Canadian cyclist Alison Jackson wins Paris-Roubaix Femmes with late velodrome sprint
34-year-old returned to EF Education-TIBCO-SVB team this year
Alison Jackson won the Paris-Roubaix Femmes on Saturday after helping a long breakaway survive over the cobbles of the one-day classic, then holding off Katia Ragusa and Marthe Truyven in a sprint finish at Roubaix's velodrome.
The 34-year-old Canadian rider, who returned to the EF Education-TIBCO-SVB team this year, threw up her arms as she crossed the finish line. After dropping to the ground in exhaustion, Jackson got back up and broke into a dance on the infield.
"When we did the pre-ride and rode around this velodrome, I just dreamed of winning," Jackson said, "but a lot of times, those dreams just stay dreams. It's unreal to make it happen in real life. I have few words."
Most of the big hitters in the women's race missed out on the early 18-rider breakaway, including Lotte Kopecky and Elisa Longo Borghini. The breakaway mostly managed to navigate the slippery cobbled sectors without any problem, and they were able to maintain about a 10-second gap on the peloton as the six leaders reached the velodrome for a final lap.
Jackson moved up the track and used a big sprint to reach the finish line first.
Kopecky finished seventh when she outsprinted the remnants of the peloton, which included three-time world champion and former Olympic champ Marianne Voss. Borghini, the bronze medalist at the Tokyo Games, was a few seconds behind them.
Dylan van Baarle is back to defend his title in the men's race on Sunday, though Milan-San Remo winner Mathieu van der Poel and Olympic silver medalist Wout van Aert are the favorites along with Mads Pedersen and Filippo Ganna.
