2008 Le Tour du Grand Montreal - Women: Stage 1 - 4

24 year old Dutch Suzanne de Goede is leading after four stages in the Tour du Grand Montreal with a slight gap on double stage winner Judith Arndt and defending champion Oenone Wood. The tough final stage will decide over the overall victory.

The Women's Tour du Grand Montreal from June 2 to June 5 is a 2.1 UCI event in Canada. The World Cup in Montreal a few days ago was won by Judith Arndt ahead of 2007 winner Fabiana Luperini. In this year's Tour du Grand Montreal Arndt is one of the favorites as well just as team mate and defending champion Oenone Wood. A roundup of stage 1 to stage 4.

Stage 1: Châteauguay Road Race, 85.5km

Stage 1 was a 85,5 km road course in and around Châteauguay. The women had to do 15 laps of a 5,7 kilometer circuit.

The race ended up in a sprint as not much happened during the stage. Iraida Garcia (Cuba) started to sprint with 400 meters to go but it was former World Champion Regina Schleicher (Equipe Nürnberger) who won the stage ahead of defending champion Oenone Wood and her compatriot Rochelle Gilmore. Garcia ended as fourth and Nathalie Lamborelle from Luxembourg completed the top 5.

Result
1 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 1.59.41
2 Oenone Wood (Aus) High Road Women
3 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master color
4 Iraida Garcia (Cub) Cuban National Team
5 Nathalie Lamborelle (Lux) UNIQA
6 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team
7 Tanja Hennes (Ger) Specialized Designs for Women
8 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders
9 Yeima Torres (Cub) Cuban National Team
10 Christine Majerus (Lux) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion
11 Mirjam Hauser-Senn (Swi) Specialized Designs for Women
12 Fanny Riberot (Fra) Team Pro Feminin Les Carroz
13 Lauren Franges (USA) Team TIBCO
14 Karin Aune (Swe) UNIQA
15 Kori Kelley Seehafer (USA) Menikini-Selle Italia Master color

Stage 2: Granby - Granby, 104km

The second stage was from Granby to Granby over 104 km. The first break of the day was a large won with about 20 riders. They had a gap of about 15 seconds but were chased down a few kilometers later.

The next ones to attack were Anne Samplonius (Team Canada) and Erinne Willock (Webcor-Builders). But the bunch didn't let them go.

Judith Arndt was the next one to attack and got company of her compatriot Larissa Kleinmann, Canadian Leigh Hobson and Australian Helen Kelly. The four worked well together as Erinne Willock (Webcor-Builders), Meredith Miller (Aaron's Cycling Team) and Victoria Bastide (Team Tibco) were able to bridge across.

In the final kilometers Judith Arndt attacked and was able to win the stage. The others of the break were reeled in by the bunch. Regina Schleicher won the bunch sprint for the second place ahead of Oenone Wood but was able to keep her overall lead.

Result
1 Judith Arndt (Ger) High Road Women 2.32.35
2 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 0.06
3 Oenone Wood (Aus) High Road Women
4 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master color
5 Brooke Miller (USA) Team TIBCO
6 Tanja Hennes (Ger) Specialized Designs for Women
7 Nathalie Lamborelle (Lux) UNIQA
8 Yong Li Liu (Chn) Giant Pro Cycling
9 Christine Majerus (Lux) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion
10 Joelle Numainville (Can) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion
11 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team
12 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Australian National Team
13 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders
14 Olena Andruk (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team
15 Sophie Creux (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion

Stage 3: Lachine - Lachine (ITT), 3.5km

The third stage a 3,5 km time-trial in Lachine was won by German Judith Arndt. Arndt won with an average speed of over 50 km/h and was 4 sec. faster than the youngsters Suzanne de Goede (2nd) and Trine Schmidt (3rd). Judith Arndt takes over the overall lead from her compatriot Regina Schleicher. She has a small advantage on De Goede and Katherine Bates.

For Arndt it's her 3rd win in a few days. She won the second stage a day ago and she was the best in the World Cup a few days earlier.

Result
1 Judith Arndt (Ger) High Road Women 4.11
2 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 0.04
3 Trine Schmidt (Den) Menikini-Selle Italia Master color
4 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders 0.05
5 Katherine Bates (Aus) High Road Women 0.06
6 Larissa Kleinmann (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 0.07
7 Brooke Miller (USA) Team TIBCO
8 Christine Thorburn (USA) Webcor Builders
9 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Australian National Team 0.08
10 Oenone Wood (Aus) High Road Women
11 Felicia Gomez (Can) Aaron's Professional Cycling 0.09
12 Kori Kelley Seehafer (USA) Menikini-Selle Italia Master color
13 Anne Samplonius (Can) Canadian National Team 0.10
14 Chantal Beltman (Ned) High Road Women 0.11
15 Svitlana Galyuk (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team 0.13

Stage 4: Petite-Italie criterium, 50km

The fourth stage was a 50 km criterium in Petite-Italie. Despite breaks of among others Sara Carrigan, Lauren Franges and Lorian Graham the stage ended up in a bunch sprint. Suzanne de Goede was the fastest ahead of Oenone Wood and Rochelle Gilmore. Due to the win and the time bonuses De Goede takes over the overall lead from Judith Arndt.

The final stage (stage 5) is the Mont-Saint-Hilaire road race over 115 km. This stage will decide over the overall win in the 2008 Tour du Grand Montreal.

Result
1 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 1.13.15
2 Oenone Wood (Aus) High Road Women
3 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master color
4 Brooke Miller (USA) Team TIBCO
5 Dalila Rodriguez (Cub) Cuban National Team
6 Nikki Egyed (Aus) Australian National Team
7 Iraida Garcia (Cub) Cuban National Team
8 Nathalie Lamborelle (Lux) UNIQA
9 Christine Majerus (Lux) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion
10 Joelle Numainville (Can) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion
11 Sophie Creux (Fra) ESGL 93 GSD Gestion
12 Alex Wrubleski (Can) Webcor Builders
13 Olena Andruk (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team
14 Louise Moriarty (Irl) Specialized Carrefour Multis
15 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team

General Ranking after stage 4 (top 20)
1 Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 5.49.28
2 Judith Arndt (Ger) High Road Women 0.02
3 Oenone Wood (Aus) High Road Women 0.13
4 Katherine Bates (Aus) High Road Women 0.18
5 Larissa Kleinmann (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 0.24
6 Trine Schmidt (Den) Menikini-Selle Italia Master color
7 Erinne Willock (Can) Webcor Builders 0.25
8 Brooke Miller (USA) Team TIBCO
9 Regina Schleicher (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicher 0.27
10 Anne Samplonius (Can) Canadian National Team
11 Sara Carrigan (Aus) Australian National Team 0.28
12 Felicia Gomez (Can) Aaron's Professional Cycling 0.29
13 Kori Kelley Seehafer (USA) Menikini-Selle Italia Master color
14 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Menikini-Selle Italia Master color 0.31
15 Chantal Beltman (Ned) High Road Women
16 Svitlana Galyuk (Ukr) Ukrainian National Team 0.33
17 Meredith Miller (USA) Aaron's Professional Cycling
18 Lauren Franges (USA) Team TIBCO 0.34
19 Lorian Graham (Aus) Australian National Team 0.37
20 Kimberly Anderson (USA) High Road Women