Katia Ragusa of the Liv Racing TeqFind team showcased a strong performance at the third edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes, finishing on the podium in second place. Ragusa was part of a breakaway of 18 riders that accelerated out in front of the peloton early in the race, creating a sizable gap, which at one point had a five-minute advantage. Despite the pressure, Ragusa remained strong and continued to impress on the cobblestones.
With the lead group getting smaller after every section, the chasers began closing in, but with a fierce effort, the remaining few riders in the breakaway managed to stay ahead. In the final seconds, Ragusa engaged in a thrilling sprint through the Roubaix Velodrome that landed her a strong finish in second place aboard her Liv Langma.
An elated Ragusa shared after the race, "We had the plan to go in the early breakaway but never had thought we could come this far. But sector after sector, we started to believe that we could make it till the end. In the final kilometers it was really close. The chasers almost caught us, but then suddenly the gap became bigger again. I tried to anticipate the final kilometer, but didn't have much left in the legs. In the sprint, I tried to position as well as I could and aimed for the podium. To finish second in this iconic race is really amazing. Honestly, I still can't believe it happened. I really enjoyed being on the podium and receiving the small cobblestone. This feels like a reward for all the hard work".