Marianne Vos wins her second Gravel World Championship after a thrilling finale featuring a crash and a devastating attack

Marianne Vos has once again demonstrated that she remains one of the most complete cyclists in history. At 39 years old, the Dutchwoman has been crowned world champion of gravel in Nannup (Australia), after winning a demanding course of 125.6 kilometers and more than 3,100 meters of elevation gain. Her victory came after an intense confrontation with the German Rosa Klöser, which was ultimately decided just a few kilometers from the finish after a fall.

With this triumph, Vos regains the rainbow jersey that she had already conquered in 2024 and becomes the first woman to win the Gravel World Championship twice. In addition, she reaches the extraordinary figure of 15 world titles across road, cyclocross, track, and gravel.

Marianne Vos wins a Gravel World Championship marked by mud and Klöser's fall

The 2026 Gravel World Championship debuted outside of Europe with a particularly demanding course in Nannup, in western Australia. The 125.6 kilometers included 3,179 meters of positive elevation and approximately 85% of unpaved tracks, with constant climbs, technical sections, and muddy areas due to previous rains.

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The race began to select the favorites until, in the last 25 kilometers, Tiffany Cromwell attempted to surprise with a solo attack. However, the decisive move came shortly after, when Rosa Klöser increased the pace on one of the last major climbs.

Only Marianne Vos was able to keep up with the German. Both left Cromwell behind and opened a gap of over a minute on their pursuers, turning the final kilometers into a duel for the world title.

The resolution came about four kilometers from the finish. Vos launched an acceleration that put her rival on the ropes. Klöser managed to stay in the fight, but in one of the technical sections, she lost control of her bike while passing through a rut and ended up on the ground.

The moment that decides the gravel World Championship. 3 km from the finish on the last climb, Vos attacks Klöser and the latter falls in a curve #Nannup2026 #Gravel https://t.co/mZC52b7RDc

— elsterrato (@elsterrato) October 10, 2026

The fall allowed Vos to face the last kilometers to Nannup alone, where she crossed the finish line with 27 seconds advantage over Klöser. The Dutchwoman Larissa Hartog completed the podium, 2 minutes and 15 seconds later, after surpassing Nele Laing in the battle for bronze.

The race was also marked by a fall that took Geerike Schreurs out of the competition and affected Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio. Meanwhile, the Australian Tiffany Cromwell finished eighth in what she had announced as her last professional competition.

Vos, emotional after her 15th world title: "It means a lot, a whole lot"

Beyond the sporting result, the victory had a special meaning for Vos. The Dutchwoman has gone through a complicated 2026, marked by the death of her father, Henk Vos, and a collarbone fracture that interrupted her season.

 

 

 

 

 

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Therefore, when asked about the significance of this new title, Vos could hardly hold back her tears: "A lot, a whole lot".

The champion also acknowledged that the course had turned out to be more complicated than expected due to the conditions of the terrain.

"There was more mud than we expected, so we had to be careful in some very slippery sections," she explained after the race.

Regarding her confrontation with Klöser, she acknowledged that the German had been a particularly difficult rival to overcome.

"Rosa was really strong, so I had to give it my all to keep up with her. I knew that the last turn before reaching the top of the climb was tricky, so I wanted to be in front and be able to choose my own line."

Vos also lamented the fall that ultimately decided the championship: "It's a shame that Rosa fell there."

Finally, she highlighted the characteristics of the Australian setting, which had sparked her interest since its designation as the host.

"I was very happy when they announced that the World Championship would be held here. It's a fantastic course in Western Australia, so it's amazing to get the rainbow jersey."

2026 Women's Gravel World Championship Results

1. Marianne Vos (Netherlands) – Winner
2. Rosa Klöser (Germany) – +0:27
3. Larissa Hartog (Netherlands) – +2:15
4. Nele Laing (Germany) – +2:15
5. Erica Magnaldi (Italy) – +4:17
6. Sofía Gómez Villafañe (Argentina) – +5:15
7. Irina Lützelchwab (Switzerland) – +5:28
8. Tiffany Cromwell (Australia) – +7:15
9. Marijke Serné (Netherlands) – +7:15
10. Haley Smith (Canada) – +8:55