Lorena Wiebes wins women's 2025 UCI Gravel World Championships

Lorena Wiebes sprinted to victory and the coveted rainbow jersey in the elite women's race at the 2025 UCI Gravel World Championships in Limburg, outsprinting teammate and defending champion Marianne Vos while Italy’s Silvia Persico took bronze

The Dutch team dominated the day, but dramatic late-race moves — including a long solo by compatriot Shirin van Anrooij — set up a thrilling finale decided in the last 500 metres.

Van Anrooij animated the race with a bold attack from 12km out, riding alone for nearly the entire final kilometre and building a gap of roughly 20 seconds after escaping from an eight-rider lead group. The breakaway looked promising as teammates played a complex tactical game, refusing to mount a coordinated chase and leaving much of the pursuit work to Julia Kopecký of Czechia. With six Dutch riders in the front group, the Netherlands effectively controlled the race, alternating attacks and letting rivals shoulder the work.

As the finish neared, the situation shifted. Kopecký faded in the last two kilometres and Yara Kastelijn began the final lead-out for the sprint among the front riders. Van Anrooij, visibly spent after her long solo, was caught in the final 500 metres as the charging pack closed ranks. Wiebes and Vos launched a powerful sprint that proved too strong for the tiring soloist. Wiebes edged Vos at the line to secure the world title, while Persico timed her effort to hold third, rounding out a dramatic and tactical race in favor of the Dutch contingent.

The result underscores the Netherlands’ depth in gravel racing and their ability to convert numbers into decisive outcomes. Wiebes’s victory adds a major title to her palmarès and highlights her sprinting prowess across disciplines. Vos, the defending champion, showed her trademark savvy and speed but had to settle for silver after a hard-fought battle among teammates and international rivals. Persico’s podium finish demonstrated Italy’s resilience and tactical patience in a race that often favored collective tactics over lone escapes.

“We came here to race hard and ride smart,” said Lorena Wiebes. “Shirin’s attack made it tough for everyone — she rode bravely and forced teams to make choices. In the end, teamwork and timing decided it. I couldn’t ask for a better way to win the rainbow jersey, and sharing the podium with Marianne shows how strong our squad is.”

VIDEO: 2025 Women's Gravel World Championship Highlights

2025 UCI Gravel World Championships Women's Elite Top 10

1  Wiebes Lorena  Team SD Worx-Protime
2  Vos Marianne  Team Visma | Lease a Bike
3  Persico Silvia  UAE Team ADQ
4  Kastelijn Yara  Fenix-Deceuninck
5  van Anrooij Shirin  Lidl-Trek
6  Kopecky Julia  Team SD Worx-Protime
7  Markus Femke  Team SD Worx-Protime
8  de Vries Femke  Team Visma | Lease a Bike
9  Hartog Larissa  Flying Freelancers & ZZPR.nl
10  Kasper Romy  Human Powered Health