April 16/22 12:40 pm - UPDATED - Jackson 13th at Paris-Roubaix Femmes

Posted by Editoress on 04/16/22
 

Alison Jackson (Liv Racing Xstra) was the top Canadian finisher at the second edition of the Paris-Roubaix Femmes on Saturday, finishing 13th at 2:54 behind solo winner Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo).

"I felt strong, even after crashing and chasing," said Jackson, "just needed to be in the front in the last 4 cobbled sections to make it with leaders instead having to go around riders who were dropping. Happy to come away winning my bunch sprint in the velodrome with the help of my teammate. I'll take that experience into future editions."

Alison Jackson photo A.S.O./Pauline Ballet

Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) wins photo A.S.O./Pauline Ballet

The Italian Champion launched her decisive move with 34 kilometres to go, to claim another major success in the classics, after the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Trofeo Alfredo Binda, Strade Bianche and GP de Plouay. Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx) dominated the sprint for second, ahead of Lucinda Brand (Trek-Segafredo), and Ellen van Dijk put a third Trek-Segafredo rider in the top-10 (seventh).

"It's unbelievable, you have many thoughts going around," explained Elisa when asked what she was feeling at that moment. "You are in hell and then all of a sudden in paradise riding into the velodrome with a big history of cycling. I was thinking of my family, my boyfriend, my teammates; this is who I ride for.

"It's been a very tough spring for me, I had sinusitis for a month, and I couldn't perform the way I wanted," she continued. "I knew I was worth more, which was frustrating. It was a hard time and I need to thank first of all my family and my boyfriend Jacopo (Mosca) because they are all the time keeping my morale up, and secondly my team, Trek-Segafredo because they still had faith in me even though I didn't perform the way I was supposed to. They brought me to this race even though I said I was not ready, but they kept saying, 'You are more than ready, and we know you are capable of doing this.' I have to say they were right.

"With sinusitis you can't really breathe and in cycling breathing is everything. So I had to take a step back to make two forward. So I skipped Amstel Gold and Brabantse Pijl and I was able to get rid of the infection with antibiotics. And in the end, if I feel good, I win," laughed Elisa.

"Honestly, I wish I could bring all of my teammates to the podium today because it was a great team performance today and I need to thank them all. Lucinda was perfect, and everyone was there where they needed to be in every sector. We were a determined squad and ready for everything today. It was a huge team performance, and without them I would not win any single race.

"And also, this is a little bit for [world champion and team mate] Elisa Balsamo who was disqualified, but sometimes in the race you grab a sticky bottle," she continued, referring to the illegal move in a chase back from a puncture by her teammate. "The rule is the rule, but you still feel a little bit sorry."

Other Canadian results were Simone Boilard (St-Michel Auber 93) in 61st with a group finishing 9:19 down. Magdeleine Vallieres Mill (EF Education-Tibco-SVB) was in the same group in 74th place, while Gabrielle Pilote-Fortin (Cofidis Women Team) finished outside the time limit, 22:01 back.

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