The Wörthersee Gravel Race delivered a great day of racing in Velden am Wörthersee, as Austria hosted its only event in the Gravelking UCI Gravel World Series. Set against the stunning lakeside scenery of Carinthia, the race combined fast gravel sections along the Drau river with steep climbs.
In the men elite race, the action unfolded quickly. After the completion of the first of two laps, a strong group of ten riders managed to break clear from the rest of the field. The decisive move came early in the second lap, when Jordan Habets (NED) and Gustav Frederik Dahl (DEN) launched an acceleration and escaped from the front group.
The duo worked smoothly together to the finish line in Velden, where victory was decided in a millimetre-close sprint. Habets narrowly edged Dahl on the line after an intense head‑to‑head battle, claiming a prestigious win on Austrian soil.
Behind them, Luis Neff rode a consistent and composed race to secure third place overall, finishing exactly 2:30 behind the two leaders. Neff proved fastest in the sprint from a chasing group of six riders, rounding out the final podium position.
A similar scenario played out in the women elite race. After a controlled opening lap, the race was decided early in the second lap, when Nicole Frain (AUS) made a decisive solo move. The Australian quickly opened a gap and maintained her advantage with a powerful and confident ride all the way to the finish.
Frain took victory to claim her third consecutive Gravelking UCI Gravel World Series win, achieved over three successive weekends, underlining her exceptional form. Mieke Kröger (GER) finished second at 27 seconds, while home Jana Gigele (AUT) delighted the home crowd with a strong performance to take third place at 42 seconds.
