Cat Ferguson, the British junior sensation, stormed to her second gold of the UCI Road World Championships in Zürich today, capturing the junior women’s road race title after an intense 73.5km battle. The 18-year-old, who had already taken the time trial crown earlier in the week, outsprinted her breakaway companions, Paula Ortiz of Spain and Viktoria Chladonova of Slovakia, to secure her fourth rainbow jersey of 2024.
Ferguson, set to fully join Movistar’s WorldTour team next season (but has already won for them as a stagiaire this season), showcased her dominance once again in the final sprint, opening up with 200 metres to go. “I knew going into the race that I wouldn’t be happy with anything but gold,” Ferguson shared with Cyclingnews. “Crossing the finish line there was pure relief that I had done it, and I didn’t have to feel the emotions I had last year.”
The race unfolded in wet and treacherous conditions, with the decisive moment coming on the final major climb, the Witikon, where Ferguson, Ortiz, and Chladonova broke clear from a select group. The trio worked together as the race headed back towards Zürich, with their lead extending to over a minute as they approached the finish line. Despite some cagey moments and cat-and-mouse tactics in the final two kilometres, Ferguson remained in control, holding off her rivals in the sprint.
Ortiz opened the sprint early, but Ferguson had the strength to surge ahead, raising her arms in celebration as she crossed the line. Ortiz narrowly took second place ahead of Chladonova, who had tried multiple attacks in the final stages but couldn’t shake the British rider.
The wet conditions played a significant role in the race’s dynamics. Earlier, Imogen Wolff, Ferguson’s teammate (and Chladonova’s from next season on Visma | Lease a Bike), suffered a crash on the first climb, falling off the road and into a ravine. Although she managed to remount and fight her way back into the race, Wolff admitted her race had been compromised. “I’m not embarrassed to say I wanted more from this,” Wolff said post-race. “Going off the side of a ravine, there’s nothing like that to put things in perspective. I didn’t think I was going to get up.”
Photo Credit: GettyDespite her struggles, Wolff finished sixth, a strong performance considering the circumstances. “I was running on empty, and it just caught up with me,” she explained. “Maybe the adrenaline meant I didn’t race as smart as I could have done. For Cat to win is great though, that’s all we wanted as a team.”
For Ferguson, the victory was a fitting end to her junior career, as she prepares to move up to the elite ranks. “I worked so hard for this race in particular all year,” she said, reflecting on her journey. “I knew that I was the big favourite, and it was my race to lose almost.”
Ferguson’s father, Tim, echoed her emotions, telling Cyclingnews, “It’s surreal, there’s almost relief as much as joy. She really wanted today.” Her mother, Sara, added, “It was nervous to watch. She was very nervous coming into it because anything can go wrong.”
Looking ahead to her professional career with Movistar, Ferguson said she is ready for the next challenge. “It’s a bit sad, I heard Lotte Kopecky say yesterday that the junior years were the best years of her life, and I agree. There’s less pressure, it’s all about learning. I’m incredibly grateful for the two years.”
With three more races left in 2024, Ferguson is far from done with her season, but today’s victory in Zürich is one that she and her family will surely treasure for years to come.
2024 Junior Women’s World Championships Road Race result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Alex Whitehead-SWPix.com
