On Saturday the UCI Gravel World Series race in Poland, Gravel Adventure, lived up to its adventurous name… and then some.

Taking place in Szklarska Poreba on the Polish-German-Czech boarder, the 128 kilometer Gravel World Championship qualifying race was an epic battle – against Mother Nature.

But Mother Nature showed no mercy for the 350 competitors trying to qualify for the 2025 UCI Gravel World Championships by finishing in the top 25% of their age/gender category.

Although the race started in dry conditions, that quickly changed. Dense pea-soup fog enveloped the mountainous course as wind whipped through the dense forest and rain turned the gravel route into a series of mud puddles.

Taking overall victory was 29 year-old Slovenian Adam Toupalik (UNIBET TIETEMA ROCKETS) with a time of 3:51:19. Fellow Slovenian Petr Vakoc was next at 3:52:19, followed by Belgian Seppe Rombouts at 3:55:45.

Switching from road racing to gravel just this year, 33 year-old Hanna Nilsson of Sweden won for the women in 4:56:01. The Swiss Annabel Fisher finished 5 seconds later and Theresa Rindler Bachl of Poland was another 19 seconds adrift.

The shorter medio gravel race for older categories was an all Latocha affair. 61 year-old Heiki Latocha of Germany won for the men the in 2:41:40, with Alexandra Latocha, 51, winning the women’s race in 2:57:02.

Complete Gravel Adventure Poland results HERE

Photo Credit: Facebook/graveladventurepoland

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