UCI Gravel World Championships 2025 - Everything you need to know
UCI Gravel World Championships 2025 route includes pass of Wijnandsrade Castle, Bronsdalweg climb and finish on gravel path
Who has the savvy and skills to win elite races at 2025 UCI Gravel World Championships? A look at the contenders
Race Situation
Wiebes wins final sprint to take her first gravel world championship
Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of the elite women's race at the UCI Gravel World Championships.
We'll be here all day with all the latest from Limburg. Our writer Jackie Tyson is on the ground in Limburg, too, so expect post-race news and analysis straight from the source.
Wondering which riders to watch today? Check out our guide to the contenders to get an idea of who is chasing that rainbow jersey.
Don't be surprised if you see more roadies than gravel stars at the start, though.
We've got exactly 30 minutes to go until the elite women's race begins in Beek
Marianne Vos is back to defend her title from 2024. She's one of a number of road stars on the start-line.
As ever, the Dutch team looks remarkably strong. Alongside Vos, the likes of Lorena Wiebes and Puck Pieterse will also be wearing orange today on home roads.
The riders have to cover 131km today with 1,190 metres of climbing on the course. It will be up and down pretty much all day. No long climbs, just short, steep hills.
The riders will take on a 50-kilometre circuit two-and-a-half times, with the hardest climb of the lap being the Bronsdalweg, which averages 8%.
“I feel excited, maybe nervous...I think I can feel confident in my ability, but I know you always need some luck in gravel too
It's less than 10 minutes until the start
Former Unbound 200 winner Rosa Klöser is all too aware of the threat posed by the Dutch squad today. Here's her assessment of the race tactics.
And here's a look at the finish straight on the Groene Loper in Maastricht
Quite an orange looking front row at the start. Will the Dutch dominate the race today?
Early positioning is crucial on the gravel. Thanks to their placing in the UCI Gravel Series and other criteria, these riders had the fortune of start on the front row:
Marianne Vos (Netherlands)
Lorena Wiebes (Netherlands)
Nicole Frain (Australia)
Wendy Oosterwoud (Netherlands)
Jade Treffeisen (Germany)
Rosa Klöser (Germany)
Sophie Wright (Great Britain)
The bunch is all together in the opening kilometres, but the Dutch are already showing their strength, with Wiebes, Femke Markus and Geertjie Schreurs taking up the first three positions, as Klöser sits just behind.
The riders are currently on paved roads, the gravel doesn't begin until the Adsteeg climb in a few kilometres.
Björg Hákonardóttir of Iceland is one of the first riders to be tailed off the back of the group in the opening portion of the race
If you're a road fan and you're trying to get your head around the course today, think of the Amstel Gold Race. The race is taking place in the same region of the Netherlands, Limburg, and features a similar series of leg-sapping short climbs.
120km to go
With the first road section of the race nearly complete, Germany's Rosa Klöser is now stretching things out at the front, with Wiebes and Silvia Persico on her wheel.
Reigning champion Marianne Vos is sitting back in the group in around 15th place, with several team-mates for company.
The group is already thinning. The likes of Sofia Schugar (USA), Viktoria Dehler (Germany) and Violette Irakoze Neza (Rwanda) are dropped for now.
The riders have already taken on the opening paved climb of the Adsteeg (700m @ 5%). They only race this climb on this opening lap.
Another view of the start in Beek around 30 minutes ago.
The peloton is already stretched out on the opening, narrow sections
This is the fourth edition of the UCI Gravel World Championships. The three previous winners of the women's elite race were Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (2022), Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (2023) and Vos (2024) - the Dutchwoman is the only former champion at the race this year.
The front group is down to 86 riders, with all the favourites still ensconced in the peloton
Rosa Klöser and Nicole Frain lead the bunch with a flotilla of Dutch riders just behind.
The riders have taken on a series of short hills in this opening 25km. Soon, they will descend into a flat portion before the next challenging section.
It's a Dutch shut-out at the front of the bunch, with just Czechia's Julia Kopecky joining them at the head of affairs. You can also see some riders being distanced on this climb.
It's been a controlled start to the race. The average speed so far is around 32km per hour.
Australian contender Nicole Frain is currently on the front of the group alongside Julia Kopecky. The riders are now on the flat section of road before the next hilly part.
