Xan Crees edges Danni Shrosbree to win elite women's British Gravel Championship

Xan Crees (Spectra-Cannondale) outsprinted Danni Shrosbree (Amius) at the line to capture her first elite women’s British Gravel Championship.

Shrosbree held the lead in the final kilometre of the fifth and decisive lap, but when wide with two corners to go. Crees made the pass and held off Shrosbree, the defending champion, to take the victory in a photo finish. Jane Barr (Velocity44 RT) was third in the small group, finishing one second behind.

“I think it’s a bit overwhelming because when I looked at the start list I was like, 'oh my gosh I actually have a chance of winning this’. Then to actually do it, especially with it being close it was just a let go of all emotions, my gosh it’s happened,” said Crees following a brief delay to confirm the final result.

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“It was weird because I was telling myself second’s still great because Danni is the previous national champ, I’ll take second if I get second, but obviously you always want to win. But then if I’ve lost it by a millimetre it’s going to be so annoying. But to do it I am so happy and over the moon.”

At 21 years of age, Crees has the most experience with off-road racing in cyclocross, which she combines with mountain bike and gravel disciplines. She was fourth at The Gralloch, the UK’s only UCI Gravel World Series event in May.

Shrosbree added a silver-medal finish to a growing list of results, which include fourth at this year’s Unbound Gravel 200. Last year in the first British Gravel Championship, which is also part of King’s Cup Gravel Festival, she was second  overall in the elite women’s race, behind South African Tiffany Keep. As the first British woman across the line last year, she took the gravel title. 

The gravel championships returned as part of King’s Cup Gravel Festival this year, with the women and men competing in separate starts. Both fields completed five laps of a 15.3km circuit for a total of 76.5km. 

Women’s and men’s races have separate starts, the women starting at 8:30a.m. and the men competing at 12:30p.m.

Results