- By Marianne Werz O’Brien

This year’s German Team is incredibly strong & deep with Judith Arndt & Regina Schleicher being ably supported by Petra Rossner, Trixi Worrack, Tina Liebig, Teresa Senff, and Hanka Kupfernagel. Judith Arndt is considered a major contender in this race. She has had 44 career victories since turning pro in 1995.  In 2003 she has won the Tour de l’Aude, the German National Time Trial Championship, placed 2nd at the Plouay world cup, and 3rd at both Geelong & Montreal world cups. She also won 3 stages of le Grande Boucle, and 2 stages in de Gracia Orlova.  Judith ranks 3rd in UCI points and 5th in World Cup points, obviously she is one of the best all-round cyclists in the women’s peloton! Her teammate Regina Schleicher is ranked 9th in UCI points, but 2nd in World Cup points due to her consistent riding throughout 2003. Regina has earned 22 career victories since turning pro in 1994, but note that 12 of those victories have come in the past two years! This is a woman who has come into her own and is having a stellar season in 2003! This year she took four stages of the Tour d’Italia, two stages of the GP International du Canada, and one stage of the Vuelta Castilla y Leon.  She came in 2nd at two world cup events, the Primavera Rosa & Nurenburg. The German team is a force to be reckoned with at Hamilton. Be sure to keep an eye on these ladies as there is serious podium potential for Judith Arndt & Regina Schleicher!

The Canadians are fielding a very impressive ladies team this year. This summer 22-year old Genevieve Jeanson won the Montreal World Cup and she would obviously love to also win the World Championship on her native soil!  Genevieve is absolutely on fire this year with 7 race wins & 22 stage wins. Add to that her "home field advantage" and she looks to be a very strong contender indeed. In a chat on the Hamilton2003 web page Genevieve had this to say about the course in Hamilton: “There are several places where the girls (or the men for that matter) will be able to attack. You have two tough climbs on the course and either one is good for an attack. But you have two exciting descents as well, and I can see some opportunity for action there too! One thing is sure, though. You can expect very exciting races in Hamilton!”  And she ought to know because this is the same course where she raced to victory in the Canadian National Championships at the end of June! Her RONA/Esker teammate Erinne Willock will also be on the Canadian team, along with Sue Palmer-Komar of Genesis Scuba, and Lyne Bessette, Manon Jutras, & Amy Moore from Saturn.  Lyne Bessette, the Canadian National Time Trial Champion, suffered a setback in the Nurenburg World Cup race this August when she crashed and broke her collarbone. In her 2003 season Lyne already had 13 victories including the Wachovia Liberty Classic, the Tour de ‘Toona, the Cascade Classic, and a stage in Pomona Valley. Giana Roberge (Assistant General Manager of Saturn Cycling) assured me that Lyne would be in excellent form for Hamilton. In fact, Giana feels that the “forced rest” of a broken collarbone ultimately helped Lyne more than hurt her. Considering Lyne’s strong 3rd place overall in the Canadian GP Feminine last week, I think Giana is right! Talk about home field advantage, Hamilton is Sue Palmer-Komar’s hometown! Sue finished second this spring at the Fleche Wallone World Cup in Belgium, just four seconds behind Welsh wonder Nicole Cooke!  Sue is a mainstay in the peloton, having placed 10th in the 1996 Olympics Road race, 10th in the 2001 World Road Championships, and 4th in the 2001 Canadian National Road Championship, and this year earned Silver in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Sue has stated repeatedly that winning this race is a major goal of hers. This team will have the advantage of the riders well understanding each other’s strengths, as most of them have ridden together as teammates in the past.  Manon Jutras and Amy Moore were Saturn teammates of Lyne’s this year, after spending the two previous seasons supporting Genevieve for RONA. At only 21, in her very first pro season, Erinne Willock showed immense potential, as her hard work proved instrumental in the RONA/Esker team's performance at the Montreal World Cup, the Tour de 'Toona and the Trophée d'Or. Depending on Canadian team strategy Manon Jutras, Amy Moore and Erinne Willock should prove instrumental in helping deliver Genevieve Jeanson, Lyne Bessette or Sue Palmer-Komar to victory for Canada!

Australia’s team includes Sara Carrigan and Olivia Gollan. In 1998 Sara Carrigan placed 4th in the junior world championships road race & received a scholarship from the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) to live overseas training and racing. After spending 4 years learning the ropes, Sara turned pro this year joining the BIK-Powerplate team of current world champion Susanne Ljungskog. Sara has scored 6 wins in 2003 including the first race in the women’s World Cup in Australia this spring, and the Australian National Time Trial championship. Last year Sara finished 4th in the Worlds Road Race & 5th in the Time Trial. This year she will seek to improve those scores!  She is ranked 6th in UCI points and 4th in the World Cup, very impressive, especially for a 23 year old!  Reigning Australian road champion, Olivia Gollan is a current member of the AIS Cycling Team. In 2003 Olivia, a former schoolteacher, claimed GC victory in the Trophée d'Or, a four-day race in France.  Olivia also won the Tour de Berne, and the first stage of the Geelong Women’s Tour, and the 3rd stage ITT in Trophée d’Or.  She is ranked 12th in UCI points & 11th in the World Cup. 

Next up previews of the America, French, & Spanish teams! One thing is certain, the competition this year will be fierce!