TakeWorlds3 weeks ago
A mass crash 95km from the finish took out defending champion Magdeleine Vallieres and Vuelta a España champion Paula Blasi on the Montréal circuit. Two of the strongest cards in the field are gone, and the rainbow jersey race resets around whoever survived the pileup.
Vallieres, covered in road rash, tried to ride through it — she crossed the line to start lap three nearly 7 minutes down with one teammate before abandoning. Blasi pulled out immediately, and didn't mince words: «When the race entered the circuit, it was crazy. People were taking too many risks.» About 15 riders went down, also removing Femke De Vries, Kate Courtney, Evita Muzic, Marta Jaskulska and Lauretta Hanson from contention. With the peloton reduced to roughly 40 riders, the defending champion's exit alone reshapes who's actually racing for the jersey.
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