Kigali, Rwanda saw a massive upset in the women’s road race this Saturday. Magdeleine Vallieres, a Canadian rider, surprised everyone. She beat the top favorites to become the first Canadian woman to ever win the coveted rainbow jersey.
The race’s biggest stars, like France’s Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and the Netherlands’ Demi Vollering, made a crucial mistake. They didn’t react quickly enough to early attacks from other cyclists. This allowed a small group to get away. The decisive moment came on the second-to-last lap of the Kigali circuit, with more than 30 kilometers still left to race.
Vallieres, who had only one previous victory in her career, was part of that lead group. She chose her moment perfectly. With just over three kilometers remaining, she launched a powerful solo attack. Nobody could catch her as she pushed towards the finish line. She covered the 164.6 kilometers in 4 hours, 34 minutes, and 48 seconds.
New Zealand’s Niamh Fisher-Black finished second, 23 seconds behind Vallieres, earning the silver medal. The experienced Spanish rider Mavi García, 41 years old, took the bronze, finishing 27 seconds back.
The pre-race favorites struggled to make up ground. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, a former road champion and Olympic cross-country gold medalist, finished a distant 16th. Italy’s Elisa Longo Borghini even placed ahead of her. Demi Vollering, another strong contender, ended up seventh, more than a minute and a half behind the winner.
The hesitant tactics of the favorites cleared the path for Vallieres’ surprise win. Her bravery paid off in the biggest way. She now takes over the rainbow jersey from Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky. Kopecky, who won the last two editions, was out of the race while recovering from a vertebral fracture.
Earlier in the day, the women’s junior category also saw a new champion crowned. Spain’s Paula Ostiz, just 18 years old, won the junior world title. She completed the 78-kilometer race in 2 hours, 9 minutes, and 19 seconds. Italy’s Chantal Pegolo and Switzerland’s Anja Grossmann finished second and third, respectively, crossing the line with the exact same time as Ostiz.
The Kigali World Championships conclude this Sunday. The men’s elite road race will be the final main event. Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar aims to defend his world championship title. Riders will face a demanding 267.5-kilometer course that includes a staggering 5,475 meters of climbing.
Portugal will have several riders in the men’s race. These include Afonso Eulálio from Bahrain Victorious, António Morgado and Ivo Oliveira of UAE Emirates, and Tiago Antunes representing Efapel.
