The second edition of the UCI Gravel World Championships, scheduled for 7 and 8 October, is on the horizon. Among the stars on the Women Elite start list is recently crowned European Champion Lorena Wiebes
TREVISO – In a few days, the province of Treviso will be coloured with the jerseys of national teams from all over the world. The 2023 UCI Gravel World Championships will attract a first-class field, and all fans will be able to enjoy a unique spectacle, surrounded by the UNESCO heritage hills.
In the women’s race, to be held on 7 October, all eyes will be on Lorena Wiebes, crowned Women Elite European Champion on Belgian Flemish soil on 1st October. Already owner of the European Champion’s jersey, she will be ready to battle for the rainbow jersey, hoping to outclass the reigning UCI World Champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who missed last weekend’s European Championships due to illness.
ELENA CECCHINI’S LOVE FOR GRAVEL – Among the protagonists at the European Championships held on Sunday, 1 October in Oud-Heverlee was Elena Cecchini, who took the bronze medal behind teammate Lorena Wiebes. For the athlete from Udine, gravel was a nice novelty
“My first gravel race in Belgium last Sunday – says Cecchini – was a really fun experience. What I expect on the weekend of 7-8 October is a real treat. The race will be tough, because the route is very demanding and selective, similar to what a mountain stage can be. For me it might be too demanding, but I am happy to participate and help my teammates. I am happy to do the UCI World Championships in Italy, and wear the Azzurri jersey. I am looking forward to it.
“I discovered gravel recently – Cecchini continues – and I fell in love with it straight away. I think that also from the training point of view it is a useful discipline that can bring you many benefits. From a physical aspect it is very similar to what you do on the road, plus you can train in the middle of nature and away from traffic and the stress of cars.”
REALINI’S DEBUT – Another newcomer to the world of gravel racing is Lidl-Trek rider Gaia Realini. The young rider from Pescara has a first-rate palmares in the world of cyclo-cross and dives into this new experience with the curiosity of someone who loves getting her wheels dirty.
“When the national team coach Daniele Pontoni asked me to join the national team – Realini explains – I immediately jumped at the chance. It will be a wonderful experience, something new in a newly born discipline to which I am just now approaching. It’s a mix between road and off-road, so I’ll have to be good at using the qualities of these two disciplines to my advantage. Cyclo-cross riding skills will certainly come in handy, as will the habit of long efforts that I have trained over these seasons of road racing. The course will be very hard, with 140 km and a good 1600 metres of altitude difference, but that doesn’t frighten me, the important thing will be to manage my energy in the best possible way.”
Other Italians who could be in the mix are Silvia Persico and Barbara Guarischi.
ROAD STARS IN THE MIX – There will be no shortage of top road cycling names at this second edition of the UCI Gravel World Championships..
In addition to European Champion Lorena Wiebes, her SD Worx teammate Demi Vollering will also be at the start. Her achievements on the road this year have included Strade Bianche Donne, Amstel Gold Race Ladies Edition, Flèche Wallonne Féminine and Liège-Bastogne-Liège Féminine. The Dutchwoman also racked up victories in stage races such as Vuelta a Burgos Feminas, Tour de Romandie Féminin and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Also look out for Canyon//SRAM Racing’s Kasia Niewiadoma – who has graced several UCI Women’s WorldTour podiums this year, including third at the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.
In Treviso, however, there will also be familiar faces from off-road racing, with Sanne Cant standing out. She will be joined by 2023 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift stage winner Emma Norsgaard and Austria’s gravel National Champion Sabine Sommer.
