Alison Jackson was unable to repeat her 2023 Paris-Roubaix victory but true to character, she was still smiling in the centre of the velodrome after crashing twice, being distanced from the decisive front group and finishing 27th and 2:56 down on winner Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx).
“This year it didn't work out but it's the beauty of the race,” the EF Education-Cannondale racer told Cyclingnews and Escape Collective after soaking up the emotions - even the emotions of defeat - in the centre of the Roubaix velodrome.
“That’s why we love and hate this race.”
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“This race has so much that is unexpected. You control what you can and for the rest of it, you have to adapt and make the best of it. That’s what I tried to do today.”
In 2023 Jackson was part of the early break and ensured the move stayed away and then won the seven-rider sprint in the Roubaix velodrome. As defending champion the Canadian was marked and controlled by her rivals. Then destiny and bad luck stepped in.
“This race has tons of chaos but I always said that if I had a clean run with no crashes or mechanicals, I can win,” she explained.
“That happened last year. This year I came down twice, I got pushed over some gravel sections too.”
Jackson made it back to the front group after one of her crashes and soon made an attack.
“I’m not here to just parade around,” Jackson said with pride.
“I want to get in the action whatever way I could. Anytime you can make it to the front, you’ve got to take a chance. I did that.”
After finishing in a chase group, Jackson could only watch as Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) got to lift the cobblestone trophy as Paris-Roubaix winner.
“If I can pass over the Roubaix crown to a worthy winner, then Lotte Kopecky is the one,” she said, graciously accepting her defeat.
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