Jastrab Celebrates Best-Ever US Result at Paris-Roubaix Femmes

Megan Jastrab delivered the best American result in Paris-Roubaix Femmes history — and it almost didn’t happen.

A week after finishing fifth at the “Hell of the North,” the 24-year-old American is celebrating the best U.S. finish for men or women in 25 years in cycling’s most brutal one-day race.

The result meant even more after an injury at the Tour of Flanders almost kept her off the start line.

“I know fifth place isn’t winning the bike race. I know fifth place isn’t a podium. But I also know that fifth place in Paris-Roubaix, after all the trials and setbacks since December, is a win for me,” she wrote.

“A top five in a monument, behind the riders in front of me, is something I smile at. Thank you to everyone who helped piece me back together and kept me moving forward these months.”

Her smooth, steady ride produced the best result by an American since the race debuted in 2021, improving on Chloe Dygert’s eighth in 2025. It also surpasses the best recent American men’s result, with Taylor Phinney eighth in 2018.

Going back even further, hers is the best American result since 2001, when George Hincapie finished fourth. Hincapie’s second place in 2005 was voided due to his role in the USADA case. Greg LeMond was also fourth in 1985.

‘I was there the whole day’

Now 24, Jastrab is coming of age in her first season with UAE Team ADQ.

Also an Olympic bronze medalist in track racing in 2021, she thrives in classics-style racing. She was second in Gent-Wevelgem in 2023, the same year she won the Tour de Gatineau, her lone pro road victory so far.

She was third at IXINA Leeuw-Oetingen behind Lorena Wiebes this spring and was building steadily toward Roubaix.

But everything was in doubt after an injury at Flanders. Jastrab was determined not to miss the prestigious race and started with KT tape on her legs, elbows, arms, and neck.

“I came into this race with more doubts than certainties following my injury at the Tour of Flanders; it wasn’t an easy situation, but with the help of my teammates and the team, we set off determined to give it our all,” she said. “As the kilometers went by, I could feel that my legs were really strong today, so I held on.”

Jastrab was in the right place to make all the key splits in the Hell of the North. She said she needed to grab a bottle when one of the key moves went, but fought back to rejoin the front, eventually linking up with Belgian star and former winner Lotte Kopecky late in the race.

The pair chased behind the winning trio before Jastrab took Kopecky to the line to secure fifth on the Roubaix velodrome.

“I’m in disbelief and overjoyed. I was there for the whole day,” she said. “I kept focusing because you really have to use some energy to go into the sectors in front, and I was saving a lot of energy, avoiding all mishaps. The equipment was amazing, too. I had no flats, no issues.”

Already building for LA 2028

She’s already a veteran in the punishing one-day, and her historic fifth came in her fifth crack at Roubaix. She’s started every edition so far, except for 2024, with 39th as her previous best in 2022.

The race was contested on the same day as the men’s race, bringing the women’s peloton onto the same packed roads and deeper crowds, but it also drew criticism after the women’s race was not broadcast live in its entirety.

“I reminded myself to enjoy it because we were suffering, but it was also really exciting to see the crowds and stuff,” she said. “I know there’s a lot of complaining about the live stream and I wish that you could have seen [more].

“And I hope that in the future we can get the live stream and the crowds because it was an exciting race to be part of, and I hope it was fun to watch.”

Jastrab aims to return to the Roubaix velodrome to make even more history in the future, and will be turning her focus back to the track as she builds toward a place on the USA Cycling team pursuit squad for Los Angeles 2028.