Alison Jackson
Hometown
Vermilion, Alberta, Canada
Date of birth
14 December 1988
Langauges
English and learning Spanish
Nicknames
AJ, AliAction Jackson
You’ve seen her dancing on social media, on the podium, and everywhere in between. Alison’s love of movement, whether it’s dancing, riding, or being outdoors, is infectious.
Alison earned the biggest win of her career to date in 2023 when she won Paris-Roubaix from a breakaway that she kept alive from the race’s early kilometers. She followed it up the next month by winning the Canadian road race national championships in her native Alberta. Alison is an Olympian and has raced nine times in the world championships, including a sixth place finish in 2021.
For Alison, winning is important, but it doesn’t matter to her whether she’s atop the podium or if it’s one of her teammates. She’s more interested in making a difference in each race and contributing to the best result possible for the team.
Growing up on her family’s farm in Vermilion, Alberta, Alison had endless opportunities to exhaust her energy by helping with chores or playing with her siblings. But her mother noticed that Alison’s energy never seemed to dwindle, so she signed her daughter up for every sport available in her hometown of 4,000 people. Alison’s curiosity and innate athletic talent led her to pick up swimming, compete provincially in gymnastics, go hiking in the Himalayas, and eventually to pick up an old bike that a former farmhand had left behind on her family’s farm. Fast forward to today and Alison is still driven by that same sense of curiosity, but this time she’s wondering just how far she can push her limits on the bike.
Questions & Answers
How did you get into cycling?
A worker at my family farm left an old bike on the farm so I decided to ride it into town. I was spotted by a local triathlete, went to a couple of races then joined a cycling club in BC where I was going to university.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why?
I want to go back to Japan. I was there for the Olympics but didn't get to explore the area and culture. I would like to go bike packing, ride new roads, eat the foods and pastries and meet more people.
If you weren't a professional cyclist, what would you be? Why?
Maybe I would be at home driving John Deere tractors or working as a chiropractor or taking on a career as a professional runner or a long-distance triathlon career.
What did you study in university?
Human Kinetics/Kinesiology degree with a double minor in business and theology.
What is your favorite word in your native language? What does it mean? What do you like about it?
Spatula. A rubber ended kitchen tool. It's a great looking word and fun to say.