Embracing the history of Paris-Roubaix: Alison Jackson claims a space for women

GCN sits down with the defending champion of Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift, who rode from the centre of Paris to Roubaix in homage to the race and its community

01:25, Saturday 6th April 2024

George Poole

Junior Writer

Share

Alison Jackson has gone in search of Paris-Roubaix's rich history and in turn, the local communities have taken her to heart

Alison Jackson: the first Canadian winner of Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift and not only the first Canadian female to win one of cycling's Monuments, but the first Canadian of any gender to do so. For this week, the EF Education-Cannondale rider is the centre of the cycling universe as she prepares to defend her title on Saturday.

As she sits down to speak with GCN two days out from the race, Jackson is nearing the end of a long list of media engagements that has seen her reflect on last year's victory countless times.

It could be an arduous chore for some, but for a rider whose infectious enthusiasm has earned her legions of supporters over the course of her career, such attention does nothing to take away from her interest in each conversation.

"I’ll happily watch back the whole thing but I can even get teary-eyed," she says of her victory in last year's Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift.

"I am the entertainer, on and off the bike, so even now when you become the centre of the universe for a week, I think I have a personality that manages that well, or I can get energy from that and I am so excited for the weekend when all the fans will be cheering for me. It is so special, it is so cool."

Engaged, charismatic and warm-natured, Jackson's personality can lend itself to an engaging discussion on all manner of topics, be it her family farm in Alberta, Canada, her delight at EF Education-Cannondale's new service course in Girona, Spain, or the TikTok dances that have led the Canadian to become somewhat of an internet sensation in recent years.

Above all else, however, it is her affection for Paris-Roubaix and its long, storied history which comes to define this particular 30-minute discussion.

Since crossing the finish line on that fateful day in April last year, Paris-Roubaix has become a true love for the 35-year-old and more so than any other winner since John Degenkolb - who paid for the upkeep of Paris-Roubaix Espoirs in times of financial difficulty - Jackson has taken this attachment well beyond Easter weekend of each passing year.

In riding from the centre of Paris to Roubaix just months after the biggest win of her career, the Canadian was able to scratch beneath the surface of cycling's most-beloved Monument and rediscover the power that sport has to unite communities.

It all began with a warm shower in the afterglow of a fabled victory in Paris-Roubaix Femmes.

'It is important that we, as woman, go and take this space'

On 8 April 2023, Jackson shocked the cycling world to become the third winner of Paris-Roubaix Femmes and the first to do so from the breakaway. For a woman who shouldered so much of the burden to pull the group to the finish in the finale, little was expected from Jackson in the sprint finish.

Jackson insists she has not planned any dance moves ahead of Saturday's race, but it doesn't take long for the Canadian to start grooving

But with an all-conquering acceleration, the Canadian powered to an unlikely victory and soon wrapped her winner's cobblestone in a warm embrace, making a front-page splash with her celebratory dance moves.

"I really had no words, only dance moves. I was thinking, ‘I did it? It’s mine!"

As has been the tradition for the victors of the men's Paris-Roubaix for years, Jackson made sure to take to the showers of the Roubaix Velodrome to dust herself down from a barbaric day in the saddle.

"I hear sometimes that a lot of the guys don’t go anymore, they have buses and things which are real nice," she tells GCN. "But it’s a rite of passage and since we haven’t had the race for so long, it is an important stance that we go in there and we, as women, take this space."

Such an empowering statement is indicative of Jackson's maturity and wisdom, which quickly led Jackson to plan an adventure that would come to define her year as the Paris-Roubaix Femmes champion.

From the centre of Paris - which has not hosted the start of Paris-Roubaix since 1967 - to the centre of Roubaix, Jackson plotted a route that would see her pay homage to the race's then 117-year history and connect with the race in a way that most winners couldn't even imagine.

Jackson tackles the Arenberg and visits Stablinski's old mine

In early September last year, Jackson spent three days cycling a little over 435km between Paris and Roubaix, taking in plenty of the race's defining towns, villages and cobblestones along the way. It was an idea that would seem like punishment to many, but for Jackson, it was her special way of honouring the best moment of her career.

"I’m not just a girl who won that’s really stiff or with no personality. There’s something about me that people in their families, even if they’re not into cycling, they know my name because of these other things that I do - that’s really fun," she admits.

"I think that opens up a space where you don’t have to be so serious or you don’t have to be this old mould of a cyclist, you can use it whatever way you want it to enjoy life both on and off your bike."

In that spirit, Jackson enjoyed a longer-than-usual spin around the Arc de Triomphe in Paris - laughing all the while as Paris' hubbub of cars trapped her in the junction - before riding alongside her friend Apolline Guillemin for the first day of the trip.

