UCI Gravel World Series: Brendan Johnston defends title at Gravelista while Sharlotte Lucas makes winning debut

Brendan Johnston (Giant-SRAM) repeated as the elite men's winner at Gravelista, while Sharlotte Lucas (Liv) earned the elite women's division at the Australian round of the UCI Gravel World Series event in Seymour, Victoria.

After wrapping up a ninth-place finish in the Life Time Grand Prix a week earlier at Big Sugar Classic in Arkansas, Johnston went to work on home terrain to defend his title in Seymour. "A nice way to enter the off season," said Johnston on social media after the win.

He managed to hold off Australian gravel champion Mark O'Brien across the 135km route by just three seconds, finishing in 3:46:57. Kevin Biffiger finished 1:16 back for third, with Tasman Nankervis 19 seconds back in fourth place.

Johnston won three of four major gravel races in his home country this season, starting with wins at RADL GRVL followed by the Gravel World Series round at The Devils Cardigan. He fell two spots short of keeping the national title on gravel, with O'Brien earning the title this time out.

Lucas, the reigning cyclocross champion for New Zealand, completed the course in 4:41:01 to make it a winning debut at the Australian race. Sophie Byrne finished 3:21 back in second place, while Ella Bloor out-sprinted Karla Bell for third, another 4:02 later.

All fields had to endure cold, rainy conditions for the race, which featured two 43km loops on the north end of the route marked by a pair of passes of Wicket Hill's 1km climb that averages 11%.

Gravelista was part of the first year of racing at the UCI Gravel World Series in 2022 when there were just 12 events. This year, Gravelista offered one of the first opportunities for riders in all age divisions to earn a spot in the 2026 Worlds, planned for October 10-11 in Nannup, Western Australia, home of the Seven Gravel Race.

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