Photos by Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com
This weekend was celebrated the UCI Gravel World Championships 2024 in Belgium, with an exceptional participation. Big names from various disciplines were on the starting line fighting for the rainbow jersey.
Dutchmen Marianne Vos and Mathieu van der Poel have been crowned the new gravel world champions.
The men's elite race covered 181 kilometres, while the women's elite race covered 135 kilometres. The route, very similar to that of a classic road race, favoured the specialists in this modality, who started as the big favourites.
In the men's category, Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel was the favourite. With 80km to go, van der Poel tried to break away from the pack without success. However, at the 140km mark, Belgian Florian Vermeersch launched an attack that van der Poel followed, and both managed to distance themselves from the main group.
They gradually built up enough of a gap to secure victory between them. At the back they were unable to organize a solid pursuit. Jasper De Stuyven accused his national teammates of not riding as a team. It should not be overlooked that Hermans and Vermeersch share a team (Alpecin) with Mathieu, and neither of them denied Stuyven's words.
In the final kilometres, Mathieu did not want to be accompanied and a determined attack on a climb 13 km from the finish allowed him to open a gap of one minute over Vermeersch, who then raced to maintain second place. The rest of the top five was decided in a strategic sprint, in which Quinten Hermans took bronze.
Defending champion Matej Mohorič, who had suffered an injury during his preparation at Sea Otter Girona, finished in seventh position, bringing up the rear of the chasing pack.
TOP 10 MEN
- Mathieu Van der Poel (NED) – 4:41:23
- Florian Vermeersch (BEL) – 4:42:26
- Quinten Hermans (BEL) – 4:45:10
- Jasper De Stuyven (BEL) – 4:45:10
- Gianni Vermeersch (BEL) – 4:45:11
- Connor Swift (GBR) – 4:45:11
- Matej Mohoric (SLO) – 4:45:11
- Tim Merlier (BEL) – 4:45:38
- Timo Kielich (BEL) – 4:45:38
- Toon Aerts (BEL) – 4:45:38
The elite women's category presented a range of top-level potential winners. With Kasia Niewiadoma confirmed not to be defending her title and the absence of 2022 champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, the race was left wide open to crown a new world champion.
Halfway through the course, Lotte Kopecky launched an aggressive attack that only Marianne Vos, Lorena Wiebes and Soraya Paladin could keep up with. Vos and Kopecky worked together, increasing their lead over the rest of the field. The race for bronze came down to Wiebes, Puck Pieterse and Sina Frei.
With 10km to go, the leading pair continued to alternate at the front, but Kopecky, stretching his back, showed signs of fatigue, reminding us of his words that this was his first gravel race.
With 5km to go, Vos and Kopecky stopped working together. Kopecky refused to cooperate when the Belgian elbowed her. An attack by Vos with 2km to go was met by Kopecky, who came into first position on the finishing straight, but Vos had one last card to play and launched the decisive attack 100 metres from the finish.
What was Vos's card? Her bike with the adjustable Gravaa KAPS tire system (partner brand of JUMBO VISMA) allowed her to adjust the tire pressure to match the terrain during the race. She herself stated that it helped her to have a higher pressure at the end, crucial in a sprint, but also to reduce the pressure on the rougher track.
Marianne Vos takes her 14th world championship, ahead of Kopecky, who took the silver medal in her gravel debut. The podium was completed by Lorena Wiebes, a gravel enthusiast who competes in some races during the season.
TOP 10 FEMALE
- Marianne Vos (NED) – 4:01:07
- Lotte Kopecky (BEL) – 4:01:08
- Lorena Wiebes (NED) – 4:05:04
- Puck Pieterse (NED) – 4:05:16
- Romy Kasper (GER) – 4:05:22
- Soraya Paladin (ITA) – 4:07:07
- Riejanne Markus (NED) – 4:07:11
- Femke Markus (NED) – 4:09:59
- Emma Cecilie Norsgaard Bjerg (DEN) – 4:09:59
- Lucinda Brand (NED) – 4:10:00
We leave you a link to the complete results HERE.
