BY PERRY LEFKO
sportsnet.ca

Rydermania swept Toronto at the 2010 Queen's Park Grand Prix, but it was a lesser-known rider who won the race.

Jeffrey Schiller, a 28-year-old London, Ontario cyclist from the Louis Garneau team, finished first in a blanket finish over Kevin Lacombe of SpiderTech, the team managed by Canadian cycling legend Steve Bauer, followed by Canada's new sultan of the saddle, Ryder Hesjedal.

Hesjedal, of Garmin Transitions, completed a season that included a seventh-place finish in the Tour de France. He is now ranked sixth in the world, the highest of any North American.

Schiller finished in a time of one hour, 43 minutes, and 16 seconds in the 85-kilometre race.

Danielle Defranceshi of Jet Fuel Coffee placed fourth, while SpiderTech's Ryan Roth, who led for most of the race, placed fifth.

Toronto's Michael Barry, who placed in the top three the last time the event was held in 1998, placed seventh while competing with two broken ribs.

"I was really hoping I could be in the break (group) today," Schiller said. "I wasn't really sure if there was going to be a break. I was talking to some older guys who raced in this a few years ago and they said for sure it will come down to a sprint finish. With guys like Ryder and Michael here, it wasn't to be.

"It's definitely the biggest (win) for me."

Schiller, who competes in North America and has captained his team for the last two years, said it was great to compete in an event with such world-class competitors such as Hesjedal.

"It's nice to see those guys from Europe compete against us guys from Ontario," Schiller said. "There's tons of people here today, we had a great day to race. It just made for an all-around great day."

"It's an indication of how well the sport's come along," Schiller said of renewed interest in Canadian cycling. "I think everyone was rooting for Ryder in July. A lot of fans came back to the sport after being a couple years away. It definitely helps the sport."

Schiller augments his riding with personal training, supply teaching and coaching young riders.

Hejesdal, who will return to Victoria and then leave for Las Vegas for some promotional work, wasn't disappointed with his third-place finish after a taxing international event last weekend in Quebec where he placed third.

"It was good," he said. "It felt fun to race these guys and put in a good effort and finish on another nice note," he said. "Just having people out here, not just for me, but the race, is great."

Hesjedal had some good-natured heckling from someone at the start, advising him to ride safely.

Several fans wore black shirts produced by his team that featured a bright red maple leaf and the words Ryder, Weight Of A Nation.

"I'm proud of what I've done in the races. I'm the top-ranked rider in North America. I think people like that it's a Canadian at the moment and that's fine by me. I enjoy it and I'm just going to try to keep it going."

Barry, whose broken ribs came from some spills earlier this season, said he only competed in the event because he's a Torontonian.

"I probably shouldn't have raced today, but it was hard to say no to a race like this," he said. "Physically I didn't feel fantastic but my heart was in it and I don't really get that opportunity to race in Toronto or Canada very often."

WOMEN'S 60K In the women's 60k that preceded the men's pro-am, Joelle Numainville of Webcor Builders won in a controversial finish.

A crash just before the finish line elevated Numainville to first. Merrill Collins of La Bicicletta Elite Team, finished first in 1:30.53, but was dropped down to 16th overall. Second place went to Leah Guloien (Total Restoration Cycling Team), third to Suzie Brown (P-K Express/ Hnz Strategy), fourth to Michelle Gauthier (7thgroove.Com/Reform Body Clinic) and fifth to Aimee Lynne (Maple Leaf Cycling Club).