the line.
Awesome effort by Derek Gee and Rémi Pelletier-Roy at the Criterium National. In break all day… @GPCQM
— Cycling Canada (@CyclingCanada) September 12, 2015
Further back, leading the main peloton behind Pelletier-Roy’s and Gee’s break, Marc-Antoine Soucy — also of Garneau-Quebecor — prevailed in the mass sprint to slot into third place.
Derek Gee and Katherine Maine – teamwork with men and women for podiums #CriteriumMTL @CanRoadCycling pic.twitter.com/x8LZdHoqtC
— Denise Kelly (@denisekellydk15) September 13, 2015
Another Junior rider boasting an impressive performance at the Criterium National was Ottawa’s Katherine Maine, who bested a strong field of 28 riders on the 30-lap, 1.1-km course. Throughout the full 33 km of competition, Maine took five blistering intermediate sprints, and mirrored the men’s race with a thrilling break in the last 200 metres alongside Carrie Cartmill, riding for The Cyclery. As the finish neared, Maine was able to put some asphalt between herself and Cartmill, opening a lead she maintained right to the line. Kirsti Lay, meanwhile — the SAS-Mazda rider known to Canadians as one of the country’s top track cyclists — powered to a third-place finish.
All eight of the competing Junior riders will go on to represent Canada at next week’s world championships, with this weekend’s Criterium National having served as a final hurdle of preparation.
Today’s Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal, using the same Park Avenue course, rolls out at 11 a.m.
