Sammie Maxwell showed plenty of courage to secure her best finish as an elite in the world’s greatest test at the Paris Olympic Games.

Sammie finished eighth in the elite women’s race at Elancourt Hill, in a race dominated by home nation star Pauline Ferrand Prevot who won by nearly three minutes.

The kiwi champion fought her way through the field before a fall and a puncture, but the support team made the quick change and she fought back to finish eighth, and nearly caught Swiss rider Alessandra Keller on the line.

“I came in with no idea of what to expect. My last World Cup I got 20th so a top-20 would have been amazing. So this is my best result ever in an elite race so I am stoked. I felt so good physically just mentally, tactically I need to calm down.”

Ferrand Prevot won in 1:26.02 from Haley Batten (USA) and Jenny Rissveds (SWE) three minutes back. Maxwell finished in 1:30.43, just two seconds from seventh placed Keller.

Tomorrow’s attention turn to Sam Gaze in the men’s race.