Canadian cyclist Clara Emond wins Stage 4 of Giro d'Italia Women for 1st pro victory
27-year-old had just started legal career when she began racing during pandemic
Canadian Clara Emond has won Stage 4 of the Giro d'Italia Women, posting her first win as a professional rider.
The 27-year-old from Saint-Ferreol-les-Neiges, Que., covered the 134 kilometres from Imola to Urbino, Italy in three hours 35 minutes 45 seconds Wednesday, finishing 17 seconds ahead of Italian Soraya Paladin.
Emond, riding for EF Education-Cannondale, was part of a five-woman breakaway group, eventually shedding her fellow riders to cross the finish line alone.
Emond took over the lead in the Queen of the Mountains standings.
"It's my first win ever and it's very special to achieve it here at the Giro," said Emond, in her second year as a professional racer. "It feels super-good and I am proud of all the teamwork. This will help me to achieve more confidence, I was lacking it as I didn't get any top results until now.
"I guess my career can change after today and I am looking forward to it."
🫅 Raw emotions from breakaway queen Clara Emond after her first pro victory every 🥹<br><br>🫅 Emozioni vere quelle di Clara Emond all’arrivo, è la sua prima vittoria da professionista in carriera 🥹<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GirodItaliaWomen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GirodItaliaWomen</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WonderfulWomen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WonderfulWomen</a> <a href="https://t.co/nCOOTvpGOq">pic.twitter.com/nCOOTvpGOq</a>
—@girowomenEmond passed the bar exam and was just starting her legal career when she began to race during the pandemic while working remotely. She turned pro in 2023 and, while working on a master's degree in sports law, won the queen of the mountains jersey and finished second at the Vuelta Extremadura Feminas.
Emond has also raced the Tour de France Femmes.
The Canadian stands 27th overall in the eight-stage 876.7 km race, which runs through Sunday.
Italy's Elisa Longo Borghini, a two-time Olympic bronze medallist in the road race, leads the general classification.
