Hegau Gravel

Hi everyone,

It felt good to be back racing on the Aspero-5. Building up since the Swiss National MTB Marathon and Road Race Championships, I wanted to use this Hegau Gravel race to test my legs and see where my form is at right now.

Race Dynamics & The Breakaway

The course was demanding: 110 kilometers with over 2,000 meters of elevation gain on rolling, leg-breaking terrain. The wind kept the peloton quite compact, and I decided to shake things up around the 70-kilometer mark. I put in a big effort which successfully created a gap, allowing us to form a strong three-man breakaway with Petr Vakoc and Stan Dewulf.

A Tactical Duel

Stan eventually got dropped on the hardest climb of the day, leaving just Petr and me at the front. Vakoc had a slight technical advantage in the corners thanks to his tire choice providing more grip, and he used that to launch a hard attack on the final climb. I didn't panic, and kept him at 10 to 20 meters, pacing my effort perfectly to bridge the gap with just 2 kilometers to go.

The Finale

Knowing he hadn't secured a win yet this season and was likely feeling the pressure, I tried to play it smart. I decided to lead into the highly technical final kilometer, but he managed to squeeze past me in the very last corner, just 100 meters from the finish line.

The Takeaway

I crossed the line in a strong 2nd place. Despite narrowly missing the win, I had a lot of fun riding at the front in a race both highly technical and tactical. I also want to give a high five to my dad who managed the feed zones, which was crucial during the European heat wave. This performance is a confirmation of the improvement of my current form heading into the next block of racing.

What’s next?

I am swapping the gravel bike for the road bike and flying to China to race the Tour of Qinghai Lake with the Li Ning Star squad. It is going to be an intense 8 days of racing at very high altitude, perfect to prepare for the next off-road races with Gravel Bogotá UCI and the Leadville 100 on the calendar.

Thank you all for your continuous support.

Ride the Line,