Simon Pellaud (Cervelo-Assos-Maxxis) and Natalia Franco (ENVE) soloed to victories at the inaugural Gravel Bogotá in the Colombian Andes. The freshly minted gravel race in South America was one of three GravelKing UCI Gravel World Series events held this past weekend, spread across three continents.
A former WorldTour rider from Switzerland, Pellaud has lived in Colombia for the past decade. He had scouted the roads for the 127km route and used an early attack to ride away from the field, finishing in 3:44:37. The final podium spots were decided in a sprint between Colombians Camilo Gómez and Carlos Julián Quinteros nine-and-a half minutes back, Gómez surging to the line in second.
The route featured 1,886 metres of elevation gain, with the start in Chía at 2,564 metres above sea level. Most of the climbing was featured on three ascents in the opening 45km, which Pellaud called "the toughest part". Two smaller climbs broke up a long valley section surrounded by towering sandstone canyon walls on the northernmost section and then a return through Tocancipa connected with a shorter route for the finish on grass in Chía.
"People want to get off the busy roads and explore more remote areas—to experience nature and enjoy a quieter ride. That’s why gravel is such a great mix of road and unpaved routes; it strikes a perfect balance. I think it’s a discipline that’s really booming right now, so it’s great to take advantage of it," Pellaud told organisers.
His gravel season was delayed by a knee injury in February, and he has made steady improvement with 15th at Unbound Gravel and then second at the UCI Gravel World Series race in Germany at Hegau Gravel. He returns to the US this month for Leadville Trail 100 MTB, as he is seventh overall in the elite men's leaderboard of the Life Time Grand Prix.
Franco, who is in the women's wildcard field of this year's Life Time Grand Prix series, scored her first victory of the season at her home gravel race Sunday. She finished in 4:37:58, more than an hour ahead of the next elite woman, compatriot Valentina Ovalle.
The UCI Gravel World Series offers one competition next weekend, on August 8 heading to Gravel Weekend in Latvia. The top 25% of riders in age-group and pro divisions at each series event qualify for the UCI Gravel World Championships in Western Australia, October 10-11, 2026.
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Jackie has been involved in professional sports for more than 30 years in news reporting, sports marketing and public relations. She founded Peloton Sports in 1998, a sports marketing and public relations agency, which managed projects for Tour de Georgia, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and USA Cycling. She also founded Bike Alpharetta Inc, a Georgia non-profit to promote safe cycling. She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams. On the bike, she has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast), and spends time on gravel around horse farms in north Georgia.
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