Isabella Holmgren secured her first professional road racing victory with a standout performance at the Durango-Durango Emakumeen Saria in the Basque Country. The 19-year-old Canadian attacked solo on the final climb, around 10 kilometers from the finish, and never looked back.

“I noticed that I had a small gap, so I just went full gas until the line,” said Holmgren. “It was a pretty technical descent, so it was a bit of an advantage being alone—I could take the corners how I wanted and whatever line I thought best.”

Using her technical skill on the descent, Holmgren quickly increased her advantage over the peloton. She maintained the gap to the finish line and crossed with enough time to sit up and absorb the moment, realizing what she had accomplished. “I really couldn’t believe that I won, I didn’t even have a celebration at the line. It was really a super hard race. We knew that the race would be made on the final climb, so we went all in there,” she added.

This victory represents a major milestone in Holmgren’s young career, showcasing her ability to compete at the highest level across multiple disciplines. Her previous achievements include a U23 double world title in mountain biking (XCO and XCC) in 2023, the junior world championship title in cyclocross, and the Canadian national title in the same discipline.

With this win, Isabella Holmgren kicks off a highly promising road racing campaign and continues to establish herself as one of the most versatile young talents in women’s cycling.