The Gravelking UCI Gravel World Series continued in North America this weekend with the Ghost of the Gravel in Water Valley, Alberta (CAN), where 255 riders from across North America and Europe lined up for a demanding day of racing. Early rain showers made for a tough and gritty start, but conditions improved throughout the day, setting the scene for fast racing and a sunny finish over 118 km with 2000m of climbing.
In the men’s race, an initial front group of around a dozen riders stayed together through the opening phase before the pace lifted significantly on a technical descent after 35 km. From there, the race split into smaller groups, with key contenders including Nieuwesteeg, Stack-Mickasiw, Borstmyer and Wyatt Gaulke (USA) shaping the decisive moves in the second half. Nieuwesteeg and Stack-Mickasiw proved to be the strongest pair, breaking clear in the hills around kilometre 75. The duo worked well together towards the finish, where the experienced Nieuwesteeg timed his sprint perfectly to take the win in an average speed of 30.9 km/h
The women’s race saw early action on the first major climb at 30 km, where local rider and North American gravel regular Gabby Traxler set a strong pace. She was joined by Sidney McGill (CAN) and Hannah Johanson (SWE) in a small lead group before two more riders bridged across. The race was decided shortly after, as Traxler launched a decisive attack at kilometre 56, cresting the highest point of the course (1600 m) solo. From there, she extended her advantage over the selective terrain to secure a clear solo victory in an average speed of 25.8 km/h and maximum series points.