After almost an hour of racing, there are still 86 riders left in the bunch. Latvian rider Kitija Siltumena is chasing back on though.
Lorena Wiebes has been 3rd and 5th in her previous Gravel Worlds appearances. Can she improve on that today?
Marianne Vos is sitting further back in the group currently, as is young road star Paula Blasi (Spain). It will be fascinating to see how the new under-23 European women's road race champion gets on today.
The bunch are now taking on a section with four short, steep climbs in quick succession. They will return to this part of the course on the second lap with around 50km to go.
The Dutch are still dominating the front of the bunch. 14 of their riders are in the first 20 positions currently, with Schreurs still tapping away in the wind.
It's tight for space on these narrow, winding gravel sections. Julia Kopecky, Marianne Vos and Rosa Klöser jostle for position on a right-hand bend.
That section of climbing is done. It's now an undulating portion of the race. Expect the selection to be made later on.
There are a couple of riders less than a minute off the back who could get back on if the pace continues as it is. They are Signe Andersen (Denmark) and Oliwia Majewska (Poland).
That section of hills has stretched things out a bit and there are several small splits in the bunch.
Maud Rijnbeek and Shirin Van Anrooij have now taken up the pace-making at the front of the bunch for the Dutch team.
Belgium's Martha Truyen, who races for Fenix-Deceuninck on the road, is a decent bet for a top-10 placing today
Schreurs has put in a real shift today so far. She's still working on the front alongside Van Anrooij and Rijnbeek.
The small splits caused by that section of hills have now come back together. However, several riders have dropped off the back of the group, which now numbers 82.
Among the riders dropped is Belgium's Fauve Bastiaenssen who was 15th at the 3RIDES Gravel Race in Germany earlier this season.
The final rider in the bunch at the moment is Brazil's Tamirez Radatz, who is one of the South American nation's strongest road racers. She is competing in her first gravel World Championships.
Our reporter on the ground in Maastricht, Jackie Tyson, has been speaking to veteran gravel racer Jasper Ockeloen who wants to see more top-level gravel racers take part in the UCI Worlds.
Wiebes has moved to the front of the group now, with Silvia Persico on her wheel.
Madeleine Nutt (GBr) and Nathalie Eklund (Swe) are among those distanced for the moment. The pace has ebbed and flowed so far today, so they and others may have a chance to get back on.
A crash for one of the British riders off the back
Defending champion Marianne Vos and her Dutch team appear to be well in control of things so far
Two hours-in, the riders have been travelling at an average speed of 32.1km/h
It's now Quinty Ton leading things at the front for the Netherlands.
More riders have been dropped. There are 70 left in contact with the front of the race. Nutt (GBr), Seal (Can) and Kamasheva (Ger) are in a small group just off the back trying to chase back on.
After sitting back in the bunch up to now, Tiffany Cromwell (Australia) has now moved up towards the front, as has Paula Blasi (Spain).
Much of the route today cuts through the farmland of Zuid-Limburg.
Quinty Ton (Netherlands) has made a move off the front of the bunch and is now solo.
Ton only has a lead of a few seconds. With so many team-mates behind, who is going to chase her?
Ton's lead was short-lived. She has now been collected by the bunch again.
Now a group of five has moved clear, including four Dutch riders. They are:
Romy Kasper (Ger)
Femke Gerritse
Maud Rijnbeek
Lorena Wiebes
Marianne Vos (all Ned)
The quintet have a lead of about 20 seconds over the rest of the favourites. It's a pretty good situation for the home nation.
The likes of Maria Giulia Confaloniere (Italy) and Pauliena Rooijakkers (Netherlands) have been shelled out the back of the chasing group, which now numbers around 55.
The riders are now entering another flatter section. Will this be an opportunity for the leaders to extend their advantage?
The gap has extended out to 33 seconds.
A chase group of 15 has now emerged 35 seconds behind the leaders. It includes Silvia Persico, Mischa Bredewold, Paula Blasi and Rosa Klöser.
Understandably, the front group of five is working well together with there being four Dutch riders in there. Their lead is only going one way at the moment. It's now 40 seconds.
The leaders have just descended off a gravel climb and are now on a sinuous portion of paved road.
Now they go onto a single-track section. Kasper may be outnumbered, but she is helping with the pace-setting. A top-5 would be a good result for the German.
