June 16, 2008 - Canada's David Veilleux (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) capped off a great NVGP with a fabulous win on the final Stage 6 to finish 7th overall while Anne Samplonius (Cheerwine) also had a great race finishing 3rd overall. We caught up with both riders for some post-race interviews...
David Veilleux (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast) - Stage 6 Winner, 7th on Final GC - wins Boost Best Young Rider jersey
You already had the Best Young Rider jersey, but this stage win has to far exceed that. How big is this victory?
DV: Yeah, it's really big, it's big for the team, I think. We had good legs today, and we had a lot of tries and we had (Andy) Bajadali trying at the end, and (Dan) Bowman as well. Yeah, It was a good day for us and in the end I knew Baj was there so I just stayed on teh 5th or 6th wheel and just went for it at the end and I'm happy that I had enough power to pass Rory Sutherland at the line.
You also attacked with three laps to go. This is a really tough course, with 18 climbs of Chilkoot Hill - were you just feeling strong all day?
DV: Yes it's pretty tough. My teammate (Alex) Candelario just said "OK, go for it one time" and I just tried it and it didn't really work out because Health Net was working really strong at the front so I decided to settle down for the sprint at the end.
Rory kind of looked at you and did a double take when you flew by him at the finish - did you notice that?
DV: No, no (laughs.) I was too focused on the line and trying to go for the line. I'm pretty happy. I didn't know I could win that stage.
You're only 20 years old. What does a stage win in an important race with such a high quality field mean to you?
DV: One of my main goals is going to be (the Tour of) Pennsylvania in two weeks (U25 stage race June 24-29) and I think I'm ready for that, we have a strong U25 team, and then the Canadian Road Nationals in three weeks. So yes, I think I'm ready for the big races ahead the season. Training's going well and I'm getting in shape.
And a hometown win for Kelly Benefit Strategies...
DV: Yeah, we've been looking for this win all week. The first stage got cancelled, it was a little bit of bad news for us, and then the sprint in (in Stage 2) didn't really work out (Candelario placed 2nd) the way we wanted it - but on the last day we finally got our win.
Anne Samplonius (Cheerwine) - 9th on the Final Stage, 3rd on Final GC - Cheerwine 1st in Final Team GC
When I walked up to Anne after she'd enjoyed her time on the podium, she answered my question about the Olympic selection before I even had an opportunity to ask it :)
AS: No word yet, I have no clue (laughs!)
Today's the 15th, right?
AS: Well, today is D-Day, according to the whole official document of the CCA, but it's Sunday. And I don't know when they wrote this document if they realized it was a Sunday and it's not an official work day - so it could be today, could be tomorrow. I'm not worrying about it at this point. We finished off a good week here as a team with Cheerwine, we won the overall Team GC, finished 2nd on the final stage (with Canadian Olympian Leigh Hobson), and I maintained 3rd overall so we're ecstatic.
Finishing 3rd overall and beating everyone but Kristin Armstrong in the Time Trial, all at age 40, after retiring once, it's gotta make you feel good that you can still bring it.
AS: Yeah, yeah, I don't see age, it's just a number, you know? You have to speak to experience in cycling as well, that plays a lot, so that's what I chalk it up to for me more, experience. It's just taken a lot of years for me to reach my potential due to that. But yeah, it's been a good week!
What does the team victory in a mean to Cheerwine, getting on the podium in the United States for an American sponsor?
AS: Totally, I mean for us one of the goals for every stage race is to win the Team GC because it is a team sport and we know that and it just makes every member of the team feel a part of it when we get up on the podium at the end of a race and we've been the best team out there. I think we've done quite a few races this year where we've won the Team GC and we chalked up another one, so that was a big goal for this week, too.
|
Photo: Matt Moses
Team Cheerwine wins overall team classification - Canada's Anne Samplonius is in the centre while Leigh Hobson is second on the right.
Photo: Matt Moses
Photo: Matt Moses
Canada's David Veilleux (Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast)
Photo: Matt Moses
|
