Lauren Stephens (Cynisca Biking) repeated a solo experience throughout the road in Gering, Nebraska to win a second elite girls’s title at US Gravel Nationwide Championships. Lauren De Crescenzo (Issue-The Feed-Maxxis-Castelli) earned the silver and Paige Onweller (Trek Driftless) took bronze.
This yr Stephens accomplished the 131.5-mile course in western Nebraska in 6:31:44, which was slightly greater than 14 minutes quicker than the inaugural version in 2023.
The quick, dry circumstances noticed De Crescenzo end simply 1:21 again, and Onweller was 2:46 off the tempo. A fourth-place finisher final yr, De Crescenzo crashed out of SBT GRVL three weeks in the past and sustained a damaged collarbone, and he or she was questionable to line up for the occasion.
“Simply attending to the beginning line will likely be an enormous win for me,” De Crescenzo stated on social media the day earlier than the race.
Fourth-placed Alexis Skarda (Santa Cruz Bicycles-SRAM) was the one different lady within the elite subject to complete in single digits behind Stephens, 4:16 again. She and Cecily Decker (Scuderia Pinarello), who was fifth at 13:10, rounded out the highest 5, which earned them automated {qualifications} to the UCI Gravel World Championships in Belgium on October 5.
Jenna Rinehart (Mazda Orange Seal Off-road) and Emily Newsom (PAS Racing), each within the high 10 final yr, had been the one starters within the 17-rider subject not ending the occasion. Rinehart crashed simply earlier than the mid-point of the race after which rode the subsequent 29 miles solo earlier than calling it a day, whereas Newsom stopped as a consequence of leg cramps and fatigue.
Twelve starters stayed collectively for the Kirk Chapel support station at mile 72.2. On the early miles to the third and last support station, 4 riders emerged on the entrance because the lead group – Stephens, De Crescenzo, Onweller and Skarda.
Then simply earlier than the help station at Peaceable Valley, Stephens surged away on a last climb to take a 25-second lead.
“I used to be simply specializing in placing an assault in on the final climb. I made my assault on the steepest half and knew immediately that I received a good hole,” the defending champion stated in a USA Biking press launch after the race.
I used to be loads much less nervous this yr than final yr. I feel there have been much more unknowns. I used to be calmer coming into as we speak having performed it final yr. At 500 metres [to the finish], I simply began soaking all of it in. It’s actually thrilling to get to put on the celebrities and stripes for one more yr.”
The highest seven finishers shared in half of the $40,000 prize purse on supply for elite athletes, Stephens incomes $10,000 for the victory and De Crescenzo taking $5,000. In sixth and seventh locations, respectively, Whitney Allison (Bike Sports activities) and Caroline Wreszin (Skratch-Issue) took house the ultimate checks, $250 every.
Outcomes
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Place
Rider
Time
1
Lauren Stephens (Cynisca Biking)
06:31:44
2
Lauren De Crescenzo (Issue / The Feed / Maxxis / Castelli / PERC)
