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“Action” Jackson sixth at Worlds, Balsamo earns Italy first elite women’s title in a decade

Zoe Bäckstedt follows up Junior time trial silver with road race gold

September 25, 2021
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On Saturday Elisa Balsalmo became the first Italian elite women’s road race world champion in a decade, taking a lead-out from teammate Elisa Longo Borghini and fending off legendary three-time winner Marianne Vos. Alison Jackson was prominent all day long and finished in sixth place, Canada’s best result since sixth in 2018 from Karol-Ann Canuel, who retired after the race.

You can watch Flanders 2021 at FloBikes.

Junior Women’s Race

Brit Zoe Bäckstedt has had a fine week, snatching silver in the Junior women’s time trial on Tuesday, turning 17 on Friday, and winning the rainbow jersey in the Junior road race on Saturday. Bäckstedt, one of two daughters of 2004 Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Bäckstedt and 2009 British national champion Megan Hughes who have medaled at Worlds, attacked on the third of five 15-km laps with American Kaia Schmid and then took the two-up sprint. German Linda Riedmann rounded out the podium. The only Canadian from four entrants to finish was Isla Walker in 61st.

Elite Women’s Race

The elite women’s course was similar to the U23 men’s route on Friday: a start in Antwerp, a Leuven circuit with five climbs, a Flanders circuit with six climbs and two and a half laps of the Leuven circuit with nine climbs.

It was two-time world champion Anna van der Breggen’s final professional race, as it also was for American Ruth Winder and Canuel.

Before the Leuven circuit, the peloton didn’t let any moves go clear. Heading onto the first climb, Wijnpers, the Netherlands set the pace. Great Britain committed too.

Alison Jackson (purple helmet) always near the front on the first Leuven circuit.

Through the first Leuven circuit, the peloton was shaved down but there was still no breakaway. Finally, a solo Kiwi dashed away before the Flanders circuit. The peloton hunted her down before the first Flanders climb, Smeysberg. One of the Dutch favourites, Demi Vollering, kept having mechanical issues, with the worst on the cobbled Moskesstraat.

With Vollering back in the pack, the Dutch started platooning attacks starting on the Bekestraat: Annemiek van Vleuten, Lucinda Brand and Chantal van den Broek-Blaak all put in digs to streamline the peloton. Jackson was still there. On the final climb of the Flanders circuit, Smeysberg, South African Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio attacked, once more fragmenting the field.

Van Vleuten, Brand and Vollering pulled along a group of 40 that contained Jackson. The Dutch and Brits continued to throw punches to soften up the riders. Multiple moves couldn’t stick.

Back in the Leuven circuits a French rider flared away and Canuel helped to chase.

In her final professional race, Karol-Ann Canuel chases a French attack in Leuven.

Keizersberg was the setting for the French rider’s capture. The Dutch kept digging. Mavi Garcia (Spain) launched off the back on the Decouxlaan. When Garcia’s gap grew to 30 seconds, Italy decided to chase. Pole Kasia Niewiadoma pulled Garcia 15 seconds closer on Wijnpers.

At 19 km to go Jackson now part of a 15-rider chase group trying to pull back Garcia. By the time Garcia heard the bell, Jackson’s group was twice as big and 16 seconds behind.

After 13 km solo, Garcia was absorbed on the Keizersberg. Jackson was lurking near the front of the suddenly relaxed group. Brand re-lit the powder on the Decouxlaan and van Vleuten carried on the pressure.

Niewiadoma attacked on Wijnpers and Vos, Jackson and a couple of others were able to go with her. But once more there was a re-forming.

Twenty riders headed towards the final climb: Sint-Antoniusberg. The Dutch led up. Another thrust from Niewiadoma wasn’t definitive.

Jackson was too far back to contest the sprint. Elisa Longo Borghini led out and then Balsalmo, after initially shaking her head, finished it off, holding off Vos.

Flanders 2021 concludes on Sunday with the elite men’s race.

2021 UCI Road World Championships, Jr. Women’s Road Race
Gold) Zoe Bäckstedt (Great Britain) 1:55:33
Silver) Kaia Schmid (U.S.A.) s.t.
Bronze) Linda Riedmann (Germany) +0:57
61) Isla Walker (Canada) +6:28

2021 UCI Road World Championships, Elite Women’s Road Race
Gold) Elisa Balsalmo (Italy) 3:52:27
Silver) Marianne Vos (The Netherlands) s.t.
Bronze) Kasia Niewiadoma (Poland) +0:01
6) Alison Jackson (Canada) s.t.
31) Karol-Ann Canuel (Canada) +0:50
64) Leah Kirchmann (Canada) +9:13