World champion Bronzini to race Gatineau GP

Reigning women’s world road race champion Giorgia Bronzini will be on the start line at the Gatineau Grand Prix on May 21.

The Gatineau, Que., event is shaping up to be the premier women’s race in Canada event in only its second year. You can visit the event website here.

Teams expected on the start line include Team HTC Highroad, Team TIBCO — which includes 2010 winner Joelle Numainville — and Bronzini’s Colavita Forno d’Asolo squad.

Bronzini, 27, is a former points race world champion with an excellent turn of speed — she won the road worlds in Australia last October in a dramatic sprint finish — so it will be up to the other teams in Gatineau to make sure the race doesn’t end in a group sprint like in 2010.

Colavita director Rachel Heal took the time this week to answer some questions about the Bronzini and the team’s participation in Gatineau.

Q. The Gatineau Grand Prix organizers are thrilled to have reigning world champion Giorgia Bronzini on the start list for their race. Where does this event fit in Bronzini’s schedule, especially given her track commitments? Will she be doing the time trial as well as the road race? And will this be her only appearance in Canada in 2011?

A. After the track worlds Bronzini will move straight into road competition, and so she will have been racing on the road for six weeks before Gatineau. She will just be doing the road race and not the time trial. And I think this will be her only appearance in Canada in 2011.

Q. How many days will Bronzini be in the Gatineau region, and does she have any public events planned outside the competitions?

A. She will travel to Gatineau  on the 16th/17th and leave after the race on the 22nd. The race organizer has said that the Italian embassy are keen to organize an event with the ambassador, but I’m not sure of the details yet

Q. How did it come about that Bronzini signed with Colavita-Forno d’Asolo for 2011, and how is the program being balanced between the Italian and U.S. side?

A. Bronzini started her career riding for a team managed by Franco Chirio, the manager of the  Italian side of the team, and when he approached her, she was keen to return to a team he managed. The team is running full squads in Europe and in USA, and riders will switch between the squads during the year.

Q. 2011 is just the second year for the Gatineau GP, but it seems to be a popular race among the riders, and goes some way to filling the gap left by the Montreal World Cup. What are your impressions of the event?

A. For a new event the race is really well run, and seems to have great community support, so hopefully it will continue to grow.

Q. The Colavita Forno d’Asolo team has a Canadian connection with Leah Kirchmann, who is a new signing for 2011. What are your expectations for her debut season with the squad?

A. The team has two canadian riders, Heather Logan-Sprenger who has been with the team for three years now, and Leah Kirchmann who is a new signing this year. Leah has proved herself well as a sprinter so we will be looking to her to support the teams established sprinters