UCI TRIPLE-HEADER RESULTS FROM SWARTBERG, HIGHLANDS, LIMBURG

This weekend the UCI Gravel World Series held their ever first triple-header, three gravel world championship qualifying events on three continents. The racing started in South Africa on Saturday, migrated to the North America and finished up Sunday morning in Europe. Riders finishing in the top 25% of their age/gender category at any one of the events qualified for the 2024 UCI Gravel World Championships.

The Swartberg 100 gran fondo in South Africa saw Jaco Van Dyk, 30, win by one second with a final surge to the line after 170km of racing against Marco Joubert. Van Dyk completed the demanding route in 5:43:01. Earning the final podium place was Wessel Botha at 5:44:43. Tiffany Cromwell, 35, won the women’s race by fifteen minutes in 6:13:18, while her boyfriend F1 driver Valtteri Bottas finished in 6:27:43 to provisionally qualify for the world championships in the M35-39 category. Jared Schultz and Nicolle Weir won the 80km medio fondo men’s and women’s races with times of 3:28:29 and 3:44:37 respectively.

Next up was the Highlands Gravel Classic in Fayetteville, Arkansas USA, with former U23 rowing world champion Brennan Wertz, 26, winning the 68-mile race in 3:25:20. Cobe Freeburn was a close second at 3:25:32, followed by former WorldTour pro Nicholas Roche at 3:25:54. Jenna Rhinehart, 39, was the fastest woman with a finishing time of 3:51:55, while 60 year-old Chris Carlson won the 54-mile medio distance race in 3:05:08.

1500 gravel racers took to the starting pens at Gravel Fondo Limburg in the Netherlands on Sunday, including a deep roster of current and former WorldTour pros. Fresh off a two-year doping ban, 30 year-old Belgian Toon Aerts announced his return by sprinting to victory in the 105km event. He finished in 2:57:10, one second up on local gravel specialist Piotr Havoc. Adne Koster was third at 2:57:31. The Dutch Tessa Neefjes, 27, won for the women in 3:21:48, more than two minutes ahead of Irina Lutzelschwab and Wendy Oosterwoud. Marijke De Smedt won the 75km medio fondo race, as well as the women’s title, in 2:29:40, with Jochen Scheibler close behind as the first man in 2:29:43.

Complete Swartberg 100 Gran Fondo results HERE

Complete Highlands Gravel Classic results HERE

Complete Gravel Fondo Limburg results HERE

Photo Credit: UCI Gravel World Series

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