Gravel European Championships 2023 [FULL RACE]

October 1, 2023

Gravel European Championships 2023 WE/ME 🇧🇪 – Bolero – Bolero : 159 km

Gravel cycling, gravel biking or gravel grinding is a sport, or a leisure activity, in which participants ride bicycles mostly on gravel roads. Sometimes, specially designed gravel bikes are used; in other cases, any bicycle capable of covering the terrain can be used.
Gravel cycling bridges the gap between road and mountain biking, combining the higher speed and efficiency of road cycling with the capability and freedom to ride on rough and loose terrain.

Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM) claimed the victory in the women’s race at the UEC Gravel Championships but it was Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx) who claimed the title of European Champion, out-sprinting Fem van Empel (Jumbo-Visma) in the sprint behind.

Wiebes revealed she had a slow puncture and couldn’t go with Cromwell when she attacked.

“I knew that she would not be there for the Europeans, but I also felt that on the last lap that I had a slow puncture in the front so I had to be careful in the corners. I didn’t want to take any risks there. Then I still could count on the sprint. I felt it was bumpy in the sprint.

The women faced 131 kilometres on two short laps, one hilly long circuit and a short closing lap with 44km of gravel and 6km of cobbles on the long lap.

Cromwell hit out on the first lap chased by Fem van Empel (Jumbo-Visma), Elena Cecchini and Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx). Sanne Cant (Fenix-Deceuninck) was with the four riders but lost contact on the second lap.

By the final lap, the quartet had opened up two minutes on the nearest rival Barbara Guarischi (SD Worx). Pauliena Rooijakkers (Canyon-SRAM) had faded back to sixth while Marthe Truyen in seventh led the Belgian Championship field.

Riding mixed in with the men’s stragglers, the four women came into the final 3km as Cromwell came to the front and pulled ahead of the men and got a gap.

Passing the lapped riders, she powered away as the European riders watched each other and raised her arms in victory at the line.

Wiebes said the men they passed were respectful and did not interfere in their race. “The guys we passed they went to the side so we could pass easily, and some guys helped us pretty good to pace it,” she said.

Results WE:

Jasper Stuyven (Lidl-Trek) motored to a historic first European Gravel Championship title as well as the Belgian National Championship in the combined race in his home region near Leuven.

Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quickstep) out-sprinted Paul Voß to claim the silver medal for both championship events.

“It’s a nice title – I’m really happy with it,” Stuyven said.

“I felt good from the start. It’s one of those days you can keep pushing. I started to feel the group was a little bit looking at each other and there were also tired legs. I decided to keep going and find a good moment and it was a nice solo.”

Stuyven hails from the area and was familiar with the roads but more importantly he had the legs to get an advantage over the more experienced gravel racers.

“I had a few spots in mind (to attack) and technically I wasn’t the best of the group but I also knew this was going to happen and I didn’t want to take too many risks and maybe lose it all. I knew in the technical parts I had to be in front to not lose too much time on the really good guys. The other parts I knew with the power and the long distance I could make a difference.”

Snaking through the forests of Brabant, the gravel, dirt, mud, cobbles, and paved paths, Stuyven looked smooth and powerful as he overcame a puncture on the second to last lap, bridged back to the front then attacked on the final lap putting more than a minute into his rivals.

The elite men’s race was 159 kilometres long with one hilly long lap bookended by two flatter short laps before and after.

Ryan Kamp (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) hit out strong on the first lap before fading back and eventually dropping out of contention. One of the favourites Ivar Slik (Wielier Triestina) didn’t make it past the first lap while Thibau Nys (Lidl-Trek) crashed on lap 2 and dropped out.

Greg Van Avermaet (AG2R Citroën), Florian Vermeersch (Lotto Dstny) and world champion Gianni Vermeersch (Alpecin-Deceuninck) took the lead later in the opening lap before being joined by a larger selection.

On the second lap, Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) attacked into the second lap but was quickly caught back on the tough hilly long lap. Jasper Stuyven (Lidl Trek), Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quickstep), and Florian Vermeersch then went on the attack before being pulled back by a group also including Van Avemaet, Gianni Vermeersch, Alex Colman (Flanders Baloise), Paul Voß, Bert Van Lerberghe (Soudal-Quickstep), Frederik Raßmann (Dauner Akkon), Kevin Panhuyzen (Giant Liv Benelux Offroad), Petr Vakoc (Canyon Isadore) and Lander Loockx.

Colman attacked on the third lap, gaining a decent lead over the dozen riders in the chase.

Not long after, Stuyven suffered a puncture and luckily was near the tech zone and stopped for a very slow wheel change but was able to bridge across to the first chasing group.

Coming into lap five, Stuyven attacked out of the chase group and passed Colman on a climb as the leaders began lapping riders. Van Avermaet suffered a puncture and was out of contention.

Stuyven had a 38-second lead with Voß, Vakoc, Merlier, Gianni and Florian Vermeersch, Loockx heading into the final lap but extended that to almost a minute and had only to keep the air in his tyres and his tyres on the ground to secure the double titles.

Results ME: