Surprise epilogue to women’s World Cup: Canadian Magdeleine Vallieres wins

The elite women’s world road race at the World Road Championships in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, saw a surprise win by the semi-unknown Canadian Magdaleine Vallieres.

The North American became the first from her country to win the rainbow title by arriving alone at the finish line, taking advantage of the very tight branding of the big names, who let slip second-tier protagonists.

Vallieres was 23 seconds ahead of New Zealand’s Niamh Fisher-Black, another meathead. Third at 27 seconds was Mavi Garcia, the best known of those who occupied the podium and the most experienced with her 41 years.

The favorites came in at 1’34” and the best, in seventh place, was Dutchwoman Demi Vollering. Great disappointment for Elisa Longo Borghini, 15th and author, as she said, of the worst race of her career.