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The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 3h

And we hear the stories from "our" riders, the actual gravel pros who raced, including Rosa Klöser, Maddy Nutt, Mattia de Marchi, Gee Schreurs, and Alex Miller).

Read it all here:

Gravel Has New World Champs.

The 2025 UCI Gravel World Championships from a gravel purist's perspective.

open.substack.com

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The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 3h

We look past the result (Congrats, Lorena & Florian!) and into the Gravel Lore, incl. Dutch Cannibalism and the man who bore the Gravel Standard, showing incredible determination to race for the win, not just a result.

I also examine why it felt like watching the NBA Finals but with CBA teams.
👇

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The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 3h

🥇 Gravel Has New World Champs 🥇

My deep dive on the 2025 UCI Gravel Worlds is out on The Gravel Stack.

This isn't a race recap—it's a look at what the Worlds are, what they aren't, and why they maybe felt alien
👇

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The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 1d

The UCI Gravel World Championships are a proper hard bike race.

And yet, they have very little to do with the sport I otherwise follow and cover.

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The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 1d

Introducing my new band:

Tom Pidcock and the Belgian Chasers.

Tom Pidcock being chased by 4 Belgian riders at the Gravel World Championships

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The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 1d

Magnus Bak Klaris spending some bullets in the chase but with all those Belgians around, what else could he do? Impossible to win the race if you're not in the front.

I guess he has the same mindset Matt Beers had at OG Gravel Worlds when he brought 10 guys back.

The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 4d

I was surprised by the SGA pick. But Rob made a good case. Yes , there were and are others with funky timing and good footwork but I guess he's the most current version, adapted to how the game is played these days.

Relatedly, I think Tony Parker, too, was a true original, just not widely copied.

The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 4d

No gear restriction tests and rules for now.

The Belgian Competition Authority demands more "objectivity and transparency" from the UCI.

Escape Collective @escapecollective.bsky.social · 4d

Belgian Competition Authority halts UCI gear limit test in blow to cycling's governing body.

The ruling calls into question the UCI's unilateral authority to create rules. So what's next?

escapecollective.com/belgian-comp...

Belgian Competition Authority halts UCI gear limit test in blow to cycling's governing body

The ruling calls into question the UCI's unilateral authority to create rules. So what's next?

escapecollective.com

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The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 4d

If this damages claim is real, IPT should a) be ashamed b) urgently rethink its approach of dealing with riders.

Stuff like this will be talked about by everyone in the peloton and will stop riders with options (i.e. good riders) from signing with them.

Matthias @nairoingreen.bsky.social · 4d

Update from Derek Gee.
Including reasoning for why he left and the information he is currently being sued for a damages claim worth over THIRTY (30!!!!) MILLION euros.

I would like to address and clarify some speculation regarding my current situation, following recent public statements made by my former team that my case is currently with the UCI arbitral board.
I know many people have been expecting an update, and while I cannot comment on any ongoing proceedings, I feel it is very important to share my side of the story.
I terminated my contract with just cause, as is every person's right when they are unable to continue performing their work under the existing circumstances.
This decision was not taken lightly - it followed an irreparable relationship with the team principal, as well as serious concerns related to racing for the team, both from a safety and personal-belief standpoint that weighed heavily on my conscience.
But what moves me most is how, when human issues are involved, money becomes the headline; money was not the issue that led to my termination. Leaving has meant the risk of having no team or protection if I get injured without contract. It is a risk I was - and am still willing to take, as I was simply unable to continue racing for the team.
—
I understand the team sees it differently, and that this will be for the competent authorities to decide; however, I am now facing what I understand to be a damages claim said to exceed approximately 30 million euros - for doing nothing more than exercising my fundamental rights as a professional and a person.
These are not the kind of numbers, or the kind of situation, any athlete expects when they dream of becoming a professional cyclist, and I believe it flies in the face of the very values that sport seeks to uphold. These actions are also a reflection of the very issues that led to the breakdown of the relationship to begin with.
It strengthens my belief that leaving the team was the right decision, regardless of the recent announcement of branding changes and cosmetic structural shifts.

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The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 4d

If you'd be interested to learn more about the process, lmk and I'll add it to my off-season topic list for the newsletter.

The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 4d

I've coached myself for the last year, implementing a lot of the stuff that I learned from countless training podcasts, books, my former coach, and listening to myself. Lately, I started dabbling at using an LLM (Gemini) to provide some feedback and a second "opinion".

Interesting experience.

The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 4d

I've coached myself for the last year, implementing a lot of the stuff that I learned from countless training podcasts, books, my former coach, and listening to myself. Lately, I started dabbling at using an LLM (Gemini) to provide some feedback and a second "opinion".

Interesting experience.

The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 5d

And of course we talk favorites, race tactics, and, yes, tire choice (we almost wouldn't have, but Paul's a real pro 😅)

The full, tactical preview you need before the World Championships this weekend!

