Awen Roberts finished the season for CANYON//SRAM Generation with a strong performance, securing a third-place finish at today’s Pionera Race in Spain. The 18-year-old rider was the first U23 rider. Teammate Alice Towers finished in the same group in twelfth place.

Reflecting on the race, Awen shared her experience that led to the podium finish:

“The first half of the race was quite relaxed, but when we hit the first climb, that’s when the attacks started. Alice and I tried some attacks, but nothing came of them.”

The race dynamics shifted as the peloton hit the climbs, with attacks coming fast and furious. Awen and Alice were active in trying to break away. However, despite their efforts, the winning move of the day came from another rider, Deborah Silvestri (LKF).

“In the final kilometres, Silvestri from Laboral was away, so it was a sprint for the other podium positions. The last 500m was a little uphill and with a few corners before the finish. Coming to the sprint, I had put myself in a good position, and I knew it had to be a late sprint.”

Awen’s keen race sense and strategic positioning in the final moments paid off. Navigating the uphill approach and the tricky corners, she timed her sprint perfectly, securing a hard-fought third place and crossing the line as the top U23 rider.

“I’m happy to be able to finish off a good team performance with a third place and first under 23.”

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