U.S. nationwide gravel champion Brennan Wertz (SCOTT Sport) and Melisa Rollins (Liv Racing Collective) received tactical races on a new circuit race-style course at SBT GRVL in Colorado.
SBT has turn out to be one of many marquee occasions on the professional gravel racing calendar, however this yr organizers had been compelled to make modifications to their occasion after backlash from native residents and politicians.
The professional fields raced three laps of the circuit that began and resulted in Hayden, west of Steamboat Springs, for a complete of about 116 miles and greater than 8,000 ft of climbing.
Within the males’s race, Alex Howes (Velocio-Cannondale) served as an aggressor early on, attacking twice however bought introduced again each instances.
By mile 28, a break of six males slipped off the entrance together with earlier SBT winner Keegan Swenson (Santa Cruz – HTSQD), Pete Stetina (Canyon), Brennan Wertz, Cobe Freeburn (MAAP), Alexey Vermeulen (ENVE), and Torbjørn Røed (Trek Bikes-MAAP). Røed dropped off 55 miles in, making it a lead group of 5.
On the third lap of the circuit, Vermeulen attacked the group and set off a sequence of cat and mouse dynamics among the many 5 leaders.
In the long run, it was Wertz who launched the race successful transfer whereas carrying his stars and stripes jersey, ending seven seconds forward of Swenson and Freeburn. Vermeulen after which Stetina rounded out the highest 5 finishers.
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SBT GRVL Males’s Outcomes
Brennan Wertz
Keegan Swenson
Cobe Freeburn
Alexey Vermeulen
Pete Stetina
Torbjorn Roed
Adam Roberge
Caleb Bottcher
Chad Haga
Julien Gagne
(Picture credit score: Liv Biking)
Within the ladies’s race, Cecily Decker and Emily Newsom, each of Pas Racing, launched an early assault however had been reeled in by the sector.
Newsom attacked once more round mile 30 and opened up a 15 second hole on a chase group of about 10 ladies together with Melisa Rollins (Liv Racing Collective), Sarah Lange (Pivot Cycles-Velocio), Paige Onweller (Trek Driftless),Lauren De Crescenzo (Issue racing Wahoo), and Unbound-winner Karolina Migon (PAS Racing). Newsom was introduced again by mile 40, with Lange driving the tempo on the entrance of the group.
At mile 65, the lead group was whittled all the way down to seven with illustration from former SBT GRVL-winner De Crescenzo, Rollins, Onweller, Lange, Haley Smith (Trek Driftless), Emma Grant (Ventum), and Lauren Stephens (Aegis Biking Basis). Lange continued to drive the tempo into the third circuit.
As final yr’s Leadville 100 winner, Rollins isn’t any stranger to racing on lengthy climbs at altitude. She went on the assault, which dropped Grant from the group. Onweller and Smith additionally dropped off throughout the third lap main Rollins, De Crescenzo, Stephens, and Lange because the 4 leaders.
Rollins had the strongest kick on the finish to win forward of De Cescenzo by 2 seconds. Stephens completed about 30 seconds again in third.