🎧 Listen to the full episode now: zencastr.com/z/60YzSzBM

UCI Gravel Worlds Preview with Paul Voss (He's Racing with a Broken Collarbone!) by @Paul Voss

In this special episode, Thomas sits down with Paul to get an exclusive preview of the UCI Gravel World Championship course in the Netherlands. Paul, who successfully reconned the course just a few we...

zencastr.com

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The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 5d

Paul dives into the course: It's 50-50 tarmac/gravel and currently muddy and slippery.

It's far more demanding than it looks on paper, with constant direction changes and steep, out-of-the-saddle hills.

Plus, Paul explains why the strong crosswind could define the race.
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The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 5d

🎙️ New Gracing Pod: UCI Gravel World Champs Preview 🎙️

I sat down with @paulvoss.bsky.social to preview this weekend's Gravel World Champs races.

Paul—who is set to race the World Championship just 3 weeks after breaking his collarbone!—came just off his course recon
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The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 8d

😅

This Remco kid is a funny geezer.

Domestique @domestiquecycling.com · 8d

🇧🇪 Remco Evenepoel cheeky on how to close the gap to 🇸🇮 Pogacar:

"Luckily, I’m changing teams, so it’s their problem. It’s up to my new trainer [Dan Lorang] to solve it."

📰 www.domestiquecycling.com/en/news/even...

📸 Cor Vos

The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 8d

The pleasure was all mine 😊
How's the crowdsourcing of your schedule going btw?

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The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 8d

Had an ultra-coded conversation with @cmehlman34.bsky.social .

We talked about his Badlands ride, which transitioned right into a 1.500 km bike packing trip, the dark side of ultra racing, and his potential move to Europe.

Listen here: zencastr.com/z/GBS2Qm29

The Dark Side of Ultra, Badlands, and more with Chris Mehlman by @Paul Voss

In this "ultra-coded" episode, Thomas is joined by American ultra-distance gravel racer and writer Chris Mehlman to break down his 3rd place finish at the Badlands race in Southern Spain and to talk a...

zencastr.com

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The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 9d

Gravel Earth Series dropped their post-Ranxo video. It's their best one yet. They hit the sweet spot between storytelling, personalities, and recapping the race action.

Also, we get to see some footage from the women's start and the first climb which was streamed live.

youtu.be/w6h83eRON8Q?...

RANXO GRAVEL 2025 · THE LAST DANCE | EPISODE 4

YouTube video by Gravel Earth Series

youtu.be

The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 11d

The reverse Matteo?! Should we be concerned for Uijtdebroeks?

escapecollective.com/cian-uijtdeb... (🔒)

Cian Uijtdebroeks completes surprise transfer to Movistar

The 22-year-old leaves his Visma-Lease a Bike contract two years early.

escapecollective.com

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The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 12d

Ranxo saw the crowning of Rosa Klöser as the runaway series winner, thanks to an incredible 4/4 win streak in the 2nd half of the season. We also discuss the aftermath of Mads' crash, and the Bak Klaris Pathway.

Plus, we get into, drum roll, table design! 🥳

Recapping Ranxo and the 2025 Gravel Earth Series

The Gravel Earth Series culminated at Ranxo. Find my race recap and the key takeaways from the 2025 season of the world's biggest pure gravel competition.

thegravelstack.substack.com

The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 12d

🚨 The 2025 Gravel Earth Series is OVER! 🚨

My full recap of Ranxo Gravel is out on The Gravel Stack! We break down the final day drama (Rosa's dominance, the Mads crash, Wout's win) and look at the biggest takeaways from the entire GES season. 👇

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The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 14d

I just invented “the Ryder Cup of Gravel” over on Joe’s Substack.

What do you think?

www.joelaverick.com/p/adventure-...

The Gravel Stack on Joe Laverick

There's defitthe Ryder Cup angle you took. But there's a second one: do we need a Ryder Cup equivalent in gravel? I mean the Euro vs US discussion is by now almost a meme in the sport. And because o...

www.joelaverick.com

The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 18d

Here's my understanding of the statement:
1. POC welcomes safety in general
2. They apparently don't know specifics of the regulations yet (which go into effect in January...)
3. POC don't seem to be convinced that the UCi regulations will actually increase safety and, thus, are prepared to discuss.

The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 18d

The UCI has given us a few more details on their upcoming helmet regulations.

www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-to-...

Also, the statement by POC doesn't read to me like "they welcome the changes", as the article suggests.

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'Minimum ventilation requirements, a ban on obstructing the riders’ ears, and a ban on visors' - UCI clamps down on TT helmets in mass-start races

Governing body issues list of new rules in a bid to 'contain aerodynamics' and slow the peloton down

www.cyclingnews.com

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The Gravel Stack @thegravelstack.substack.com · 19d

From European Gravel Championships via Sea Otter Europe to US Gravel Nationals, a lot went on this weekend in gravel. Alas, not all was rosy.

My attempt at ranting constructively:

open.substack.com/pub/thegrave...

A Memorable Gravel Weekend. Mostly for the Wrong Reasons.

From the European Gravel Championships, via Sea Otter Europe to US Nationals, a lot went on this past weekend in gravel. But a lot was left to be desired.

open.substack.com