Magdeleine Vallières Mill had been looking forward to this day for a year, but the Quebec native ultimately didn’t get the chance to defend her rainbow jersey.
The 25-year-old athlete was involved in a major crash involving 15 riders, including her compatriot Adèle Normand, with 94 km remaining on the Montreal circuit on Saturday during the women’s elite road race at the Road World Championships.
It was the Dutch rider Domi Vollering, who sparked the action 38 km from the finish on the Camillien-Houde climb, who succeeded Vallières Mill in style at the end of a 4-hour, 45-minute race.
Vollering edged out Poland’s Kasia Niewiadoma in a thrilling sprint at the foot of Mount Royal. Italy’s Elisa Longo Borghini took third place, four seconds behind.
Vallières Mill got back on her bike to chase down the peloton alongside Normand, but she ultimately gave up with five laps to go.
The Sherbrooke native still waved to the crowd with a smile as she crossed the finish line of the Montreal circuit one last time.
The crash took its toll. There was a lot of blood visible on Vallières Mill’s right thigh and right elbow. She headed to the medical tent after withdrawing from the race.
Spain’s Paula Blasi, who was one of the favorites to finish on the podium, and Norway’s Sigrid Ytterhus Haugseta, who had won a solo stage at the last Tour de France, also withdrew after crashing at the same spot.
Quebec’s Olivia Baril, who was competing in the final race of her career, left the course at the same time as her compatriot Alison Jackson, with three laps remaining.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
Add CityNews Montreal as a trusted source on Google to see more local stories from us.
