Paris-Roubaix Femmes 2023: Alison Jackson takes shock win as breakaway land mission impossible

Alison Jackson (EF Education–Tibco–SVB) produced a seismic shock to win Paris-Roubaix Femmes as the breakaway held off a chasing group packed with pre-race favourites.

The seven-strong alliance saw their lead slashed to just 10 seconds at one point as they arrived on the final section of cobblestones with 1.4km remaining, but they went down swinging and held on to reach the famous Roubaix Velodrome with a slender advantage as a sprint beckoned.

Marta Lach (Ceratizit–WNT Pro Cycling) led the unlikely group through the bell as Femke Markus, the sole SD Worx rider in the front pack, suffered a heartbreaking crash to rule her out. And it was Canada's Jackson who prevailed in a thrilling dash to the line as Katia Ragusa (Liv Racing TeqFind) and Marthe Truyen (Fenix-Deceuninck) claimed second and third respectively to complete the most implausible podium.

Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx), who had recovered magnificently from a crash caused by defending champion Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo), led the chasers across the line in seventh, with Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) 10th after a long and eventful slog in the saddle.

When the live coverage started with 74km to go, an uncharacteristically large breakaway group made up of 18 riders had an impressive five-minute lead. Minutes later, Team DSM’s Daniek Hengeveld launched her attack and subsequently managed to sustain her lead for a further 30km. While Hengeveld continued to lead, Vos dropped behind the peloton, who themselves were over five minutes behind the leader, after a puncture forced her to change bikes.

Vos moved forward to catch up with her Jumbo-Visma colleagues, however she soon found herself further back again. Marie Le Net of FDJ-Suez was with her as she dropped back and seemed reluctant to take the front and share the load.

With 51km to go, Kopecky decided that it was time for her to launch her attack in the chasing group, and in doing so avoided the first of two group-splitting crashes. The Belgian rider was soon caught by Longo Borghini, Elise Chabbey (Canyon-SRAM), Pfeiffer Georgi (Team DSM), Lucinda Brand (Trek-Segafredo) and Floortje Mackajj (Movistar) who went up the road in search of the leaders.

Hengeveld was still ahead when the second of two crashes behind - arguably the pivotal moment in the race - was caused by Longo Borghini, who slipped out of control on the mud. Romy Kasper (AG Insurance–Soudal–Quick-Step) managed to escape the carnage and rode away in solo pursuit of the breakaway as the crash consumed multiple riders, including Sanne Cant (Fenix-Deceuninck) who went down injured.

Kopecky and Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) escaped largely unscathed and rode together, however this was not for long as the Italian soon dropped back to change her bike. As groups of riders were strewn over the cobbles, the second chasing group regained Kasper, while Kopecky was soon sighted between the team cars as her hopes appeared dashed.

Meanwhile at the head of the race, Ragusa launched an attack of her own from the middle of the group in an attempt to inject some power into the leading bunch, but was swiftly reabsorbed as the peloton were 2'30" behind. Jackson was second to launch an attack on the front group as the gap between the leaders and the chasers fell to 1'19".

The peloton was made up of only a few riders, but they continued to shorten the gap between them and the lead group of chasers. As the leaders approached the 2.1km five-star sector of Carrefour de l’Arbre, the gap between the leaders and the group behind continued to decrease.

Lach brought yet another injection of power to the front group, however a chase group now containing Kopecky - who had fought back heroically - had managed to move within 11 seconds of the front of the race. This gap appeared certain to disintegrate but with the rarest opportunity for those in front, and poor coordination from those behind, the gap was somehow at 10 seconds when the leading group crossed under the flamme rouge in preparation for their lap around the Roubaix Velodrome.

As the group went into their final lap, Markus crashed out which reduced the group from seven to six into the home straight. With the winner yet to be decided, Marion Borras (St Michel-Mavic-Auber93) had a slight lead on the inside before Jackson launched her heroic Hell of the North winning sprint and overtook her on the outside, with Ragusa and Truyen closely behind in second and third.

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