A week after an impressive third place in the Trofeo Binda, Cat Ferguson's (Movistar) chances of another top result were scuppered when she crashed on the descent off of the iconic Poggio at the revived Milan-San Remo women's race.
The 18-year-old was part of a reduced peloton of 21 riders at the foot of the final climb but the accident meant that she lost contact with the 12 riders who emerged to contest the final, where she managed to finish in 18th place in the end.
“By the time the attacks came, I was out the back. It was definitely way, way harder than I expected. I tried what I could to chase back on the descent, normally I'm an OK descender, but I took it a bit too far this time and had a crash. I got back on quickly, it’s only grazes and stuff, so I’m all good," Ferguson described the final from her perspective.
"Then we rolled in with a bunch of fifteen of us to the finish and I'm not sure where I've come, but a really hard race, but I'm really happy to be here."
As the women’s race returned to the calendar after 20 years, the whole peloton shared Ferguson’s lack of experience with the course which may have contributed to a number of crashes before the final.
“It’s my first time ever and also everyone else’s here, which is really incredible to say. I was looking to be here, to be at the finish. I hope all the girls that crashed today are OK because I know there was a pretty big one before the Cipressa,” she said.
Learning and improving race by race, Ferguson will continue her first senior racing season on Flemish roads. “For me, it’s now Brugge-De Panne on the 27th, then Gent-Wevelgem and Dwars door Vlaanderen,” Ferguson said.
As Ferguson dominated the junior ranks in 2024, the Movistar Team took the unusual step of giving her a stagiaire spot for a selection of races last autumn while she was still a junior rider.
She repaid this with a stage win in the Tour de la Semois and a victory in Binche-Chimay-Binche, proving her exceptional talent.
After a winter cyclocross campaign, Ferguson hit the ground running with third place in the Trofeo Binda, and she is looking forward to her debut WorldTour season.
“So far, so good. I love bike racing, I’m a fan of the sport that I also compete in and I think I will be forever. It’s a really magical sport and I'm happy to be part of the story today,” Ferguson said.
