The final stretch of the race proved to be a nail-biting conclusion. Gery, who started in 13th place after lap 1, steadily improved her position with each passing lap. By lap 5, she was already in 3rd place, but a challenging 6th lap saw her drop to 15th. Undeterred, Gery fought back and surged to the front in the final laps. Supported by her teammate Marion Bunel, who finished 5th, just 12 seconds behind Gery, the two French riders worked together to hold off the competition, allowing Gery to claim victory.
"It's unbelievable. It was a long wait, but it's amazing. It was a masterpiece for the team. There were only three of us, but we managed to race perfectly. We had three very strong girls, and Marion was amazing at the finish," Gery said.
Slovakia's Viktoria Chladonová took the silver medal, finishing just 2 seconds behind Gery with a time of 3:24:28. Chladonová had a strong start and led for much of the race, but despite a valiant early effort and her sprint finish, she couldn't hold off the relentless pace set by Gery and her teammate.
Spain's Paula Blasi Cairol earned the bronze medal with a time of 3:24:38, just 12 seconds behind Gery. Blasi Cairol maintained a steady pace throughout the race, ultimately securing her spot on the podium.
Italy's Eleonora Ciabocco had a brief moment in the lead at lap 5, but she struggled to hold onto her position as the race progressed. She eventually finished 4th in the same time as Blasi Cairol, 3:24:38.
One of the standout moments of the race came from Sweden's Kagevi Stina, who made a daring breakaway with 10 kilometers to go, gaining a 26-second lead. However, as the race reached its climax, the pack reeled her in, and she finished 11th.
Meanwhile, Poland's Malwina Mul made a stunning comeback after initially falling behind. With incredible acceleration at kilometer 24, she gained a 10-second lead and briefly set herself apart from the field. However, she too fell short of the podium, finishing outside the top 10.
Tough day for local riders
It was a tough day for Rwanda's local riders, as none of them managed to finish the race. Mwamikazi Jazilla, Nyirarukundo Claudette, Ntakirutimana Martha, and Iragena Charlotte all dropped out at various points in the race. Jazilla left on lap 7, Nyirarukundo on lap 6, Ntakirutimana on lap 5, and Iragena on lap 3. Only 35 riders out of the starting field managed to complete the demanding race.
Women Under 23 Road Race - Top 10 Results:
1. Celia Gery (FRA) â€" 3:24:26
2. Viktoria Chladonová (SVK) â€" 3:24:28 (+2 seconds)
3. Paula Blasi Cairol (ESP) â€" 3:24:38 (+12 seconds)
4. Eleonora Ciabocco (ITA) â€" 3:24:38 (+12 seconds)
5. Marion Bunel (FRA) â€" 3:24:38 (+12 seconds)
6. Isabella Holmgren (CAN) â€" 3:24:43 (+17 seconds)
7. Alena Ivanchenko (AIN) â€" 3:24:46 (+20 seconds)
8. Lore de Schepper (BEL) â€" 3:24:51 (+25 seconds)
9. Talia Appleton (AUS) â€" 3:24:57 (+31 seconds)
10. Linda Riedmann (GER) â€" 3:25:20 (+54 seconds)
Wycliffe Nyamasege
