This was the year where it looked to be all coming together for Tiffany Cromwell as she headed into the 2024 UCI Gravel World Championships – experience, form, support and terrain where she’s already proved her winning ability – but there was one thing not on her side. Luck.
The Australian, who won the European Gravel Championships races against a packed field on a similar course last year, had solid top-ten results in the last two editions of the rainbow race. With the terrain in her favour this time, there was every reason to hope that she could chase more this year; a podium perhaps or – in the dream scenario – even the rainbow jersey.
Though it doesn't take much to unravel the best laid plans in a discipline as unpredictable and brutal as gravel.
"In cycling, but especially gravel racing you need not only the legs, but also a little bit of luck. Unfortunately today, Lady Luck was not on my side," said the Canyon-SRAM rider in an Instagram post.
When the television coverage started a group of favourites was already up the road, though there was one notable exception, Cromwell, who was chasing about a minute behind.
"After a solid start and holding good position and feeling decent 25km into the race I managed to catch a rock on a forest decent and suffer a front puncture," Cromwell said.
Cromwell thankfully had Australian and Canyon-SRAM teammate Neve Bradbury lining up with her this year in support, with the Giro d'Italia Blockhaus stage winner giving up her wheel to allow the experienced gravel player a chance to try and rescue her race.
"Unfortunately for me, though, with the time lost changing wheels and the strong field up front, despite putting in a big chase with a lot of it on my own at first, it became an impossible task to get back to the front of the race," said Cromwell. "I definitely didn’t have the ‘super human’ legs today that would’ve been required to make it back. But I never gave up and pushed all the way to the finish."
That push left her crossing the line in Leuven after 134km in 36th place, 11 minutes and 12 seconds after Marianne Vos (Netherlands) added another rainbow jersey to her extensive collection.
"It wasn’t the way I wanted to finish my season," said Cromwell. "But that’s bike racing. And I have a lot of nice races that I can look back on and be proud of from my season."
Sarah Gigante the first Australian over the line in 24th, Australian gravel champion Courtney Sherwell was 28th and Nicole Frain in 33rd. Bradbury was the last rider recorded as a finisher on the results list in 105th place.
"I’m super grateful ... and maybe I owe her a few coffees for getting a bit stranded after taking my wheel, but she eventually made it back," said Cromwell.
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