Lorena Wiebes clinches win in small group sprint at Marly Grav as Wout van Aert carves out solo celebration at the UCI Gravel World Series race

Lorena Wiebes and Wout van Aert both secured impressive victories at the Marly Grav event, part of the UCI Gravel World Series, held in the Netherlands. Wiebes, wearing the rainbow jersey, triumphed in a small group sprint finish after a challenging race through Limburg, while Van Aert executed a decisive solo attack to claim the men's title. The event attracted a strong field, including reigning gravel world champion Florian Vermeersch and Unbound 2023 winner Carolin Schiff, underscoring the race’s high competitive standard. In the women’s race, Wiebes was part of a leading quintet that included notable riders such as Nele Laing and Amandine Muller. As the race approached its conclusion, Wiebes demonstrated her sprinting prowess, pulling away decisively to claim victory ahead of Larissa Hartog and Ilse Pluimers. Wiebes expressed satisfaction with her performance, highlighting the strength of the lead group and the enjoyment she found in racing on home soil while wearing the rainbow jersey. Van Aert’s win came after a 150km race featuring a demanding course that included multiple laps around a scenic loop near Valkenburg. With around 20km remaining, he launched a solo attack from a small lead group, quickly distancing himself from the chasers, including Vermeersch. Van Aert credited his victory to careful positioning throughout the race and timing his effort on a challenging section of the course, enabling him to cross the finish line alone with a significant advantage. The results have important implications for qualification to the upcoming UCI Gravel World Championships in Western Australia, with the top 25% of riders in each category earning spots for the event in October. The strong performances by Wiebes and Van Aert at Marly Grav not only reinforce their status as leading figures in gravel racing but also set the tone for the remainder of the gravel season. Their victories highlight the growing prominence of gravel racing within the broader cycling calendar and the increasing crossover of road stars into this burgeoning discipline.