Rosa Klöser and Silvia Persico are doing most of the work behind, as seven Dutch riders sit pretty in the group with no responsibility to work.
40km to go
The effort that Klöser is putting in on this climb is visible, but the gap isn't moving to the front. Still 40 seconds.
An attack now from Persico in the chase group
That's another gravel section ticked off. They are back on the road again for a short moment before hitting another steep gravel section.
Persico has shredded the chase group. She has pulled back 15 seconds all by herself. Only a few riders can stay with her.
Femke De Vries pulls through after Persico has finished her turn. It appears that the Dutch riders are happy to work against one another.
It's a group of seven now just 20 seconds off the Vos and Wiebes group. As well as De Vries and Persico, Mischa Bredewold is there as well as Julia Kopecky and Larissa Hartog.
Van Anrooij is also part of that chase group. She is driving on the front now with Persico and Bredewold just behind.
Of the 12 riders in the first two groups, 9 are Dutch. It doesn't seem to matter though observing the tactics at play today, they are chasing each other down at the moment.
The gap is down to about ten seconds now. It looks like this will come back together.
Marianne Vos on the attack
The chasers have the leaders in their sights, but they're not able to close just yet and the front five are not slowing down.
Big acceleration from Van Anrooij on a farm track closes the gap a bit more.
There is around 15 seconds still to close. Behind the chasers is another, larger group, who are around 30 seconds behind the front of the race. It could all come back together.
The front group are still working well together. They have edged a little further away from the chase group.
Attack by Marianne Vos.
Vos is closed down by Wiebes and the others also latch back on.
18 seconds is now the gap between the first two groups. Van Anrooij, Markus and Persico are sharing the workload behind. That's in contrast to the leaders, who are sharing the pace-setting evenly between them.
The chase group is stalling now. Lots of looking around and Persico is gesturing to her companions.
The gap is now 20 seconds to the the second group and 40 back to the third group, which has around 15 riders in it.
Reigning champion Marianne Vos is riding an aggressive race as she looks to defend her title
The leaders turn right onto another rough off road section. Their lead is staying steady at 20 seconds.
Persico is on one her best days all season. She is clearly motivated to get back up to the front, but needs more help from the rest.
Van Anrooij attacks again with De Vries and Persico.
Not only have the riders got to deal with these rutted off-road sections, they are now also having weave passed riders who have been dropped off the back of races in other age categories.
The gap is drifting down again on this long gravel section. It's now around 15 seconds as they descend through a forest.
It's Julia Kopecky now driving it on the front of the pursuers. with 11 seconds to bridge.
Vos attacks again. This time Wiebes is on the wheel again but no one else can follow.
Vos and Wiebes have pulled out a big gap now on a steep paved climb. Wiebes looks tired, but she's still there.
Behind the original chase group have linked up with the trio who were dropped by that acceleration by Vos.
Vos and Wiebes have 20 seconds over the chasing group of 10.
Onto another steep climb. Vos accelerates hard once again.
Wiebes is turning herself inside out on the wheel of the reigning champion.
Persico has launched a massive attack and has a few metres over the rest now.
There are just two climbs left and the next one is the toughest on the entire course, the Bronsdalweg. It's mostly gravel and averages 8%.
What a move from Silvia Persico.
In just one kilometre, she has cross the 20 second gap and joins Vos and Wiebes.
And Persico has dragged the rest over too. It's now a front group of eight as they approach the Bronsdalweg.
Here's your leading group who will contest the finale of this elite women's World Championship:
Marianne Vos
Lorena Wiebes
Silvia Persico
Femke De Vries
Femke Markus
Julia Kopecky
Yara Kastelijn
Larissa Hartog
Shirin Van Anrooij
They are on the Bronsdalweg climb now. This could be decisive.
Kastelijn is hoping to use her climbing ability on this climb as she sets the pace
Vos attacks, but Kastelijn neutralises her.
It's now a front group of three mid-way up this climb: Vos, Wiebes and Kastelijn.
As they crest the climb, Persico bridges over to the lead. Van Anrooij is not far behind.
Just one climb left and then it's around 10km into Maastricht and the finish line.
Van Anrooij makes it up to the front to make it a leading quintet.
Julia Kopecky also makes contact with the front on this descent.
Van Anrooij goes. And she has a gap. The group doesn't seem to want to chase her down.
