Lauren Stephens defends girls’s title at US Gravel Nationwide Championships
Share
SHARE
Lauren Stephens (Cynisca Biking) repeated a solo experience throughout the road in Gering, Nebraska to win a second elite girls’s title at US Gravel Nationwide Championships. Lauren De Crescenzo (Issue-The Feed-Maxxis-Castelli) earned the silver and Paige Onweller (Trek Driftless) took bronze.
This yr Stephens accomplished the 131.5-mile course in western Nebraska in 6:31:44, which was a little bit greater than 14 minutes sooner than the inaugural version in 2023.
The quick, dry situations noticed De Crescenzo end simply 1:21 again, and Onweller was 2:46 off the tempo. A fourth-place finisher final yr, De Crescenzo crashed out of SBT GRVL three weeks in the past and sustained a damaged collarbone, and she or he was questionable to line up for the occasion.
“Simply attending to the beginning line might be an enormous win for me,” De Crescenzo mentioned on social media the day earlier than the race.
Fourth-placed Alexis Skarda (Santa Cruz Bicycles-SRAM) was the one different lady within the elite discipline to complete in single digits behind Stephens, 4:16 again. She and Cecily Decker (Scuderia Pinarello), who was fifth at 13:10, rounded out the highest 5, which earned them automated {qualifications} to the UCI Gravel World Championships in Belgium on October 5.
Jenna Rinehart (Mazda Orange Seal Off-road) and Emily Newsom (PAS Racing), each within the high 10 final yr, have been the one starters within the 17-rider discipline not ending the occasion. Rinehart crashed simply earlier than the mid-point of the race after which rode the subsequent 29 miles solo earlier than calling it a day, whereas Newsom stopped on account of leg cramps and fatigue.
Twelve starters stayed collectively for the Kirk Chapel support station at mile 72.2. On the early miles to the third and remaining support station, 4 riders emerged on the entrance because the lead group – Stephens, De Crescenzo, Onweller and Skarda.
Then simply earlier than the help station at Peaceable Valley, Stephens surged away on a remaining climb to take a 25-second lead.
“I used to be simply specializing in placing an assault in on the final climb. I made my assault on the steepest half and knew right away that I obtained an honest hole,” the defending champion mentioned in a USA Biking press launch after the race.
I used to be rather a lot much less nervous this yr than final yr. I believe there have been much more unknowns. I used to be calmer coming into at the moment having completed it final yr. At 500 metres [to the finish], I simply began soaking all of it in. It’s actually thrilling to get to put on the celebrities and stripes for an additional yr.”
The highest seven finishers shared in half of the $40,000 prize purse on supply for elite athletes, Stephens incomes $10,000 for the victory and De Crescenzo taking $5,000. In sixth and seventh locations, respectively, Whitney Allison (Bike Sports activities) and Caroline Wreszin (Skratch-Issue) took residence the ultimate checks, $250 every.
Outcomes
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Place
Rider
Time
1
Lauren Stephens (Cynisca Biking)
06:31:44
2
Lauren De Crescenzo (Issue / The Feed / Maxxis / Castelli / PERC)
Your Trusted Source for Accurate and Timely Updates!
Our commitment to accuracy, impartiality, and delivering breaking news as it happens has earned us the trust of a vast audience. Stay ahead with real-time updates on the latest events, trends.
