Wednesday, April 23, 2003
Cyclist Sue Palmer-Komar finishes 2nd at World Cup race in Belgium
Canadian National Team Cyclist Sue Palmer-Komar today reached the podium in the 67th La Flèche Wallone Women's World Cup Race in Belgium. It was the 5th Women's World Cup Race of the 2003 Road Racing season. Palmer-Komar finished 4 seconds behind Nicole Cooke (Great Britian), racing for the Ausra-Gruodis-Safi team, who completed the 97.5 km course in 2:40:52. For Cooke it was her second straight World Cup race, having won the Amstel Gold Race this past weekend. Finishing in 3rd place at La Flèche Wallone was Australian Oenone Wood of the AIS Team, 9 seconds behind Cooke.
The other Canadian finishers in the race were:
14. Lyne Bessette (Can) Team Canada 0:32
23. Sandy Espeseth (Can) Team Canada 0:45
77. Erin Carter (Can) Team Canada 7:47
103. Julie Hutsebaut (Can) Team Canada 15:39
Palmer-Komar finished in 4th place at Flèche Wallone in 1998, before her maternity leave. She won a silver medal in the road race at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England, finishing behind Nicole Cooke and in 10th place in the road race at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Palmer-Komar is a member of the Canadian National team since 1989.
A Hamilton native, she is no doubt looking forward to the opportunity to race for a medal at the Road World Championships in her hometown. The Road World Championships are in Hamilton from October 6 to 12, with the Elite Women's Road Race on Saturday, October 11. The Hamilton 2003 Cycling Championships Organizing Committee would like to congratulate Sue on her World Cup Silver Medal.
