Cobble Queen

Photography by Twila Federica Muzzi, Jered & Ashley Gruber

By: Caffery Garff

Alison Jackson dances for a different reason: winning Paris-Roubaix 2023.

She’s fast. She’s funny. She’s a competitor. And she’s your 2023 Paris-Roubaix champion.

Among many talents and a long list of achievements (like claiming Canada’s road race, time trial, and criterium championships over the years), EF Education-TIBCO-SVB rider Alison Jackson has an enthusiastic following on social media in part due to her amusing antics. She unabashedly showcases the rigors of a pro cycling in equal measure with dancing, lip-syncing, and general tomfoolery, often joined by her teammates.

But on April 8, 2023, Jackson claimed a new and certainly more serious accolade aboard her all-new LAB71 SuperSix EVO: winning Paris-Roubaix – the first Canadian ever to do so – in a final sprint around Vélodrome André-Pétrieux that capped off one of the most exciting chapters of the famous race in years.

Of course, Jackson crossed the line, came to a stop, hopped off her bike, and busted out a dance number.

The race’s extension by 20km this year (from 124.7 to 145.5) meant it would take just that much more grit to reach the podium. Recent rains supplemented the challenge, threatening to make the race’s famous cobblestones more slippery than usual.

Within the first 15km of the race, Jackson was already in the lead breakaway with 17 other riders, but her grit on the bike would drive the break to be the successful move in the third edition of the women’s Roubaix (it was even debated later whether she had done too much work for the group).

The pavé punished riders and bikes alike, wreaking wrecks and technical issues that slowed or stopped the race for a handful of riders. Jackson’s breakaway group would maintain a relentless pace, however, eventually growing their gap to over five minutes in front of the rest of the peloton.

Down to the final kilometer, however, that distance had closed to only 12 seconds. Leading up to it, pulls were made, and breakoffs were attempted, by big names in the sport who had equally big expectations for the day.

But in the velodrome, at the line, it was Jackson who couldn’t be topped, digging deep in the final 300m to pull ahead of Katia Ragusa and Marthe Truyen, who would finish second and third, respectively.

“I saw it coming. I had clear space,“ Jackson said after the effort. “It’s a dream come true. I dream of winning. A lot of times, all those dreams have stayed dreams. It’s unreal to make it happen in real life. I have few words.”

She may have few words, but we know she’s got moves.

Compare Products

Add another bike to compare
Specifications

Details

Platform

Details

      Model Name

      Details

          Model Code

          Details

              Frameset

              Frame

              Details

                  Headset

                  Details

                      Rear Shock

                      Details

                          E-System

                          Drive Unit

                          Details

                              Battery

                              Details

                                  Charger

                                  Details

                                      Display

                                      Details

                                          Drivetrain

                                          Rear Derailleur

                                          Details

                                              Front Derailleur

                                              Details

                                                  Shifters

                                                  Details

                                                      Chain

                                                      Details

                                                          Crank

                                                          Details

                                                              Rear Cogs

                                                              Details

                                                                  Bottom Bracket

                                                                  Details

                                                                      Pedals

                                                                      Details

                                                                          Brakes

                                                                          Brakes

                                                                          Details

                                                                              Brake Levers

                                                                              Details

                                                                                  Wheels

                                                                                  Front Hub

                                                                                  Details

                                                                                      Rear Hub

                                                                                      Details

                                                                                          Spokes

                                                                                          Details

                                                                                              Tires

                                                                                              Details

                                                                                                  Tire Size

                                                                                                  Details

                                                                                                      Wheel Size

                                                                                                      Details

                                                                                                          Front Tire

                                                                                                          Details

                                                                                                              Rear Tire

                                                                                                              Details

                                                                                                                  Tire Bead

                                                                                                                  Details

                                                                                                                      Tire Casing

                                                                                                                      Details

                                                                                                                          Tire Protection

                                                                                                                          Details

                                                                                                                              Tire Type

                                                                                                                              Details

                                                                                                                                  Components

                                                                                                                                  Handlebar

                                                                                                                                  Details

                                                                                                                                      Grips

                                                                                                                                      Details

                                                                                                                                          Saddle

                                                                                                                                          Details

                                                                                                                                              Seatpost

                                                                                                                                              Details

                                                                                                                                                  Connectivity

                                                                                                                                                  Wheel Sensor

                                                                                                                                                  Details

                                                                                                                                                      Power Meter

                                                                                                                                                      Details

                                                                                                                                                          Speed Sensor

                                                                                                                                                          Details

                                                                                                                                                              Extra

                                                                                                                                                              Extra 1

                                                                                                                                                              Details

                                                                                                                                                                  Visibility

                                                                                                                                                                  Lights

                                                                                                                                                                  Details

                                                                                                                                                                      Paint

                                                                                                                                                                      Details

                                                                                                                                                                          Tire Sidewalls

                                                                                                                                                                          Details