Alison Jackson leads Canadians with 13th at Paris-Roubaix
Four Canucks on the start line at second edition of women's race
Canada had an incredible four women start Saturday’s second edition of Paris-Roubaix. Alison Jackson, the current national champion, led the Canadian and North American results.
The Liv Racing Xstra rider sprinted out of the third group on the road. That gave Jackson an inspiring 13th place finish in the iconic Roubaix velodrome.
Jackson was briefly in a three-rider break earlier in the day on Auchy-les-Orchies. Along with teammate Valerie Demey, the Canadian briefly escaped the bunch before being reeled in. The Canadian’s result is all the more impressive as she is returning from injury. Jackson started the mid-week Classic, Brabantse Pijl, her first race back since crashing at Gent-Wevelgem.
Two young Canadians, Simone Boilard and Magdeleine Vallieres-Mill also crossed the line in Roubaix. Boilard was caught up in a crash early in the race before finishing 61st for her St. Michel-Auber 93 squad. Vallieres-Mill, who was the top Canadian woman at Strade Bianche, was 74th for her EF-Education-Tibco-SVB team. Both finished together in a sizable group, 9:19 back from the day’s winner.
Gabrielle Pilote-Fortin, racing for Cofidis Women, had an unlucky day on the cobbles. The Quebec rider lost a tubular on the first section and eventually finished outside of the time limit.
You can re-watch the women’s Paris-Roubaix at FloBikes. The streaming service is also hosting Sunday’s men’s Paris-Roubaix.
