<\/p>\n
On Saturday, the day before the elite riders were to roll out for the time trial world championship, they got to ride the twisty course in Montreal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very Montreal, you know?\u201d said Olivia Baril well after the route reconnaissance. While she\u2019s from Rouyn-Noranda, Que., she knows Montreal well, having studied in that city for four years. (She used to have the KOM on Camillien-Houle and might try to regain it after worlds.) \u201cThe first 6 km are a bit bumpy, super technical. Then we have some really long straights, where the power can really be put down and where the differences are going to be made.\u201d Baril particularly like the section on the multi-use bridge along the Champlain Bridge and on to the Gilles Villeneuve F1 circuit.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s pretty crazy of a time trial to me,\u201d said Nadia Gontova from Richmond, B.C. \u201cIt\u2019s quite technical and bumpy. There\u2019s really quite a lot happening\u2014so many turns to remember.\u201d Gontova also noted that the race, at 39.2 km, is one of the longer TTs that the elite women will face. As for keeping track of all the turns, the riders will have radios for the TTs, so their sport directors can prompt them for upcoming turns.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Gontova was fifth at the Chrono F\u00e9minin de Gatineau. Marlen Reusser, the defending TT world champion, was first. Gontava admits the Reusser does seem to be on another level. Still, Canadian knows she can make some improvements for tomorrow\u2019s race.<\/p>\n
Reusser will be the final elite woman to roll out of the start gate. Demi Vollering and Zoe Backstedt will precede her. Baril will be the 19th rider to start, while Gontova will be 36th.<\/p>\n
\n