UCI Gravel World Series – Brennan Wertz, Jenna Rinehart claim top step at Highlands Gravel Classic

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Brennan Wertz and Jenna Rinehart won the Highlands Gravel Classic over the weekend, taking out the only US round of the 2024 UCI Gravel World Series.

Wertz, who also won the Sea Otter Classic Gravel Race last weekend, came over the line in 3:25:20, 12 seconds ahead of Cobe Freeburn. Nicholas Roche was 34 seconds back in third at the race which wound its way over the canopy-covered gravel roads and through more than a dozen climbs as it traversed the changing terrain of the Ozarks.

"Thrilled to land on the top step here in Arkansas and in doing so, also qualify for the UCI Gravel World Championships in Belgium in October," said Wertz in an Instagram post. "It’s been a busy last 9 days, with 3 races on two different sides of the US. I’m tired, satisfied, and hungry to keep building towards the many goals still to come later in the year."

Reinhart first had to catch up with Maude Farrell and Flavia Oliveira Parks after her chain came off early in the race, leaving her watching the field ride off into the distance as she put it back on. Still, ultimately she took off on them both, finishing in 3:51:55, 25 seconds ahead of Farrell and more than four minutes ahead of Oliveira Parks.

"I got a little gap on Maude I think maybe with ten miles to go and decided to go for it and see if I could hold it ... she wasn't too far away so I had to push super hard to the end," Reinhart said in a post-race interview.

The Highlands Gravel Classic ran over a 67.6 mile (109km) course featuring 7,000 ft (2,100 m) of climbing, was 95% gravel and started and finished on a farm outside Fayetteville, Arkansas.