Chloe Dygert earns her maiden WWT victory in stage two of RideLondon Classique

In a remarkable show of determination and skill, Chloe Dygert of Canyon-SRAM clinched her maiden World Tour victory at the RideLondon Classique, eclipsing seasoned cyclists Lizzie Deignan and Dygert’s teammate Soraya Paladin in an arduous uphill sprint.

The gripping conclusion of the race was marred by a disastrous accident, displacing race leader and anticipated winner, Charlotte Kool along with numerous other contenders in a considerably diminished pack of approximately 25 cyclists. Despite the unfortunate event occurring within the crucial final 3km, Kool remains at the helm of the overall standings.

Dygert’s triumphant outcome was secured following a late tactical change by her Canyon-SRAM team as her colleague, Maike van der Duin, was apprehended, enabling Soraya Paladin to assume the lead and facilitate Dygert’s sprint.

Earlier, yesterday’s 4th place finisher, van der Duin had launched an individual breakaway from the main group with about 10km remaining, briefly establishing an over 10-second lead. However, this advantage began to wane as Trek-Segafredo allied with DSM at the forefront of the peloton, and van der Duin was intercepted just as the strenuous ascent to the finish line initiated.

The stage was rife with aggressive attempts to break away, a surprising development given the parcours’ lack of incentives. Ultimately, none proved fruitful, leaving Canyon-SRAM optimally positioned for the final reduced bunch sprint.

The jubilation surrounding Dygert’s victory is amplified by its long-anticipated arrival. After a promising inception to her road career in 2019, culminating in a World Championship gold in the individual time trial, Dygert has grappled with health and fitness tribulations.

A catastrophic crash while defending her World time trial title in 2020 resulted in severe injuries, sidelining Dygert from competitive racing until the following year. Her recovery trajectory was further disrupted by the Epstein-Barr virus. However, this season, Dygert has demonstrated her burgeoning prowess on the road, with numerous podium finishes at both La Vuelta Femenina and Vuelta a Burgos.

At 26, Dygert’s inaugural World Tour victory serves as a testament to her potential for future success, perhaps as early as tomorrow’s final stage of the RideLondon Classique at the iconic Mall in London.

Heading into the final stage, Dygert sits third on the General Classification, trailing Kool, the continuing overall leader who is 10 seconds ahead, and Deignan, who holds the second spot with a five-second deficit.


“I had a little bit of bad luck yesterday, but we went in with great opportunities today. Maike [van der Duin] almost had the win solo, and then Soraya [Paladin] led me out perfectly for that finish. I think we did a really good job working together. It was pretty hectic at the beginning. But once it kind of weaned out on those QOTMs, things really started to take off from everyone, and it really made the race fun.

Coming into the finish, it was great. I worked really hard, but I’ve had such great support. Canyon-SRAM has stayed by my side this whole process, and they never gave up on me. Neither did my personal team: my family, my boyfriend. So I’m really happy and really pleased that I was able to pull this off for everybody. It was a team effort, and we pulled it together.”

Chloe Dygert

2023 RideLondon Classique Stage 2 result

Results powered by FirstCycling.com

Photo Credits: Chloe Knott & Bob Martin for London Marathon Events