Silver medallist New Zealand rider Niamh Fisher-Black celebrates on the podium following the women's Elite road race cycling event during the UCI 2025 Road World Championships, in Rwanda, 2025. Photo: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT / AFP
Nelson cyclist Niamh Fisher-Black has finished second in the women's road race at the world champs in Rwanda.
Canada's Magdeleine Vallieres took a surprise gold after a decisive attack on the final climb.
The 24-year-old Vallieres was in a breakaway group with Fisher-Black and Spanish veteran Mavi Garcia at the climax of the 164km slog on a hilly Kigali circuit when she burst clear on the cobbles.
Powering up the ascent towards the finish line, the 24-year-old never looked like being caught as she won by 23 seconds to become Canada's first road champion on the road.
Fisher-Black was second with Garcia, bidding to become the oldest road world champion at 41, third, 26 seconds back. Switzerland's Elise Chabbey was fourth at 41 seconds.
The leading favourites trailed home in the chasing group after being caught out and leaving their response too late.
The brutal race featured 11 laps of the circuit with 3350m of climbing.
Fisher-Black said it was a strange race.
"It didn't really feel like we were racing, the race didn't feel hard at all," she said afterwards.
"Once I saw I was in a position to win I knew where my strong points were and tried.
"But Magdeleine, I didn't even anticipate that she would try on the cobbles but she rode away from me and I have to give it to her she was the strongest rider."
Ella Wyllie was 24th.
Fisher-Black won the under-23 world title in Australia in 2022.
Earlier this week fellow New Zealander Nate Pringle took silver in the men's under-23 time trial at the World Championships.
- RNZ / Reuters
