Results & Highlights: 2026 Gravel World Champs, Australia
Marianne Vos and Magnus Bak Klaris Crowned World Champions
Marianne Vos and Magnus Bak Klaris took the wins, delivering thrilling performances on two very challenging courses. Vos secured her second world title with a decisive late attack after rival Rosa Klöser crashed in the closing part of the race, while Bak Klaris outsprinted defending champion Florian Vermeersch and Connor Swift in a four-rider finish in the men’s race. Full results here.
Elite Women
Marianne Vos, widely regarded as one of the greatest, won her second Elite Women’s Gravel World Championship title after a decisive late attack and a crash by Rosa Klöser that shaped the outcome of a fiercely contested race. The muddy 125km course featured more than 3000m of climbing and in the end Vos proved to be the best rider in the battle for the win. Klöser finished second with Larissa Hartog third.
Towards the end of the race Tiffany Cromwell launched an attack but was eventually brought back. As Klöser accelerated on one of the climbs, only Vos was able to match her pace and they established themselves at the head of the race. Klöser continued to put Vos under pressure on the climbs, but the Dutch star refused to be dropped. Vos bided her time before launching her decisive move in the final technical section, with fewer than four kilometres to go and her acceleration forced Klöser onto the defensive, and although the German initially stayed close, she washed out in a corner handing Vos the lead.
Vos then pulled clear with a solo effort to the finish to take the rainbows. Hartog finished third 2 minutes and 15 seconds behind Vos, after winning the battle for the final podium spot against Nele Laing. Erica Magnaldi finished fifth, followed by Sofía Gómez and Irina Lützelschwab. South Africa’s Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio crashed on a descent and did not finish.
Across the age group categories South Africa had a few riders representing and the standout performances went to the power couple of Michelle and Dave George. Michelle took the win in the Women’s 45 to 49 age race with husband Dave taking silver in the Men’s 50 to 54 race. Chapeau you two!
Elite Men
Magnus Bak Klaris won the Elite Men’s race at the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships in Nannup, Australia, sprinting to victory ahead of defending champion Florian Vermeersch and Connor Swift after 143.7 kilometres of racing. Lukas Pöstlberger, Peter Schulting and Jenson Young established the early breakaway, opening up a lead of more than three minutes before the chasing group began to reel them in during the second half of the race.
As the race progressed, European champion Mads Würtz Schmidt emerged as one of the strongest riders, repeatedly attacking and helping to whittle down the leading group. Bak Klaris, Swift and Vermeersch remained in contention as the pace increased. Vermeersch briefly lost contact during the successive attacks but managed to fight his way back into the front group before the closing kilometres. Würtz Schmidt, Bak Klaris and Swift continued to apply pressure on the final climbs, testing the defending champion.
A crash on a technical gravel descent added another twist to the race when Würtz Schmidt lost control in a loose corner. The Dane quickly remounted and rejoined the leading group, setting up a four-man battle for the title alongside Bak Klaris, Vermeersch and Swift. Coming into the finish, Swift launched the sprint first, but Bak Klaris proved strongest in the closing metres, powering past to secure the rainbow jersey. Vermeersch settled for second place, while Swift completed the podium in third. Würtz Schmidt finished fourth, with Paul Voss taking fifth, seven seconds behind the winner, ahead of Keegan Swenson. Matt Beers finished 9th with Daniel van der Watt 58th.
| IMAGES: UCI |