Skylar Schneider secures road race gold at Pan American Championships
Canada's Alison Jackson takes silver, Chile's Catalina Anais Soto bronze in Panama
Skylar Schneider earned the gold medal for the United States in the women's road race at the Pan American Road Continental Championships in Panama on Saturday.
"I'm absolutely so happy. Alison [Jackson], with the win in Paris-Roubaix, was definitely one to watch, but there are so many strong riders in Central and South America, so we had to stay focused and go for the win," Schneider said.
Schneider formed part of a five-rider team that also included Kaia Schmid, Zoe Ta-Perez, Lauren Stephens and Amber Neben.
Neben had already earned a gold medal for Team USA in the women's time trial held on Tuesday and went on to finish 50th in the road race after supporting Schneider to the win.
Schneider won the bunch sprint in the elite women's 102km road race held across seven laps of a circuit in Panama City.
She out-sprinted Canada's Alison Jackson, who earned the bronze medal in the time trial earlier in the week and won Paris-Roubaix also in April.
Chile's Catalina Anais Soto earned the bronze medal after finishing third in the sprint.
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The Continental Championships is an important qualifier for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
There are only 88 places for the men's and women's road races, and allocations are based on the UCI Road World Ranking by nations for the year before the Olympic Games.
Schneider came into the Pan American Road Continental Championships is promising form after winning the final stage 4 and stage 5 at the Redlands Bicycle Classic.
Ladies and gentlemen… Skyler Schneider 🇺🇸 , Route cycling Pan American Champion See you at @santiago2023oficial @skyler.schneider !!!🎥 🎤: @JuanxoV #usa #usacycling #panamericano #ciclismo #ciclismoruta #routecycling pic.twitter.com/09vS0KDi4CApril 22, 2023
Skyler Schneider de Estados Unidos 🇺🇸 se queda con el primer lugar 🥇 y clasificación a Paris 2024 en el Panamericano de Ciclismo Ruta en Panamá 🇵🇦 🥇 Skyler Schneider 🇺🇸 🥈 Alison Jackson 🇨🇦 🥉 Catalina Soto 🇨🇱 pic.twitter.com/y76B4gH0MdApril 22, 2023
Kirsten Frattini is the Deputy Editor of Cyclingnews, overseeing the global racing content plan.
Kirsten has a background in Kinesiology and Health Science. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's biggest races, reporting on the WorldTour, Spring Classics, Tours de France, World Championships and Olympic Games.
She began her sports journalism career with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. In 2018, Kirsten became Women's Editor – overseeing the content strategy, race coverage and growth of women's professional cycling – before becoming Deputy Editor in 2023.