<\/p>\n
A Swiss rider took the dub on the final day of the Tour de Gatineau, but Canadians were all over the moves in the 121.2-km road race.<\/p>\n
Steffi H\u00e4berlin won the final day of racing, which was super aggressive from kilometre 0, with both Canadian national teams featuring prominently. Canada was fielding two national teams\u2014a rare occurrence that only happened via special permission from the UCI.<\/p>\n
There was an elite team\u2014in the usual red-and-white jerseys, with many of the road worlds team\u2014and the under-23 squad, wearing black and white and also featuring several riders headed to Montr\u00e9al.<\/p>\n
The Swiss rider came out on top of an 11-rider breakaway that formed with about 34 km remaining. Australia\u2019s Georgia Baker was second and Oro-Medonte, Ont.\u2019s Ava Holmgren completed the podium, all three finishing in 2:53:26.<\/p>\n
It was a fast race from the start, with the average speed reaching 41.9 km\/h. Riders spent much of the first half attacking and counter-attacking without a group getting properly clear.<\/p>\n
National TT champ Nadia Gontova, former road and TT champ Olivia Baril, Jasmin Liechti, Tabea Huys and Elizabeth Grier got away between kilometres 38 and 54 and built a gap of about 30 seconds, but the peloton eventually brought them back. Minori Minagawa later tried her luck alone, only to be caught.<\/p>\n
The race finally split for good with around 34 km to go. Gontova, Ruby Roseman-Gannon, world champ Magdeleine Valli\u00e8res Mill, multiple world champ Isabella Holmgren, Ginia Caluori, Liv Wenzel and Katherine Sarkisov made the first move.<\/p>\n
Ava Holmgren, H\u00e4berlin, Baker and Elisa Luo chased across, creating the 11-rider group that would decide the race.<\/p>\n
The break worked well together and gradually pulled away from the peloton. By the closing kilometres, its advantage was close to two minutes, leaving the win to the riders up front.<\/p>\n
H\u00e4berlin was the fastest when it mattered, taking the sprint ahead of Baker and Holmgren.<\/p>\n
Holmgren\u2019s third-place finish made her the top Canadian. Her sister Isabella was eighth, finishing in the same time as the winner.<\/p>\n
Sherbrooke, Que.\u2019s Valli\u00e8res Mill was also one of the most active riders in the race. The Quebec rider made the winning break and finished seventh, also in the same time as H\u00e4berlin. She also picked up a win in one of the intermediate sprints. Looks like she is in fine form to defend her crown. Valli\u00e8res Mill may not have won the road race, but it was clear she was there to get some hard miles in, too.<\/p>\n
All in all, some great racing, but also some good signs with the road worlds beginning on Sunday with the time trials.<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n