Crystal Anthony solos to victory.(Image credit: Highlands Gravel Classic/Payton Perkins)
Ethan Overson crosses the line less than a bike length in front of Oakley Griffin.(Image credit: Highlands Gravel Classic/Payton Perkins)
Raylyn Nuss cools off in an ice bath after crossing the line, accompanied by her teammate Curtis White, 4th place overall in the men’s field. (Image credit: Highlands Gravel Classic/Payton Perkins)
Highland Gravel participants depart Fritchie Farms as the race begins(Image credit: Highlands Gravel Classic/Payton Perkins)
Overall female winner Crystal Anthony rides solo as she nears the finish line(Image credit: Highlands Gravel Classic/Wesley Hitt)
Highland Gravel participants on course(Image credit: Highlands Gravel Classic/Wesley Hitt)
Crystal Anthony leads Raylyn Nuss and a small pack in the early stages of the race(Image credit: Highlands Gravel Classic/Wesley Hitt)
Ethan Overson and Crystal Anthony celebrate their overall victories.(Image credit: Highlands Gravel Classic/Wesley Hitt)
Sun rises an hour before the race starts(Image credit: Highlands Gravel Classic/Wesley Hitt)
Highland Gravel participants on course(Image credit: Highlands Gravel Classic/Wesley Hitt)
Highland Gravel participant on course(Image credit: Highlands Gravel Classic/Wesley Hitt)
The UCI Gravel World Series made its first stop in the United States at the Highlands Gravel Classic on Saturday, with Crystal Anthony taking a solo victory in the women’s category while Ethan Overson outsprinted Oakley Griffin to win the men’s race.
The second annual Highlands Gravel Classic was one of two qualifying events in North America, along with Canada's Blue Mountain Gravel, for the UCI Gravel World Championship. The 66-mile course featured iconic gravel race courses that twisted and snaked through the Boston Mountain range of the Ozarks just east of Fayetteville. The route included 95% gravel terrain.
As an added challenge, the riders faced sweltering temperatures with a heat index of up to 100 F. After riding together for most of the race, Anthony dropped Raylyn Nuss with 20 miles to go on one of the major climbs and rode alone to the finish. Suffering from the heat, Nuss placed second, crossing the line over nine minutes later. In third was 24-year-old Gabrielle Henry.
Overson and Griffin were part of the four-rider lead group, along with John Purvis, Freddy Ovett, which broke away in the first 25 miles of the men’s race.
The group became a trio when Purvis fell off the pace on the final climb. Overson made his first move at 700 metres to go, to drop Ovett forcing a two-up sprint to the line with Overson prevailing over Griffin. Ovett held on for third.
Highlands Gravel Classic is the 11th round of the 2023 UCI Gravel World Series. Racing moves to the Netherlands for the 12th round at Gravel One Fifty in Veenhuizen, on July 15.
Results
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Women's overall - top 3
Position
Rider
Time
1
Crystal Anthony
4:09:13
2
Raylyn Nuss
4:18:23
3
Gabrielle Henry
4:47:04
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Men's overall - top 3
Position
Rider
Time
1
Ethan Overson
3:34:07
2
Oakley Griffin
3:34:08
3
Freddy Ovett
3:34:21
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