Matthew Holmes (OGT-Orientation Marketing) and Geerike Schreurs (SD Worx-Protime) claimed victory at The Gralloch UCI Gravel World Series round on Saturday, with both riders breaking away from their rivals in the dry and fast conditions of the race which started and finished in the Dumfries and Galloway town of Gatehouse of Fleet.
Holmes – a former road professional who beat Richie Porte to the line at the top of Willunga Hill to claim stage 6 of the Tour Down Under in 2020 – made his move 25km from the finish line of the 111km race and took the solo victory a minute-and-a-half ahead of the a chasing group of six. Nathan Haas (Colnago) won the sprint for the minor placings, taking second ahead of Petr Vakoč (Canyon CLLCTV Gravel).
The first round of the Gravel World Series in the United Kingdom is an 85% off-road route through the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere. The event, which has doubled in size in its second year to include 2,000 riders from 35 countries, also delivered a distinct women's race – a rarity in gravel where the mass starts often mean the women's field is quickly scattered through the men's categories.
Schreurs, who earlier this month was second at The Traka 360, put herself at the front of the women's field by breaking away with former Australian road champion Nicole Frain (Hess Cycling) at around 5km into the race.
"I wanted a hard race, and it's always easier to be with a smaller group on the gravel," said Schreurs. "We had no idea about the gap, but we just put our heads down for a 110 km time trial. I'm proud to take a commanding win but thanks to Nicole for working with me."
The SD Worx-Protime gravel attacked Frain on the final descent to establish a 29-second winning margin, while the chase was underway behind to claim the next spots. In the end, Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM) claimed third, outsprinting Tessa Neefjes (Liv Racing) and Amelia Mitchell (Ribble Collective).