Vos is on the front, but she doesn't want to do the work.
Van Anrooij has 10 seconds
Julia Kopecky is on the front, but she's not going hard. Van Anrooij on the other hand is giving it everything. Her lead goes up to 20 seconds.
It's very stop-start behind. Vos attacks, then stops. Kopecky is the rider doing the most work.
It's been a mightily impressive ride so far from Julia Kopecky of Czechia. Can she secure a medal?
It's all flat from here. A mix of paved road, bike paths and gravel. 8km to go.
Kopecky is chipping away at Van Anrooij's lead now. It's down to 17 seconds. You do feel that the others are taking advantage of the young Czech rider as she plods on alone on the front of the chase group.
Van Anrooij heads through another gravel section through a forest in the outskirts of Maastricht.
This is not a done deal here. Kopecky is doing an incredible job all by herself. The gap is still 15 seconds with 4km to go. One big attack could bring Van Anrooij back.
Van Anrooij has been on the comeback trail this year after iliac artery surgery at the end of 2024. She only returned to racing in May. Her form has been improving all season, and this would ben an incredible way to celebrate her return to health.
Kastelijn attacks and Kopecky is immediately dropped. It appears she was working for Wiebes. 12 seconds the gap with 1500 metres left.
Van Anrooij is in their sights. Who can attack across?
Kopecky is definitely dropped now. Van Anrooij is being closed down.
Wiebes launches her sprint and Van Anrooij is caught.
Wiebes wins!
Vos in second place ahead of Silvia Persico who rounds out the podium.
And then it's Kastelijn in fourth, with a heartbroken Shirin Van Anrooij in fifth.
It's the cherry on top of an incredible season for Wiebes. She is congratulated by Julia Kopecky, who did so much work in support of the Dutch rider.
That is devastating for Shirin Van Anrooij. She put in a perfect move in the final ten kilometres and it looked as though she may have pulled it off. However, Kopecky's work and Wiebes' explosive final dash put paid to her efforts.
Once she saw the line, there was absolutely no beating Lorena Wiebes.
Immense credit to Lorena Wiebes; she was there in every move, followed Vos' stinging attacks and still had enough in the legs to win the sprint. A perfect race from the new gravel world champion.
Here are the final results of the elite women's gravel world championships:
For a full run-down of what happened today, have a read of our race report:
Now it's time for some media duties for the new world champion
And this is what happens to the bikes during a gravel race. These bikes belong to today's top-two.
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Two decisive attacks 'not the easiest but definitely the most beautiful' way for Florian Vermeersch to win first rainbow jersey at UCI Gravel Worlds
Belgian says victory confirms mental and physical triumph from leg fracture a year ago -
'Why not?' - Tom Pidcock defends decision to race Il Lombardia and Gravel Worlds in the same weekend
'It's not ideal, but who cares?' British rider finishes sixth in back-to-back events -
'I regret it now' – Yara Kastelijn apologises to Shirin van Anrooij after chasing down teammate at Gravel World Championships
Kastelijn played a part in pulling chasing group to lone leader Van Anrooij in Saturday's elite women's race
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Paris-Tours: Matteo Trentin fastest in breakaway sprint to claim hat-trick victory
Christophe Laporte second, Albert Withen Philipsen third, as unorganised breakaway riders are caught on the line in Tours -
Trofeo Tessile & Moda Donne: Elisa Longo Borghini soloes to victory in Oropa to take second win of the week
Marlen Reusser second, Urška Žigart third after whittling-down process on final 6.7km climb -
As it happened: Lone survivor of early break wins elite men’s race at UCI Gravel World Championships
The second day will see the elite men compete across 180km and take 1,650 metres of climbing
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UCI Gravel World Championships: Florian Vermeersch turns silver into gold with dominant solo victory to claim world title in elite men's race
Distanced breakaway companion Frits Biesterbos settles for silver, Matej Mohorič takes bronze in Limburg -
Trofeo Tessile & Moda: Adam Yates wins uphill finale atop Oropa climb
Mathys Rondel second, Jay Vine third as UAE Team Emirates-XRG bag yet another win -
19-year-old Paul Seixas becomes youngest rider in 100 years to finish top 10 in a men's Monument – but still 'a bit disappointed' with Il Lombardia debut
French prodigy finished seventh in first-ever Monument
