UCI Gravel World Series: Rosa Klöser drops Marianne Vos to take solo victory at Sea Otter Europe, as Leon Kaiser sprints to win men's race

Rosa Klöser (Canyon-Sram-Maap) soloed to victory at Sea Otter Europe in Girona, claiming her first UCI Gravel World Series win this season. In the elite men’s race, Leon Kaiser (Avona) came out on top in a four-way sprint to take the win in Girona, Spain.

Klöser, the Traka 360 winner, claimed the victory in a time of 3:23:18, crossing the line 2:41 ahead of second place, Larissa Hartog (Canyon x DT Swiss All-Terrain Racing). Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) took third with a time of 3:29:47.

Klöser and Vos pulled away soon after the first climb, and worked well together for one hour before being caught by a men’s group, causing an acceleration which Vos could not match.

Klöser continued on solo as multi-time world champion Vos dropped back to battle for second place with a surging Hartog.

“I'm of course super super happy and proud. I actually found out two weeks ago that I had a parasite, so this is my first race post-antibiotics and everything. So it was really like a wonderbag today so I didn't really know how my shape was, but then in the end, I decided to just race aggressively,” Klöser said.

“And at the first climb in San Juià, I put some pressure on the other girls, and I got away with Marianne Vos. And then the two of us really committed. We really worked well together, and I think we were leading the race for more than an hour together, the two of us. And then in the end, some men groups came from behind, and I guess then it was a bit more survival mode.”

“Maybe I had a bit better snap at one moment, so I could manage to get away, and then in the end it was really a solo TT for me to the finish line. I was so scared that someone would come from behind with another men's group and catch me, so I was really happy when I finished the finished first.”

“You know it's going to be hard in the start with the climb, and then we were away with the two of us, but when the man caught up, the speed got up,” Vos said. “Had to let the group go, and I was on my own. So then it's a difficult fight.

Kaiser sprints to victory in men's race

In the elite men’s race, Kaiser was first across the finish line in a time of 3:03:57, outsprinting runner-up Paul Voss (Rose Bike). Rabian Rabensteiner (Torpado Kenda FSA) took third, ahead of Georg Egger (Orbea x Speed).

The four riders pulled away in the first 40 kilometres and, working well together, built up a gap of over three minutes to the closest chaser by the time they crossed the finish line.

Kaiser claimed his first win on his second gravel race of the season. His first race was two-stage Santa Vall by The Traka, where he finished a close runner-up on the second stage.

“I'm so happy. I think my last and also my first gravel race was in February, also here in Girona - Santa Val - and I think on their second stage I was just second, and I wanted to come back and win. I came back with a new bike from Avona, 32 inch, and winning, I think, I'm super happy,” Kaiser said.

“I think before the first feed zone, the group was made. I think then we were kind of good together, and I knew that my sprint is pretty good, but I suffered. I suffered so much during the race. But then, Georg Eger made a lead out for me, and then the last part of to the finish was super rough. But with the new bike, it was kind of ‘I just pedaled through’ and won. It was like kind of the perfect race for me.”

This year’s race featured a revamped 109km course with 980 metres of elevation gain. The route is considered less demanding than in previous editions, with significantly less climbing than last year, which organisers were hoping that it would encourage fast racing and allow larger groups to remain together deeper into the race.

After the start in Càrniques de Juià, the riders tackled an opening 5.2km climb averaging 6.2%, lead into the technical descent of Coll de Llumeneres at km 21, before reaching the faster section at kilometre 41. The Mas Llunas climb at kilometre 83, and a final short but demanding ascent at kilometre 100 provided the last opportunities to split the race before the finish at the festival.

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