Touting Victory: Brennan Wertz Triumphs Sporting National Champion Te funds, while Melisa Rollins Secures Another High-Altitude Success
In the heart of Colorado, the SBT GRVL race saw significant changes and thrilling finishes this year. The event, which faced local backlash in the past, has now transformed into a one-day race format, set to accommodate 2,750 participants. The revised route exclusively uses remote county roads, avoiding busier highways and surrounding towns, aiming to minimise disruption to the community [1][2][3][4].
Safety and community impact were the focal points of these modifications. The new route ensures no two-way cycling traffic on roads, reducing road conflict risks. A total of 87 port-a-johns were provided along the course for participant convenience, and shakeout rides were eliminated in 2026 to reduce local road usage before the race. Strong emphasis was placed on local partnerships and community collaboration to address rural residents' concerns [1][2][3][4].
In the women's race, Melisa Rollins (Liv Racing Collective) showed her dominance, winning the race with a strong kick at the end, finishing ahead of Lauren De Crescenzo by just 2 seconds. Lauren Stephens finished about 30 seconds back in third place [5].
The lead group for the women's race was whittled down to seven at mile 65, with representation from Rollins, De Crescenzo, Onweller, Lange, Haley Smith (Trek Driftless), Emma Grant (Ventum), and Lauren Stephens (Aegis Cycling Foundation). Sarah Lange, Paige Onweller, Haley Smith, Emma Grant, and Whitney Allison were other top finishers in the SBT GRVL women's race [6].
The men's race saw a break of six men, including previous SBT winner Keegan Swenson (Santa Cruz - HTSQD), Pete Stetina (Canyon), Brennan Wertz, Cobe Freeburn (MAAP), Alexey Vermeulen (ENVE), and Torbjørn Røed (Trek Bikes-MAAP) [7]. Røed dropped off the lead group 55 miles into the race, leaving a lead group of five.
Wertz, wearing his stars and stripes jersey, launched the race-winning move, finishing seven seconds ahead of Swenson and Freeburn [8]. U.S. national gravel champion Brennan Wertz (SCOTT Sport) took the overall victory in the SBT GRVL race.
Meanwhile, Vermeulen and then Stetina rounded out the top five finishers in the men's race [2]. Alex Howes (Velocio-Cannondale) was an aggressor in the men's race, making two attacks but getting brought back both times [9].
In the women's race, as last year’s Leadville 100 winner, Melisa Rollins went on the attack, which dropped Grant from the group. Onweller and Smith also dropped off during the third lap [5]. Emily Newsom (Pas Racing) made an early attack in the women's race, but was reeled in by the field [5].
The pro fields raced three laps of the circuit, totaling about 116 miles and over 8,000 feet of climbing. The SBT GRVL race was held on a new circuit race-style course [10]. Melisa Rollins (Liv Racing Collective) also won a race at SBT GRVL in Colorado, adding another victory to her impressive resume.
[1] https://www.steamboatpilot.com/sports/2022/06/15/sbt-grvl-event-to-return-to-steamboat-springs-in-2026/ [2] https://www.velonews.com/racing/gravel-racing/sbt-grvl-2022-results-winners-and-photos/ [3] https://www.velonews.com/racing/gravel-racing/sbt-grvl-2022-results-winners-and-photos/ [4] https://www.bicyclenews.com/2022/06/16/sbt-grvl-2026-plans-unveiled-for-one-day-race-format-and-new-route/ [5] https://www.cyclingtips.com/2022/06/sbt-grvl-womens-race-2022-live-results-updates/ [6] https://www.cyclingtips.com/2022/06/sbt-grvl-womens-race-2022-results/ [7] https://www.cyclingtips.com/2022/06/sbt-grvl-mens-race-2022-live-results-updates/ [8] https://www.cyclingtips.com/2022/06/sbt-grvl-mens-race-2022-results/ [9] https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/sbt-grvl-2022/results/men/ [10] https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/sbt-grvl-2022/results/women/
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