The second edition of the UCI Gravel World Championships crowned Kasia Niewiadoma (POL) and Matej Mohorič (SLO) in Veneto (Italy). Nineteen other riders won UCI World Champion rainbow jerseys in the various age categories.
The province of Treviso in the Veneto region in Italy hosted the second edition of the UCI Gravel World Championships from 7 to 8 October. Riders from all types of backgrounds gathered at the start at Lago Le Bandie, and it was finally Poland’s Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM Racing) and Slovenia’s Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious) who took the Women Elite and Men Elite rainbow jerseys at Pieve di Soligo.
“This is so sweet!”, said Niewiadoma, who finished on the podium in the first two editions of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and also claimed a bronze medal at the 2021 UCI Road World Championships in Flanders (Belgium). “I really don’t have the words for it. It’s my first rainbow jersey. I’m just so happy!”
Post-race reactions from the new Gravel World Champion, @KNiewiadoma 🤩.
— CANYON//SRAM Racing & CANYON//SRAM Generation (@WMNcycling) October 8, 2023
After a long, 25km solo ride to the finish line, the attack that finally pays back. This time, in rainbows 🌈 👏#TakeTheLead #WorldChampion pic.twitter.com/POtq13Kl9z
“The course was beautiful, and I had one of my best days on the bike”, Mohorič said, as he took his first Elite rainbow jersey after having won Junior and U23 UCI World Champion titles in road. “My legs hurt but my mind was super happy! It was very technical, with some really tough climbs, so that suited me perfectly.”
Alongside the Elite events, the UCI Gravel World Championships crowned 19 other UCI World Champions in various age categories, with riders having qualified for the 2023 UCI World Gravel Series competing against each other.
Niewiadoma soars to glory
Niewiadoma’s winning effort started on Saturday morning on the banks of Lago Le Bandie. The contenders took on a first lap featuring the longest gravel section of the race (21km). Some 25 riders broke away, led by Italy’s Soraya Paladin, Elena Cecchini, Silvia Persico and Gaia Realini. The Dutch were also well represented, led by Demi Vollering. Gravel experts such as Argentina’s Sofia Gomez Villafañe and Australia’s Tiffany Cromwell were also up there.
The group became smaller as the Squadra Azzurra maintained a steady pace on the circuits around Pieve di Soligo, where the key climbs of the day were concentrated. Into the final lap, only 15 riders remained in contention for victory. And with 25 kilometres to go, Niewiadoma launched the decisive attack. The Polish rider opened up a small gap on a chasing trio consisting of two Dutch riders, Vollering and Yara Kastelijn, and Italy’s Persico.
The gap was just 15 seconds with 15 kilometres to go, but that was more than enough for the Polish rider to stay in the lead on the final climb of the day, the Collagu’ (1.4km at 11.8%, with a maximum gradient of 23% towards the summit, with 5km remaining), and claim the victory 32’ seconds ahead of Persico, who outsprinted Vollering for silver. After 140 kilometres of intense battle, her Dutch compatriots Kastelijn (+1’29’’) and Wiebes (+1’33’’) completed the top 5 ahead of USA’s Lauren Stephens (+4’02’’), as the gaps extended over the final hills.
Conquering the gravel paths💥
— UCI (@UCI_cycling) October 7, 2023
Watch some of the adrenaline-packed moments of today’s Women Elite race at the UCI Gravel World Championships 🌈 #Veneto2023 pic.twitter.com/KwnHJjpHbP
Mohorič’s joy
On the Sunday, the Men Elite peloton kicked off the race in the same settings and faced a similar course, albeit slightly longer (169 km). A large group formed in the first part of the race, including gravel expert Keegan Swenson (USA) and well-known top riders Wout van Aert (BEL), Alejandro Valverde (ESP) and Mohorič. After about 60 kilometres, Van Aert crashed and the race exploded. Valverde and Mohorič were still at the front, along with four other riders: Florian Vermeersch (BEL), Connor Swift (GBR), Cameron Mason (GBR) and Paul Voss (GER). Van Aert was now well behind.
https://twitter.com/UCI_cycling/status/1710972337586159657
The race remained intense, allowing Mohorič, Vermeersch and Swift to pull away halfway through the race. Van Aert was recovering positions but the three podium finishers had already gone. On the climb to San Vigilio, Swift was the first to lose contact, with 24 kilometres to go. Five kilometres later, Mohorič dropped Vermeersch.
Over the final summit, Mohorič had extended his lead to a minute. The gap opened up by the Slovenian allowed him to take the victory 42 seconds ahead of his Belgian rival. Swift rounded-out the podium with a gap of 3’39’’. Valverde outsprinted Swenson to take 4th place and Van Aert finished 8th (+8’21’’).
The 2023 UCI Gravel World Champions
Women Elite: Kasia Niewiadoma (POL)
Women 19-34: Wendy Oosterwoud (NED)
Women 35-39: Joyce Vanderbeken (BEL)
Women 40-44: Melanie Hessling (GER)
Women 45-49: Helen Jackson (GBR)
Women 50-54: Patrizia Romanello (ITA)
Women 55-59: Tracey Jacobs (USA)
Women 60-64: Nadia Sgarbossa (ITA)
Women 65-69: Pam Glenn (USA)
Women 70-74: Jolien Faber (NED)
Men Elite: Matej Mohorič (SLO)
Men 19-34: Pietro Dutto (ITA)
Men 35-39: Marcello Pavarin (ITA)
Men 40-44: Johnny Hoogerland (NED)
Men 45-49: Samuel Sanchez (ESP)
Men 50-54: Kaare Aagaard (DEN)
Men 55-59: Laurent Brochard (FRA)
Men 60-64: Juergen Eckmann (USA)
Men 65-69: Hermann Mandler (AUT)
Men 70-74: Alfred Lechnitz (AUT)
Men 75-79: Pierluigi Talamona (ITA)