Vermilionite Alison Jackson has won the Paris-Roubaix Femmes in France, making her dreams a reality. The thirty-four-year-old cyclist pulled away from the pursuing pack and remained composed on the velodrome, a defining moment in her career. Jackson is the third woman and the first Canadian to win the esteemed one-day race which was first run in 1896, making it the oldest professional road cycling race. The race route is 145-kilometres.
Returning to the EF Education-TIBCO-SVB team this year, Jackson’s victory was celebrated with a dance, like her viral dances on TikTok. In an emotional statement, she said, “It’s a dream come true… I dream of winning. A lot of times all those dreams have stayed a dream. It’s unreal to make it happen in real life. I have few words.”
Jackson’s victory was the result of her unwavering trust in herself saying, “You either don’t ride and you lose, or you ride hard and you have a chance. I trusted myself and my passion and it turned out with a win. I wanted to be part of the action; I wanted to be ahead of the race.” Her passion and heart led her to take the lead and stay ahead of the race.
In a race that was made even more challenging because it had rained, Jackson noted that avoiding bad luck was crucial, saying, “When the move went, I was waiting and available and wanted to ride it.” She held off fierce competitors such as Lotte Kopecky, Elisa Longo Borghini, and Marianne Voss, all considered big hitters in the world of racing.
Since Jackson’s cycling career started she has finished 32nd at the 2020 Summer Olympics and has won both the Canadian National Road Race Championships and National Time Trial Championships, as well as dozens of top-10 finishes in both European and North American events.
Jackson’s victory at the Paris-Roubaix Femmes shows the power of determination and the strength of the human spirit. Her triumph is a personal accomplishment and shows that one should never give up on their dreams and never give up on what they believe in.
“This race represents one of the most prized achievements for cyclists. My whole career has been trying to win big at bike races like this. It’s really hard to do and pretty rare to be the winner. This is eight years of my life working up to something like this. It’s so satisfying,” said Jackson in a recent interview.