Magdeleine Vallieres Puts Quebec on the Map with World Championship Victory

• Posted on 4 October 2025
• By Michael Belair
• 0

Quebec’s own Magdeleine Vallieres, 24, made history in Kigali by winning the UCI Women’s Elite Road Race World Championship — the first Canadian ever to claim the rainbow jersey in a road race. The Sherbrooke native attacked on the final climb to seal a gutsy solo victory. Next year, she’ll wear those iconic rainbow stripes on home soil when the Worlds come to Montreal, giving Quebec cycling fans a moment they’ll never forget.

Magdeleine Vallieres Puts Quebec on the Map with World Championship Victory

There are moments in sports that stop us in our tracks. For us here in Quebec, Magdeleine Vallieres just gave us one of those moments. On September 27th, in Kigali, Rwanda, the 24-year-old from Sherbrooke shocked the cycling world by winning the UCI Women’s Elite Road Race World Championship.

With that win, Vallieres didn’t just cross the finish line first — she made history as the first Canadian ever to earn the rainbow jersey in a road race. For a province and a country passionate about cycling, this is a milestone we’ll be talking about for years.

The race itself was a true test of endurance: 164 kilometers, punishing climbs, and countless attacks from the world’s best riders. As the laps wound down, Vallieres found herself in a select group with some of the sport’s biggest names. But it was on the final, steep climb that she showed the kind of courage that makes champions. Instead of waiting for the sprint, she attacked — alone, all or nothing. The move stuck. She powered away and never looked back, crossing the line clear of the favorites. It was gutsy. It was unexpected. And it was unforgettable.

For Canadian cycling, this is a first. Never before has a rider from our country won a world title in the road race — men or women. For Quebec, it feels even more special. Vallieres grew up riding the same kinds of roads and trails many of us know so well. Seeing someone from Sherbrooke pull on the most iconic jersey in cycling makes the sport feel a little closer to home.

Her win is also a reminder that champions don’t always come from the biggest programs or deepest pockets. Vallieres has spent much of her career as a support rider, working for her teammates rather than chasing her own victories. This time, she took her chance — and made it count.

And here’s the part that makes this story even sweeter for Quebec: next year, the World Championships are coming to Montreal. When the peloton lines up on our roads, Magdeleine Vallieres will be there in the rainbow jersey — the ultimate symbol of cycling greatness. The thought of a Quebec rider, from Sherbrooke, wearing the rainbow stripes in front of a home crowd is enough to give goosebumps. It’s the kind of moment that can inspire an entire generation of riders here.

At Golden Sports, we live and breathe bikes. Like so many of you, we know the pride that comes when one of our own breaks through on the world stage. Magdeleine Vallieres’s victory isn’t just her story — it’s a story for Quebec, for Canada, and for everyone who believes in chasing big dreams on two wheels.

Here’s to Magdeleine. To the rainbow jersey. And to the unforgettable sight of her rocking those stripes right here in Montreal next year.