A new event opened up the racing for 2024 in the UCI Gravel World Series, with 21-year-old Italian gravel champion Giada Borghesi (BTC City Ljubljana) and Austrian Sebastian Schönberger (Team Felt Felbermayr) claiming the victories at Wörthersee Gravel Race.
Borghesi, who finished eighth in the European Gravel Championships last year, crossed the line in 4:28:36, just four seconds ahead of Geerike Schreurs (Specialized - SD Worx Protime), who recently made the switch from soigneur to full-time gravel racer. Unbound winner Carolin Schiff (Canyon CLLCTV) finished third in the elite women's category.
Schönberger, who was last year racing with Human Powered Health on the road and came 10th in the UCI Gravel World Championships, won the men's elite race by crossing the line in 4:00:23, 27 seconds ahead of the 2023 Traka 200 winner Paul Voß (Autsaid). Belgian rider Daan Soete (Deschacht Hens Maes CX) came third.
The race in southern Austria was held on a course put together by Johnny Hoogerland, running over 144km and delivering 1680 metres of altitude gain for the elite riders. The elite category included three loops of the circuit with lake views, each with just under half unpaved roads and with two solid gravel climbs. The sold out race with 1200 entrants across the categories.
The elite fields included a host of top riders from the gravel world and beyond, with those on the start list including Tessa Neefjes, Jade Treffeisen, Svenja Betz, Ivar Slik, Jasper Ockeloen, Nicholas Roche, Jan Bakelants, Petr Vakoc, Mattia De Marchi and Niki Terpstra.
The event was the first race of the UCI Gravel World Series races in 2024, though the October 2023 European Championships and Beechworth Gravelista round in Australia of the UCI series also act as qualifying rounds for the 2024 UCI Gravel World Championships in Belgium.
There are 25 qualifying races on the current 2024 schedule for the Gravel World Series, with Worthersee signalling the beginning of a concentrated block of series rounds. La Indomable in Spain, Giro Sardegna Gravel in Italy, the Swartberg 100 in South Africa, Highlands Gravel Classic in the United States and Gravel Fondo Limburg in the Netherlands all take place through April.
Results
| Position | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Giada Borghesi (Lapierre to Btc city Ljuibjana) | 04:28:36 |
| 2 | Geerike Schreurs (Specialized - SD Worx Protime) | +0:04 |
| 3 | Carolin Schiff (Canyon CLLCTV) | +0:46 |
| 4 | Annabel Fisher (Classified Ridley Factory Team) | +5:13 |
| 5 | Nele Laing (MAXX Solar Rose Women's Racing) | +5:48 |
| Position | Rider | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sebastian Schönberger (Team Felt Felbermayr) | 4:00:23 |
| 2 | Paul Voß (Autsaid) | +27 |
| 3 | Daan Soete (Deschacht Hens Maes CX) | +29 |
| 4 | Ryan Christensen (Rule28 Pro Racing) | +3:00 |
| 5 | Frederik Raßmann (Rose Racing Circle) | +3:00 |
-
Cycling transfers – All the latest news and announcements for the 2026 season
The ultimate guide to the pro cycling transfer window, tracking every move across the men's and women's WorldTours -
Divying up dollars and snaring spots for 2026 as Big Sugar Classic settles Life Time Grand Prix overall standings for fourth time
Cameron Jones and Sofia Gomez Villafañe were the biggest winners while Cole Paton edges Payson McElveen for milestone top 10 -
Lorena Wiebes, Tadej Pogačar… Dušan Rajović? – Which rider won the most road races in 2025?
Breaking down the most successful riders of 2025 across the men's and women's pelotons -
'It's going to be a pretty bold move' – Rapha announces expansive new Team USA sponsorship, as the company undergoes £102m write-down in value in challenging journey back to profit
Rapha enters its next chapter without a WorldTour team under new CEO Fran Millar
