Alison Jackson caps off great 2019 season at the Tour of Guangxi
Second place at the WorldTour race in China concludes year in which she earned a contract with Team Sunweb thanks to consistently strong results since January
Canadian Alison Jackson capped off a great 2019 campaign in China on Tuesday sprinting to second-place at the one-day Tour of Guangxi, the final race of the 2019 UCI Women’s WorldTour calendar. The Vermillion, B.C. native has been consistent all year in her long season that’s included large stints racing top WorldTour events in Europe. With strong results at UCI and WorldTour events she earned a spot with Dutch outfit Team Sunweb for 2020.
Jackson started her season in Australia where she took multiple top-10 placings at the Tour Down Under and Herald Sun’s Tour. Her consistency continued into the spring where she was in the top-20 in many of the cobbled classics inclduing De Ronde van Vlaanderen. Then she took ninth at the Amstel Gold Race followed by a podium place on Stage 1 of the Tour of Yorkshire.
Jackson is not a frequent winner finding most of her career successes in North America but she’s a steady performer and solid sprinter after a hard race. Her first win of the season came at the White Spot Delta Road Race during BC Superweek which was closely followed by a win at the Tour of Scotland. At the Boels Ladies Tour she finished in the top 10 on two stages.
After a strong season, Jackson was selected to represent Canada at the world championships in Innsbruck and finished 16th, the top Canadian on the day. China was the last stop on a long season’s campaign. After a relaxed start, the pace in the 146 km Tour of Guangxi ramped up over a climb. Jackson sprinted to second behind Chloe Hosking and ahead of WorldTour ranking’s winner Marianne Vos who has taken an impressive list of wins in 2019.
“I am really proud of how the team has performed all year,” Tibco-SVB founder Linda Jackson said about the conclusion of the season with the second place. “Yesterday’s podium finish is the result of the hard work and determination that the team has demonstrated all year long. Racing on multiple continents – often simultaneously – is not easy, and the team and our staff rose to the challenge. We are committed to providing a racing program that can empower our talented athletes to achieve their potential in the sport and support their Olympic dreams. We are very much looking forward to 2020.”
The strong season earned Jackson a place with one of the top women’s teams for 2020. Team Sunweb already counts Leah Kirchmann on its roster and adds the versatility plus punchy finish of Jackson.
“I am really excited to be joining Team Sunweb for 2020,” she said at the time of the announcement. “It is the next step in my career that I needed to bring myself to the next level and keep growing as an athlete. I am looking forward to playing the tactical game with Team Sunweb and to contribute to team wins throughout the year. I race with a lot of heart and I think it will balance well with the resources and expertise available within the team. I think we can accomplish a lot together next year.”
