The first German UCI Gravel race this weekend in Aachen will have a lot of top riders at the start as reigning World Champion Gianni Vermeersch will show his coveted rainbow jersey for the first time this season in a race on a 19km lap which needs to be done 7 times for the younger riders and 4 times for the older age categories.
Other major names are reigning European road champion Lorena Wiebes, former German sprinter André Greipel, reigning European cyclocross champion Michael Vanthourenhout and his teammate Eli Iserbyt, Olympic team Pursuit gold medallist from Tokyo 2021 Mieke Kröger, local hero Marcel Meisen and former Tour de France yellow jersey Jan Bakelants.
They will battle against the gravel specialists Tessa Neefjes, Ivar Slik, Paul Voss, Carolin Schiff, Jade Treffeisen, Piotr Havik, Jasper Ockeloen and Finja Smekal.
The race is spread around the Aachen Chio, a complex for equestrian sport with a first half of the 19km on cobbles and smaller farmer roads followed by a second wood section with some short steep climbs. It will be a fast aggressive course.
