‘There were no cyclists in my town’ – Alison Jackson on her unorthodox route from bison farm to Paris-Roubaix glory

The EF Education-Tibco-SVB rider produced a seismic shock by holding off a chasing pack of pre-race favourites to win the cobbled classic.

Jackson prevailed as the breakaway group charged towards the line in a final sprint at the Roubaix Velodrome, claiming by far the biggest crown of her career so far.

The champion sat down for an interview with the Eurosport GCN Cycling Show, available to watch on Tuesday April 25 at 17:30 BST on Eurosport 1 and discovery+, to talk about her late entry to the sport and her unorthodox route to the top.

“I grew up on a farm in Alberta, Canada, and that makes real tough people,” Jackson said.

“This is what my dad would say – why am I a good athlete, because I’m a hard worker, because I grew up on a farm!

“There were no cyclists in my town growing up. I got my first bike when I was 19. Just through different circumstances and meeting people I got into triathlon, and I got a running scholarship at university.

“I really became a runner but was a pretty good triathlete. In the end I just wanted to be a pro athlete. I headed to some bike races locally that had some pros come out and won.

“That’s the short story. I got a contract to a walk-on spot to a pro team in the States, and then when I was given the opportunity to win I did. When I was given more opportunities to win I did.

“Then I came over to Europe straight away because my desire was to be the best. If you want to be the best, you have to compete against the best – and the best are in Europe.

“We kind of think nothing big or good can come out of a small town, but I had a dance teacher – Miss Ryan – who always had this attitude that if you work hard, you can get what you want and you’ve got to dream big. I just latched onto that.”

Jackson also looked back on her stunning triumph at Paris-Roubaix, where she pipped Katia Ragusa (Liv Racing TeqFind) and Marthe Truyen (Fenix-Deceuninck) to the line in a breathtaking finish after an arduous day on the cobbles.

“You do have to have a resilient body. You have to be a fighter mentally to go through cobbled sector after cobbled sector, also pushing on the cobbled sectors. Riding with blisters on your hands and still fighting and never giving up,” Jackson says.

“Those are the characteristics I have, I’m just a tough human, a tough farm kid. Then I love bike racing for the little bit of chaos that it has – and Paris-Roubaix has a lot of chaos!”

She added: “It has been a rollercoaster of emotions. The shock that this actually happened to me. I don’t win many bike races, if I win one in a year, that’s a great season!”

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