The Belgian Ardennes crowned new European gravel champions on Sunday, as Houffalize hosted the 2026 Bolero UEC Gravel European Championships on a revamped 141km course consisting of three laps of a punishing 47km loop, starting with the brutal Côte de Saint Roch. The event also served as a qualifier for October’s UCI Gravel World Championships in Nannup, Australia.
The Women’s Elite contest went down to the wire. The Netherlands swept the top two places, with Femke Markus edging training partner Shirin van Anrooij by just 2 seconds after nearly five hours of racing. Markus finished in 04:57:27, while France’s Axelle Duba-Prevot took bronze, 8 seconds behind the winner.
In the Men’s Elite race, Denmark’s Mads Würtz Schmidt claimed the European title in 04:09:57, holding off Belgium’s Wout Alleman by 1 minute 9 seconds, while compatriot Niels Vandeputte completed the podium 3 minutes 43 seconds behind the winner.
Age-group champions rode either the full 141km course or, for men over 60 and women over 50, a shortened two-lap route. Among the men, titles went to Wannes Heylen (19-34), Thomas Sprengers (35-39), Damien Guilmin (40-44), Erwin Bakker (45-49), Cyrille Rayebois (50-54), Holger Koopmann (55-59), former WorldTour professional Udo Bölts (60-64), Jan Olsen (65-74) and Régis Pinson (75+).
In the women’s age groups, titles went to Anne van der Meeren (19-34), Cemile Trommer (35-39), Joyce Vanderbeken (40-44), Nellie Larsson (45-49), Patrizia Romanello (50-54), Marijke De Smedt (55-59), Lesley Wilkinson (65-69) and Bärbel Wessel (70+).
View UEC Gravel European Championships results HERE
Photo Credit: UEC
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