ROUBAIX’23 Femmes: Jackson Jumps the Cobbles to Victory!
Saturday in Hell
Race Report: Alison Jackson won the Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift on Saturday. The Canadian of EF Education-TIBCO-SVB was part of the break of the day, which fought for victory on the velodrome. Jackson was the best in a chaotic sprint, in which saw Femke Markus crash on the banking. Katia Ragusa was second and Marthe Truyen third.
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A Tense Finale To An Incredible Day In Hell! | Paris-Roubaix Femmes Avec Zwift – 2023 Highlights
Ready for the start
The third edition of Paris-Roubaix for women started from Denain on Saturday. After two previous victories for Trek-Segafredo with Lizzie Deignan and Elisa Longo Borghini, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) was billed as the top favourite for 2023. Kopecky didn’t consider herself to be the favourite before the race. The Belgian, like many others, pointed out that luck plays a much more important role in winning in Paris-Roubaix than in any other race. She was right as there were many punctures and crashes this year.
Roubaix’23 Femmes map
The course was 20 kilometres longer this year and had a total of 30 kilometres of cobbled sections, including Mons-en-Pévèle at 48 kilometres from the finish and the Carrefour de l’Arbre at 17 kilometres, probably the most crucial sections.
Roubaix’23 Femmes profile
Three laps of Denain
The nervousness in the bunch meant that no one was able to get away, but after 15 kilometres there was a successful move. Eleven riders managed to get away: Marta Lach (CERATIZIT-WNT), Lisa van Helvoirt (Parkhotel Valkenburg), Josie Talbot (Cofidis), Susanne Andersen (Uno-X), Marie-Morgane Le Deunff (Arkéa), Alison Jackson (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB), Julia Borgström (AG Insurance – Soudal Quick-Step), Amber Pate (Jayco AlUla), Jesse Vandenbulcke (Human Powered Health), Marison Borras (St Michel-Mavic-Abuer93) and Mathe Truyen (Fenix-Deceuninck).
The race was on!
Splits on the cobbles
Ten kilometres later, another seven riders crossed to the front group. These were Lisa Klein (Trek-Segafredo), Alice Towers (Canyon//SRAM), Eugénie Duval (FDJ-SUEZ), Daniek Hengeveld (DSM), Katia Ragusa (Liv Racing TeqFind), Laura Tomasi (UAE Team ADQ) and Femke Markus (SD Worx). DSM only had Hengeveld in the break and decided to chase. The lead of this dangerous break quickly increased and at one point they had almost 6 minutes.
Alice Towers, GB champ
Past the famous farm house
When turning onto the first cobbled section, the gap was the same. While Hengeveld rode away from the break, Marianne Vos punctured in the peloton. She had to chase on her own and had not yet returned by the five-star section of Mons-en-Pévèle began 50 kilometres from the finish. Lotte Kopecky put the pressure on, after Lorena Wiebes had been leading the peloton.
Top favourite – Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) lost time in a big crash
Daniek Hengeveld (DSM) went solo
Kopecky’s attack caused a chasing group of favourites to form with Kopecky, Elisa Longo Borghini, Lucinda Brand, Elise Chabbey, Pfeiffer Georgi, Franziska Koch, Sanne Cant, Floortje Mackaij, Chiara Consonni and Romy Kasper. They started to chase the early escapees, who had pulled in Hengeveld with 43 kilometres to go. They still had a lead of more than 3 minutes.
Lisa Klein (Trek-Segafredo) was very active
The favourites were getting closer to the front riders, but 37 kilometres out, there was a big crash. On Sector 7, Longo Borghini slid and took a large part of the group with her, Cant being the main victim. Kopecky also hit the cobbles hard and fell back in the peloton with Marianne Vos. Kasper was the only rider who escaped the pile-up, but she was later caught by nine in the group.
Alison Jackson was the strongest in the race
The group of Kopecky, Longo Borghini and Vos seemed to have no chance, but they didn’t give up. After a long chase and with just under 15 kilometres to go, they managed to rejoin Brand and the next group on the road. There were attacks in the leading group at that time, which didn’t help their work. The difference became smaller and smaller.
So close for Femke Markus
It looked very much like the groups would come together. On the cobbles of Hem, the lead shrunk to less than 10 seconds. After that, there was more co-operation at the front, so that the difference increased to 20 seconds again. It looked like Markus, Duval, Lach, Ragusa, Jackson, Borras and Truyen had a serious chance again.
Big win for Roubaix for Alison Jackson (EF Education TIBCO)
The seven turned onto the velodrome with just enough lead and would sprint for the victory. Just before the sprint really started, Markus crashed. After that, Jackson showed her strength and was the fastest to the line. She beat Ragusa and Truyen to second and third places. Twelve seconds behind the leading group, Lotte Kopecky sprinted to seventh place, ahead of Pfeiffer Georgi, Chiara Consonni and Marianne Vos.
Jackson was more than happy
Race winner, Alison Jackson (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB): “When I came here with the recon on the track, I dreamed of winning. But I thought it would stay with dreams, because most dreams are deceptions. That makes it even more incredible that it worked out. I didn’t have to wait to achieve that. I wanted to be part of an early move and make the race. That way you can also avoid chaos and bad luck more easily. In the final we came forward with seven, but only four ladies wanted to ride. Then I thought: either I don’t ride and we get caught anyway, or I ride full and you at least have a chance of winning. Fortunately I had a clear track in the sprint. It’s always a special feeling to win, but even more so here on this iconic track.”
You need a lot of strength to win Paris-Roubaix – During and after
# Keep it PEZ for the men’s race on Sunday and more Roubaix news in EUROTRASH Monday. #
Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift Result:
1. Alison Jackson (Can) EF Education-TIBCO-SVB in 3:42:56
2. Katia Ragusa (Ita) Liv Racing TeqFind
3. Marthe Truyen (Bel) Fenix-Deceuninck
4. Eugénie Duval (Fra) FDJ-SUEZ
5. Marion Borras (Fra) St Michel-Mavic-Auber93
6. Marta Lach (Pol) CERATIZIT-WNT at 0:03
7. Lotte Kopecky (Bel) SD Worx at 0:12
8. Pfeiffer Georgi (GB) DSM
9. Chiara Consonni (Ita) UAE Team ADQ
10. Marianne Vos (Ned) Jumbo-Visma.
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