The Traka 200 – Schiff and Vakoc claim titles, penalty strips Rassmann of win

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Carolin Schiff (Canyon CLLCTV) defended the women's title at The Traka 200 on Saturday with a dominant solo victory at the European gravel race, while it was a dramatic finale in the men's competition with a three way sprint to the line. 

Frederik Rassmann crossed the line first but a penalty meant Petr Vakoc (Canyon Integray) was ultimately declared the winner of the muddy event.

Vakoc and Jasper Ockeloen (Sockeloen/Canyon) had rounded the final corner with Rassmann, who quickly took to the front and held that position to the line with enough of a gap to let out a wholehearted celebration as he crossed. 

The joy of victory evaporated by the time of the podium ceremony and he was out of the top spot. 

"A five-minute penalty kept him away from victory," said race organisers in a media release. "The regulations make it clear that assistance cannot be received outside the established points, and the German did not comply with the rules."

Rassmann said in an Instagram post: "Unfortunately I made a mistake in the feeding zone and got a time Penalty, we get em next time."

The 2023 Unbound runner-up, Vakoc instead took to the top step with Ockeloen moved up to second and Johan Jacobs (Movistar) third. Another, very familiar, road racing name in the top ten was Greg Van Avermaet, with the retired Olympic Gold medallist and Paris-Roubaix winner taking seventh place at the event which starts and finishes in Girona.

There was no such uncertainty, however, surrounding the women's winner with the powerful performance of Schiff putting her across the line more than nine minutes ahead of her nearest rival, Klara Sofie Skovgaard Hansen (PAS Racing) and Rosa Maria Klöser (MAAP Gravel Privateer) was more than 20 minutes back in third. 

“I always have a big engine in the end of the race. I was able to push hard in the end. It was my good day," said Schiff. "It was really my goal to win it again."

While she did so emphatically, Schiff was quick to point out what a strong race it was by the young second-placed rider Skovgaard Hansen, who she caught and then dropped on a climb. "She did so great, she’s the future.”

The Traka, a focal point for the European gravel scene, is part of the Gravel Earth Series  – one of the five Global Events – and the 200 runs alongside a 360 race, which took place on Friday, while there are also shorter distances set to unfold on Sunday. 

Peter Stetina (Canyon) and Karolina Migoń (PAS Normal) won the 360 event, which was shortened by about 20km. There had been intense rain in the run up, which had stopped before the racing began but left a mark on the course, with the planned 560 cancelled and judging by the racers Strava files, the 200 was also shortened by three to four kilometres from the published pre-race distance of 196km.

In The Traka 100 on Sunday SD Worx-Protime took their habit of dominating on the road onto the gravel as well. Last year's winner, Lorena Wiebes didn't have the best of days, with the rider posting a picture on her Instagram story of her walking with her bike over her shoulder with tubes off and a buckled wheel. Still her teammates made sure the SD Worx-Protime kit dominated the top of the results list, with Marie Schreiber taking victory, sports director Anna van der Breggen coming second and Femke Markus third. In the men's 100 Groove Gravel teammates Alexys Brunel and Jugo Drechou took the top two spots while Thomas Couzens (Ribble Collective) came third.

The next of the Global Earth Gravel Event is the Migration Gravel Race in Kenya from June 18-21 and the Gravel Earth final is at Ranxo Gravel October 12-13.

*Updated with comment from organiser and rider on penalty and The Traka 100 top 3

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