When Magdeleine Vallieres made history with a stunning breakaway victory to claim Canada's first elite road race rainbow jersey in Kigali last September, it sent a ripple effect that reached thousands of kilometres to her nation's west coast, Richmond, British Columbia, where rising talent Nadia Gontova watched in tears, already aspiring to follow in her wheel path.
Gontova was supposed to be on the start line in Kigali with the Canadian team to support Vallieres, but was sidelined in her recovery from iliac artery surgery. She watched the live streaming of the race, instead, and the finish over the top of the cobbled Côte de Kimihurura on the challenging 15.1km city circuit, with Vallieres solo and crossing the line with the win.
