By Susy Pryde - The Jazz Apple quartet tuned their instruments for yet another multi-movement classical composition in the 35th annual Tour de Gastown last night. Laced in history, Tour de Gastown is set on an irregular rectangle-shaped cobbled course that includes one, 180 degree left hander, tricky enough that it has long attracted a who's-who in cycling to it's downtown Vancouver lair.

Brimming with over 40,000 supporters, the women's event included two of the Canadian Olympic team members, both Vancouver locals, Gina Grain and Erinne Willock driving the crowd into a frenzy of a hometown anticipation. Propelling from the line, Grain captured the first prime on the second lap, and openly revealing her on-form condition, Grain jumped clear from the group. As Grain gained seconds, Jazz Apple's Malindi Maclean skirted to the front and Susy Pryde was able to launch across solo within a lap. The pair gained time but Aaron's Alison Testroete tarried to pursue the escapees and they were reabsorbed just before a healthy cash prime. As smooth as butter on the cobbled course, Lauren Ellis flew onto the sprint train and covered Erin Willock's counter, spreading out the oxygen starved field leading into the next $600 crowd prime. With Maclean hovering like a well-crafted Zeppelin, Ellis maneuvered into position in the hair-pin turn before calamity struck. Maclean's seat broke, and sensing Maclean's sudden absence, Ellis rocketed out of the front fold and gained a 5 second advantage. Cheerwine's Sarah Bamburger drove the front and with Grain glued to her wheel, Grain jumped out to just clip Ellis on the line.

At two to go the Genius-sheathed duo of Ruth Corset and Pryde propelled to the front setting up for the concerto. As Willock built up steam, Pryde jockeyed position with Corset on her wheel. Approaching the final turn, Corset confidently slipped onto the wheel of Cheerwine speedster, Kelly Benjamin.  As Grain launched in the sprint with Benjamin and Corset, Pryde hesitated to create a gap that saw the three jump clear on the finish stretch. With fever pitch, the three hit the line stretched across the road with their scabbard's lunging forward for the victory. In a dramatically close finish, Grain took a popular hometown victory over Benjamin and Corset was third, who now has shown she has a rather handy pair of sprinter's pins to match her climbing prowess.