Final race and 'new chapter' awaits pioneering South African pro Ashleigh Moolman Pasio: 'I want to empty the tank'

In a blog post for Rocacorba Collective, the South African said she was "still finding the words" to describe what it felt like to line up for her final road race- the World Championship race.

"Beside me were Hayley [Preen] and Lisa [Bone] : two ambitious young South Africans with their own dreams and the determination to pursue them. It felt special to share that moment with them."

"For so many years, I’ve carried the responsibility of helping pioneer a path for African women in professional cycling. Standing alongside them, I could feel that torch beginning to pass into capable hands."

The 5x African continental champion, and first ever UCI eSports World Champion said in an interview with TNT Sports that she had tried throughout the years to share her ideas to help grow the following of Women's cycling.

Moolman Pasio's final race will be the Gravel World championships this weekend in Nannup, Western Australia.

2024 champion Marianne Vos will also be on the start line of the women's race, alongside Brit Madeleine Nutt.

Writing on an Instagram post before Montréal, Moolman Pasio said: "For this last one, I want to race bravely. I want to empty the tank and cross the finish line knowing I gave everything I had. No regrets."

It is this attitude she will also bring to the Gravel World Championships on Saturday.

Despite her impressive result in Montréal, the 40-year-old said she felt clarity about it being the right time to retire.

"The race also brought a sense of clarity. Women’s cycling has changed enormously during my career, and I’m proud to have been part of that growth. As the races become longer, the demands are changing too. I can still compete, but I can also honestly acknowledge that this evolving racing, the longer distance courses, suits me less than it once did," she wrote in her blog post.