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Canadian Vallieres pulls off cycling world title surprise in Kigali hills / Photo: © AFP
Canadian Vallieres pulls off cycling world title surprise in Kigali hills
Canada's Magdeleine Vallieres won the women's road race on a long, gruelling course over the hills of Kigali at the cycling world championships on Saturday.
The 24-year-old broke late on the 167km run over 11 circuits of the Rwandan city to win ahead of New Zealand's Niamh Fisher-Black and Spain's Mavi Garcia in third.
Vallieres got away from the pair on the last of the 15.2km laps of the circuit on a testing cobbled climb and crossed the summit finish alone completely exhausted.
"I can hardly believe it," said Vallieres after by far her biggest career win. "I just got in the right break," she explained.
Tour de France champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot started as favourite but was heavily tracked by her rivals as they mistakenly allowed a small group to get over a minute ahead.
Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen dropped back with 30km to go while last week's time-trial champion Marlen Reusser made a brave but doomed solo effort to counter-attack.
These are the first cycling worlds to be held in Africa.
The winners are awarded a rainbow jersey that they wear for the year, a much coveted prize in a race where riders represent their nation rather than a professional team.
V.J. Coelho--JDB
