Two rainbow jerseys in two days for World Championship star Cat Ferguson: "This feels even better than Tuesday"

In just two days, 18-year-old Cat Ferguson has claimed her second rainbow jersey. The British rider for Movistar sealed the junior women’s World Championship road race title on Thursday, out-sprinting Spain’s Paula Ostiz and Slovakia’s Viktória Chladanová in the final moments. Ferguson was understandably ecstatic with the win.

"I'm over the moon," she said in a post-race interview. "Winning the World Championship road race has always been my dream. Finishing second last year really stung, so to take the gold this time is incredible." Ferguson took a calculated risk in the final 1500 meters alongside Ostiz and Chladanová. "Honestly, I wasn’t sure how big the gap was," she admitted. "We had about a minute and a half with five kilometers to go, but we were riding so slowly..."

"I kept looking back to see if they were closing in, and then I spotted Megan (Arens, ed.) from the Netherlands," Ferguson explained. "That’s when I decided to move to the front and launch the sprint. Thankfully, it paid off." Confident in her sprinting abilities, Ferguson knew she had the edge. "I felt like I was the fastest. Paula (Ostiz) is quick too, but I trusted that I could win the sprint."

This was Ferguson's second win of the week, following her time trial victory on Tuesday, but Thursday's triumph felt different. "It's definitely a different feeling. The road race is such a tough event, and I’d really set my sights on it. The road race is the one I’ve always dreamed of winning, so this feels even more special than Tuesday. It’s crazy to say that because Tuesday was already incredible." With her double World Championship victories in both the road race and time trial, Ferguson joins the ranks of cycling greats like Chloé Dygert and Zoe Bäckstedt. "I’m so proud of that. I’m also really grateful to the team and how the girls supported me early on... This win is for them too," the 18-year-old rising star concluded.