Maryland Cycling Classic women: Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka awarded victory in photo-finish sprint against Alison Jackson

“I’m so happy that finally I got this first spot in the season,” Skalniak-Sójka said. “I worked so hard – there were ups and downs this season, but we ride super good as a team, we back up each other.

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“I had flat tire one of the lap, and the team waited for me, so I’m really grateful.”

Also in the breakaway was Emma Langley (Aegis), who finished in third place in the sprint, while Jackson’s teammate Clara Emond finished fourth.

Marta Jaskulska (Ceratizit Pro Cycling), who was distanced from the initial move, hung on for fifth place on the day.

It was a disappointing day for EF Education-Oatly, as teammates Emond and Jackson led the race into the last four kilometres with Emond launching an attack with 3.1km to go.

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As soon as the catch was made, Jackson then counterattacked, but Skalniak-Sójka and Langley were quick to respond.

Langley was the next to make a move, but Emond closed the gap before launching her own attack, again. She wasn’t strong enough to open a gap, and the four regrouped with just over a kilometre to go.

Emond led the race into the last three corners with Skalniak-Sójka on her wheel, followed by Jackson, and Langley into the final straightaway.

Skalniak-Sójka then launched her sprint first, but Jackson responded quickly, and in a drag race to the line, it ended up a photo-finish sprint between the two powerhouses with the Canyon-Sram rider taking the victory.

“It was really fast,” Skalniak-Sójka said. “First, with some cobble sections, with so many attacks, and in the end, we went with two riders from EF and they were attacking me all the time, so it was quite hard. But in the end, I’m so proud, I’m happy that I could make it and win this race.”

Jackson was visibly disappointed with the result after learning of the jury’s decision on the photo finish.

“In the final, their tactic was to not ride, so we rode. It was a fair and square sprint,” the Canadian champion told Cyclingnews.

“I was strong – there was just a lot of stuff that I had to manage. I’m not here just to ride around. We put in a good effort.”

Edmond said the team could be proud of the work even if they didn’t get the result they were after.

“The main goal was to have numbers in the final. And I think we did a good job. We were super aggressive from the start,” Edmond said.

“We tried to attack until the end, but nothing was going so then I tried my best with the few yeah energy I had left in my legs.”