Ranxo Gravel would be the perfect conclusion to my race season. After falling in love with this event last year, I was determined to return, even if it meant travelling solo after my buddies bailed! Despite juggling school drop-offs and pick-ups with the help of the grandparents, and a whirlwind schedule that had me flying back just two hours after the race, the trip was so worth it. Klassmark always delivers a fantastic gravel event, and Ponts in Spain, nestled below the stunning Pyrenees, is an absolute dream of a race location. Tight schedules or not, making this happen was a no-brainer.
Seven months ago, I kicked off the race season in Spain at the opening round of the Gravel Earth Series, and now I was back to wrap it all up at the series finale. My goal of an overall series podium might have unraveled after missing out at the Traka and the Rift, but after a strong start at Santa Vall, I was determined to finish just as strong at Ranxo.
Ponts is usually a quiet little Catalonian town, but this weekend it came alive with excitement for the Gravel Earth Series final. It was the ultimate season-ender before the big finish line party, and with 162 kilometres and 2000 meters of climbing ahead, it was going to be a memorable challenge. The field was stacked with top riders, so I knew it would be a tough but thrilling day.
Photo: Ranxo / Klassmark
With the women starting at 7:45 and the men at 8:50, we set off just as the sun began to rise. The race exploded right from the start, with dust, flying rocks, and elbows as everyone fought for position behind the lead car. After a couple of kilometres, the car pulled away, and we hit the first climb—a brutal eight-minute effort that shattered the field. I started a little too far back and as the race split I just missed the wheel of the last person who made the lead group and I reached the top in no man's land. The descent though is a roller coaster and the Lauf was on rails! I flew down that descent, over the rocks, through the flowing corners, and by the bottom of the hill i'd caught the lead group.
My bike was dialled in, the legs were feeling great, I knew I was in for a good day. We were covering ground at a good pace but not going full gas, this allowed the second group to catch us. As the group swelled we rode through one of the underpasses beneath one of the main roads, this puts us single file stretching out the group, some riders are more tentative on the trails into and out of the underpasses, I’m too far back as the group splits. I'm left in a chase group, my legs are really good, I shouldn't be here in the second group I think, I'm frustrated, I mash the pedals. For 50 kilometres we chase, I do big turns, burning matches but after the effort of getting to race I want to be in contention for a big result. I've trained so hard for today, put in the graft including plenty of heat training and long hours.
Finally we catch the leaders and can catch our breath. There's not much time to recover though because the fireworks have begun, every climb, every flat, every descent someone's trying to make a move. For the first three hours I fuel with 120 grams of carbs per hour, slightly more than planned, this leaves me with just 80 grams per hour for the last two hours, this combined with all those matches I burnt early means my legs are started to complain, energy levels are dropping. I grit my teeth and use that determination to stay strong in the group.
Photo: Ranxo / Klassmark
The final climbs are coming, the big fireworks have been saved for the end of the show. I'm wobbling but I make it with the leaders to maybe halfway up the last big climb, the pace just ramps up and up. I lose the wheel in front and I wave regrettably goodbye to the leaders. Four people go ahead, then there is a group of six including me. Once over this last big climb and down the tricky descent it's flat for the final 15 kilometres along the waterways which lead to the reservoir. All except for a couple of small ramps including one which ends one kilometre from the finish. At the top of that climb is a tight 180 turn into a singletrack which takes you to within eye sight of the of the finish line. Getting a good position into the singletrack is key. There’s a cheeky inside line on the corner which is slightly shorter and drops you off the bank into the singletrack, it’s pretty tricky to ride but I'd practised it yesterday. I knew I wanted to ride it in the race but as we approached, I took the wrong line, had to hit the brakes and the rest of the group sailed past leaving me a few bike lengths behind. I tried to chase but the legs were done, the group sprinted for 5th and I was just off the back in 10th. We were around a minute off second.
Griffin Easter took the win, with Simon Nordahl Svendsen and Peter Stetina rounding out the podium. Karo Migon won the women’s race, ahead of Morgan Aguirre and Klara Sofie Hansen.
While I made a couple of tactical mistakes that cost me a higher finish, I can’t help but feel incredibly proud of today’s race. It was one of my strongest performances of the whole season, and although I’m a little sad that these fast legs don’t get another race this year, I’m more than ready for the off-season. Finishing 10th against such a high-calibre field is something to celebrate, and there’s no better place to end the season than at Ranxo Gravel. What a weekend to remember!
Photo: Ranxo / Klassmark
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