Joe Laverick, Lauren Stephens take back-to-back wins at Rattlesnake Gravel Grind

Joe Laverick and Lauren Stephens duplicated wins at Rattlesnake Gravel Grind and confronted the traditionally-windy situations from Sweetwater, Texas final Saturday. 

Laverick discovered himself on the entrance with a small group of males, and attacked a number of occasions to disrupt the group much more, whittling it down to 3 riders for the ultimate third of the 103.5-mile race. He would distance Chris Mehlman for a second yr in a row, this time profitable in 5:05:11 and going 27 seconds forward of his Colorado contender. Hayden Christian would end 52 seconds off the tempo in third, with 2023 winner Justin Mcquerry in fourth.

Stephens rocketed away within the mass-start occasion nicely forward of a small elite girls’s area, ending in 5:30:15. Terese Martens took second somewhat multiple hour later, and Erin Reedy repeated in third for a second yr in a row to make it an all-Texas podium.

The two-time girls’s US gravel nationwide champion completed sixth at Valley of Tears to start March. Not on the beginning line was one other Texas resident, Emily Newsom, who was second at Valley of Tears. She received Rattlesnake Gravel in 2023 and was second final yr, however stayed dwelling to have fun her daughter’s tenth birthday.

“Violently windy” situations was a key issue within the trio staying collectively till an acceleration by Laverick was solely matched by Chris Mehlman on a tough part of double-track with free rocks and sand, Hayden Christian falling off the again. Laverick mentioned he thought Mehlman was nonetheless on his again wheel simply earlier than the ultimate two miles of pavement, however the Texan had crashed right into a bush and left the Briton to sail away for the solo victory. 

“With the primary two races of my season going horrendously dangerous, I put an irregular quantity of strain on myself going into Rattlesnake,” Laverick mentioned on his weblog, referring to crashes he had at Santa Vall and the cancellation of The Mid South. 

“The objective of attacking early was to separate the race up right into a smaller group. I assault once more. This time it’s a gate that thwarts the assault. We bought to this part of personal land quicker than anticipated and it hasn’t been opened but. We name impartial as all of us scramble over it in our cleats.”

The tempo was so excessive on the entrance that the leaders reached a few gates that had not been opened but for the race, so that they stopped to dismount and climbed the metallic limitations. A complete of 14 ranches, together with these with cattle and wind generators, permitted the race to cross by means of the huge prairieland dotted with steep plateaus. There is a motive that the realm is in style for wind farms, and people winds have been in motion on Saturday.

Once previous the mid-point of the race, excessive winds turned as menacing because the uneven, chunky floor and technical undulations up and down steep ravines, and heat temperatures pushed 85 levels Fahrenheit underneath blue skies.

“I used to be on the ropes on the finish with the warmth, however noticed a possibility on the double observe to the road and despatched it full threat. There have been greater than a few bushy moments by means of the sand pits and over the drop offs, however I got here to the road alone,” he added.

“I like coming to Texas. David has placed on a real grassroots occasion which is gravel race meets nature retreat in a means. It’s non-public ranch land, mega gravel, and an all spherical good time.”

Now in a fourth version, the Rattlesnake Gravel Grind continues to boost funds for Nolan County space volunteer hearth departments within the west Texas group, positioned 225 miles west of Dallas. Last yr the occasion generated a complete of $62,500, which was shared equally amongst 5 hearth departments.

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