June 29/25 22:51 pm - Solo Ride for National Road Title by Alison Jackson

Posted by Editoress on 06/29/25
 

Alison Jackson (EF Education Oatley) had a remarkable solo ride on Sunday to win her third Elite women's national road race title in St-Georges, Quebec. Jackson rode solo for roughly 85 of the 115 kilometres in the women's race to take the title. Her EF teammate Alexandra Volstad took second in the bunch sprint for both silver in the Elite race and the national title for the Under-23 women's category.

The women's road race was the only one to escape rain and cold temperatures, but riders still faced a hard rolling circuit and some stiff winds. The first attack happen approximately 20 kilometres into the race, with Adele Normand (St Michel - Preference Home - Auber 93) going off the front solo. Jackson jumped across shortly after and then dropped Normand as the riders began the first of two 28 kilometre loops.

Photo gallery  Elite/U23 Women Road Race

Jackson quickly took her lead to over a 90 seconds, and to two minutes before the peloton reacted. Defending champion Olivia Baril (Movistar) led the early chase, but was joined by Ava Holmgren (Lidl-Trek). The gap yo-yo'd between 1:10 and 1:50 for most of the second lap, as the chase surged and faltered, while Jackson kept up a steady pace at the front.

Heading back towards St-Georges, the peloton was down to 8-10 riders, with no real organization to the chase; it didn't help that two of the chasers were Jackson's teammates Volstad and Vallieres-Mill. As the kilometres ticked down, it looked more and more feasible that Jackson might pull off the win. In the final five kilometres, conflicting time gaps put the chase between 15 seconds and 30 seconds, however, it had actually gone out to over a minute.

Jackson crossed the line and collapsed at the side of the road, while Vallieres-Mill gave her teammate Volstad a perfect leadout to take the bunch sprint, ahead of another U23 rider, Laury Milette (KDM Cycling Pack).

Watch our interview with Alison Jackson

Road Nationals: U23 and Elite Women Road Race results

Photo gallery  Elite/U23 Women Road Race