Castles, hills and gateaux were to follow for the pair, though as Guillemin took her leave, Jackson's mind turned to the raison d'être for her trip: getting to know the history, places and people that have coloured Paris-Roubaix since its inaugural edition in 1896.

"I think when I did this ride from the centre of Paris, then I learned a lot and we went to a lot of different areas and communities and discovered how much this race means to those communities," she says.

Part of Jackson's plan was to tackle some of the cobbled sectors which have long featured in the men's race, but are yet to manifest in Paris-Roubaix Femmes. At the top of this list was the Trouée d'Arenberg, which is perhaps the most famous stretch of pavé in the sport and exists as a perfect representation of what makes Paris-Roubaix so beloved.

Overlooking the oft-forgotten community of Wallers-Arenberg is the metal structure of a once-beating coal mine, which has stood unused since the shaft closed in 1990. The landscape that surrounds the Forest of Arenberg paints the picture of northern France as a former industrial powerhouse, which has since fallen on harder times.

In spite of this, Paris-Roubaix has continued to promote, support and celebrate the communities and communes of this area with the world's most famous one-day race. The Trouée d'Arenberg is indicative of this, having been added to Paris-Roubaix on the suggestion of Jean Stablinski, who would go on to become the world road race champion but had once worked in the mine under Arenberg.

Intent to celebrate life both on and off her bike, Jackson made sure to pay an extended visit to the Arenberg mine, which now enjoys UNESCO World Heritage status and houses a museum.

"In Arenberg, they had the mine and that is what built the town, but now there is no mine and there is a sense of: ‘what’s our thing?’ It’s Paris-Roubaix, it’s that sector of cobbles and when the race goes through, it is so uplifting for the spirit. I think this is what is beautiful about sport, it can unify communities, it gives you something to root for or invest in."

Jackson enjoyed a full tour of Arenberg's mining museum, as well as visiting lots of little communities on her way from Paris to Roubaix

There are those in the women's peloton who would not entertain the idea of riding through the Forest of Arenberg - Ellen van Dijk told GCN of her disproval on Thursday morning - but such a fearsome test, Jackson takes in her stride.

"For me, I don’t care! We say that the winners of Roubaix have to be gritty fighters and I think those characteristics also help on the cobbles. A little bit of danger and chaos can be fun, it’s like that mindset, ‘is this sketchy and I’m going to crash and die? Or, is this sketchy and what if I don’t crash and die?’ You have to take that side!"

That mindset will surely only benefit Jackson in the race on Saturday, as she looks to become the first woman to ever win two edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes. A spot in the day's breakaway may be entirely unlikely after her shock win last year, but she remains committed to an aggressive racing tact.

"Getting ahead is still going to be by far the best race tactic and I still say that to all my team," she notes. "At any time you’re in the front, just make something happen and make sure the race comes to you. We have such a strong tailwind on Saturday, just make that happen."

Les Amis de Paris-Roubaix celebrate the Canadian just as she celebrates the race

Come rain or shine, Jackson will be welcomed into the Roubaix showers on Saturday evening by the sight of her very-own winner's golden plaque, which adorn the walls of the stone cubicles inside these age-old shower blocks.

Paris-Roubaix and and a tour of northern France is not all glitz and glamour

In the past, these were presented to riders in the days leading up to the race, but after Jackson had contacted Les Amis de Paris-Roubaix to gain a better understanding of the history of Paris-Roubaix - informing the volunteer group of her adventure ride - a whole party was prepared to greet the Canadian at the velodrome and allow Jackson to put up her own plaque.

"Les Amis de Paris-Roubaix have the whole museum, they take care of the showers, they care for the cobblestones, so I contacted them because I wanted to know more about the history of the race," explains Jackson, "when it started, what were the routes that they took and things. They have so much information on it!"

In 24 hours, Jackson may no longer be the reigning champion of Paris-Roubaix Femmes - to match last year's feat would be some achievement - but the Canadian will always be a former winner of this prestigious race and someone whose love for Paris-Roubaix has only been strengthened by her exploits after April 2023.

"People who love the race, really love the race, and they’ll love it forever. So I think that’s really the rich history of Paris-Roubaix, is the people," says Jackson at the end of Cannondale's film which was made to support the ride from Paris to Roubaix.

In the Canadian, Paris-Roubaix has an ambassador for decades to come, someone who will cherish the past, light up the present and inspire the next generation. Jackson will long be remembered and welcomed in these parts as a true Amis de Paris-Roubaix.

For the latest news, interviews and analysis from the world of professional cycling, be sure to check out the Racing tab on the GCN website and visit our essential guide to The Spring Classics to stay up to date with all of the action from cycling's most exciting season

You can check out Cannondale's film, 'New Roads Uncovered: From the Plains to the Pavé with Alison Jackson,' by clicking on the video below.