Years ago when Niamh Fisher-Black heard the announcement that the UCI Road World Championships was set to take place in Wollongong, Australia – delivering just about the closest thing to a home race a New Zealander can get – the talented rider, who hadn’t even turned professional yet, set her sights on this race.
The 22-year-old’s record made it clear that she was an exciting prospect for New Zealand and not just for the U23 title but also the elite event, in which the category resided. A strong midseason, including fifth overall at the Giro d’Italia Donne as well as the youth classification win, unfortunately came to a grinding halt with a fractured collarbone in August at the Tour of Scandinavia, threatening to take her out of the running before the race had even begun.
"I really wanted to be here and I think that's what drove me through the injuries and got me back on the bike and to come good again because I knew this was a good opportunity,” Fisher-Black told the media. “I'd heard about this really steep climb and this big mountain up Mount Keira and said ‘that's for me’.
“I like climbs and I like it when it’s steep and hard,” said Fisher-Black of the 164.3km race with 2,433 metres of vertical ascent. “So I was really excited about this race for a long time and I'm glad I could get here and pull off a nice race."
A 'nice race' that led to historic outcomes. Fisher-Black is the first-ever U23 women’s title holder in the road race and the first women from New Zealand to win a road race title at the Road World Championships, with Linda Villumsen winning the time trial in 2015.
Fisher-Black claimed the rainbow jersey by being the first U23 rider that came over the line within the elite women’s race. The rider from New Zealand finished 12th overall, in the chase group behind winner Annemiek van Vleuten (Netherlands). Her nearest rival, Pfeiffer Georgie (Great Britain), was 16th and then it was next Ricarda Bauernfeind (Germany), who when she crossed the line in 20th place had not realised she had made it onto the U23 podium.
The addition of the title was roundly welcomed when it was announced last year, the format however was not, with Fisher-Black among those critical of creating a race within a race.
"I stand by what I said, but I think with women’s cycling we are seeing so much development in the sport itself and I think this is a step forward and we have to accept that that's a step forward,” said Black. “And the next few years maybe we'll see a separate race for the U23’s.”
There are expected to be another two editions of the U23 title being wrapped within the elite race, with no separate rider quota, as 2025 is the first year the women are scheduled to have a stand-alone race. An under-23 men’s race was introduced to the Road World Championships in 1996.
"My focus was on the race only today and that race was to cross the line first, in the elites too, this was just something else to play on the mind,” said Fisher-Black. “Obviously nothing takes away from that I'm wearing a rainbow jersey right now. Nothing takes away from that feeling – it's one of the most special feelings I think you can get in cycling.
“This is what everyone dreams of, to wear a rainbow jersey so it's an incredible step forward for women's cycling and I'm proud to be the first U23 winner."
What’s more, given it was so close to home she got to do it with friends, family and a raft of kiwi supporters cheering on the side of the road as the 164.4km race wound its way from Helensburgh down the coast to Wollongong and through the circuits radiating out from the city.
“I feel really proud to sort of fly the fern into the top ranks of road cycling because it's been a long time since we've seen a top New Zealand athlete performing so well on the road,” Fisher-Black said in reference to the nation’s performance at the World Championships. “And to wear a rainbow jersey and stand on the top step with the fern, that's something special. And I'm proud of that."
