Rosa Klöser and Magnus Bak Klaris Dominate The Rift Gravel 2025 with Solo Victories

Rosa Klöser (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) and Magnus Bak Klaris (PAS Racing) emerged as solo champions of The Rift Gravel elite titles on Saturday, each earning valuable points towards the Gravel Earth Series (GES).

Klöser's victory at The Rift marks her first GES win of the season, following impressive performances earlier this year, including a second-place finish at The Traka 200 and a third at Santa Vall. Klaris, on the other hand, claimed his second GES victory of the season, building on his success from the two-day Santa Vall opener in February.

Unlike previous years where races were decided in nail-biting sprints, this year's champions executed strategic solo efforts. After breaking free from leading groups early in the race, Klöser forged ahead after the first 45 kilometers of the grueling 200-kilometer course, finishing with a commanding lead.

Just over six minutes later, Geerike Schreurs (SD Worx-Protime), last year's third-place finisher, crossed the line to secure a well-earned second place. Morgan Aguirre (PAS Racing), the reigning GES women’s leader, followed closely behind, finishing third, 2 minutes and 45 seconds after Schreurs. Klöser's victory marks her third in the last five races, while Schreurs highlights her resilience with four podium finishes in five outings this season.

"The Rift has an incredibly stunning yet brutal landscape," Schreurs said, "It was a challenging race, and Rosa was flying early on. I did my best, but there was no catching her. I'm grateful for second place after riding 120 kilometers solo."

The atmosphere of intense competition continued in the men's race. Midway through, a small group of riders formed, with Klaris shadowing Ferreira. As the kilometers dwindled, Klaris executed a decisive attack in the final stretch, securing victory just 19 seconds ahead of Ferreira. Petr Vakoc (Canyon) took third, finishing 6:24 behind, while Tobias Mørch Kongstad (PAS Racing) finished just over four minutes later.

"The course was significantly harder and more rocky than expected, with steeper climbs that tested my endurance," Klaris stated, "Despite the exhaustion, the scenery was unreal."

From the rain-soaked starting line under overcast skies, competitors faced slippery volcanic ash challenging their resolve in the shadow of the active volcano Hekla. The 2025 course featured 2,600 meters of elevation gain, with 85% of the route traversing gravel roads through Iceland's dramatic highlands.

Reigning men's champion Simen Nordahl Svendsen finished 13th, just over 18 minutes behind the leaders, while notable riders who did not finish included Hugo Drechou and Nathan Haas, both of whom were top 10 finishers last year, and Axelle Dubau-Prévot, who secured sixth place among the women.