In his American mass-start gravel racing debut, Belgian professional and World Champion Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck – Quick-Step) finished sixth overall at Belgian Waffle Ride – Kansas, dubbed “Hell of the Midwest.”  Evenepoel rode the medio “Wafer” route of 111 kilometres and did not participate in the longer, harder and more gravely 178 kilometres “Waffle” gran fondo route.  

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Evenepoel completed the route on rural farm dirt roads after more than 4 hours of racing, but 13 minutes behind American transgender athlete Molly Cameron, who won the Waffer. Mattia Cattaneo, an Italian racing teammate of Evenepoel, finished eighth overall.

Evenepoel and Cattaeneo were on holiday in America after the end of the European based WorldTour professional racing season and rode the Belgian Waffle Ride more for fun and the experience than for results.  After a fun day of American gravel riding Evenepoel gave hope he will return, “This year to enjoy; maybe next year we race.”

There were three routes raced at the Belgian Waffle Ride. American Tanner Ward was the best male and Tiffany Cromwell the best female in the main Waffle race over 178 kilometres, Finnish F1 race car driver and up-and-coming graveleur Valtteri Bottas finished 9th in the short distance “Wanna Waffle” 58 kilometre race.

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PHOTOS: Deceuninck – Quick-Step

Worldwide Gran Fondo Calendar