The second edition of Turnhout Gravel, the Belgian Gravelking UCI Gravel World Series event this weekend on the borders with the Netherlands is sold out for the second year in a row, attracting 2500 riders from 36 different nationalities.
The course has had a minor update with the long canal section split in two as riders now go twice away from the canal before coming back for the final. Most categories race over 2 laps totalling 144km while the older categories of men over 60 and women over 50 finish after 72km.
Main favorites are Czech Petr Vakoc, last year’s ranking leader Mathijs Loman(NED), last year’s runner-up Magnus Bak Klaris (DEN), Greg Van Avermaet, Jan Bakelants, Thomas de Gendt, Ide Schelling (NED) and Paul Voss (GER).
Also lots of top-level females with last year’s ranking winner Nicole Frain (AUS), her runner-up Wendy Oosterwoud (NED), Romy Kasper (GER), Jade Treffeisen (GER), Klara Sofie Skovgard Hansen (DEN) and Hanna Nilsson (SWE).
