UCI Gravel World Series: Nicole Frain wins at Sea Otter Europe to secure top spot in series overall

Nicole Frain (Ridley Racing) claimed her second UCI Gravel World Series victory of the season at Sea Otter Europe Girona on Saturday, in the process also securing the top spot in the series for 2025, a result that will leave the Australian well-placed on the UCI Gravel World Championships start grid in Limburg.

Frain's Ridley Racing teammate Daan Soete also won the men's elite race in the final weekend of racing in the 2025 qualifying series. The Belgian beat Dorian Godon (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) in a two-way sprint, while it was a minute-and-a-half later that another Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale rider, Stan Dewulf, crossed the line to take third. Petr Vakoc (Canyon) and Romain Bardet (Picnic Post NL) came to the line next to claim fourth and fifth.

In the elite women's race, it was an emphatic solo victory for Frain, who crossed the line nearly six minutes ahead of second-placed Emilie Morier (St Michel-PREFERENCE HOME-Auber93) while Marta Torà Milà (Movistar Gravel) made it onto the podium this time, moving up one place from the third spot she claimed at 66 Degrés Sud the previous weekend. Morgan Aguirre (PAS Racing) and Clara Koppenburg (Cofidis) took fourth and fifth.

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"The course was rough, hot, rocky and really combined all my favourite things," said Frain in an Instagram post. "Esmée Peperkamp and I got away early on the first climb together after Esmee set a savage pace which I knew I had to stick with.
I found myself in the solo lead halfway through the lap and settled into finding my rhythm and trying to hold an unknown gap on the rest of the girls.

"Being alone in races seems to be my thing lately, but crossing the line solo is also pretty cool."

Houffa Gravel at the end of last month was another clear-cut solo victory for Frain, that time finishing ahead of Peperkamp, who fell away from the front to finish 30th in Girona. The two victories add to a run of second places to push the rider to the top of the overall series rankings. Mathijs Loman (Swat) secured the men's series lead before the final weekend of racing.

The UCI Gravel World Championships will take place in the Netherlands on October 11-12.