Over 5,000 participants at inaugural UCI 3RIDES Gran and Gravel Fondo
In a first for the UCI, 3RIDES Gran Fondo along the Dutch-German-Belgian border hosted both gravel and gran fondo world championship qualifying events on the same day from the same venue
Photo: Jordy Vermeulen (Netherlands) won UCI Gran Fondo in Germany. Credit: @leon_van_bon
Jordy Vermeulen (Netherlands) won UCI Gran Fondo in Germany. On the 120-kilometer route from Aachen to Lake Rursee and back, the 22-year-old Dutchman from Team Wilvo Group-TWC De Kempen pulled away in the middle of the race. Around 2,000 riders had registered for the very demanding, fully booked competition and set off on Sunday from 7 a.m. from the Aachen CHIO grounds through the old town to the south-east into the Eifel.
"It was my first Gran Fondo, my teammates talked me into it - that's why I didn't expect the success," said Vermeulen, who set off with around 50 kilometers to go. Moritz Beinlich from the German Team Strassacker tried to follow the leader alone over the 30 kilometers. "In the end, I was surprised how close the chasers came again. Three kilometers before the finish, I turned around and was surprised at how close they were. Then I gave it my all again and rolled into the finish relaxed." Winner Vermeulen needed 2:51:02 hours to complete the course (42.09 km/h).
The fastest woman was speed skater Arianna Pruisscher (Carbonbike Giordana by Gen Z) from the Netherlands in 3:09:29 hours, ahead of Annabelle Trujen in second and Aurore Pauchet in third place.
3RIDES Gravel Fondo
Over 1,500 riders took part in the Gravel Fondo with two distances of 123km and 85km, the second Gravel World Championship qualifying race at 3RIDES in Aachen.
In the men's Gravel Fondo, Belgian Daan Soete won a sprint finish ahead in 3:35:04. Belgian Soete was proud to have beaten his compatriot and hero of the Belgians, Greg van Avermaet said afterwards "I went all out for the sprint. I come from a cyclocross background and went full gas on the last corner, that was my advantage in the finish." In the final sprint, German Frederik Raßmann (Rose Racing Circle) took second place, with Dries van Gestel (Belgium) finishing third. The gravel race was the sporting highlight of the third edition of the 3RIDES.
In the 85km gravel race for masters categories, German Ronney Gerts was fastest, finishing in 2:43:23, while Marijke de Smedt was the fastest women in a time of 2:51:26.
