Keegan Swenson and Sofia Gomez Villafane set rivals adrift to win SBT GRVL

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Keegan Swenson (Santa Cruz) and Sofía Gómez Villafañe (Specialized) continued on with a powerful run of results at SBT GRVL, continuing to deliver dominant form on the champagne gravel of Steamboat Springs just a week after they both took victory at the Leadville Trail 100 MTB.

It was also another record time for Swenson, who finished with a time of five hours, 57 minutes on the 142 mile (229 km) course with approximately 9,200 feet (2,800m) of climbing on a day that unfolded with gusty winds and a temperature of 32°C. 

Petr Vakoč (Canyon) came over the line next, just over two minutes later, while it was then a tight battle for third, with Alexey Vermeulen (Jukebox-Shimano-Q+M) edging out Peter Stetina (Canyon) and Lachlan Morton (EF Education-EasyPost) in the sprint to the line. 

The race broke up early, with Swenson forcing a selection just miles in with an early attack that split the field. 

”I figured if I went early we could get a few guys together … and we could roll and maybe that would be the move, or at the very least there would be another group chasing and then even if it came back together at least it would be a more select group rather than 60 or 70," said Swenson in a post race interview on SBT GRVL instagram. "Because that is just kind of stressful racing when the pack is that big.”

Ultimately it came down to a small group out the front, including Swenson, Stetina, Vermeulen, Morton, Rob Britton (Factor Bikes), Payson McElveen, Adam Roberge and Howard Grotts (Specialized). The attacks, however, continued and that was pared down even further to the duo of Swenson and Vakoč. 

The pair had gone one, two at Unbound in June where the Czech rider surprised with his strong challenge to the American race favourite, taking it down to a close battle to the line. Swenson didn't want to cut it that fine this time.

“I know he has got a really good kick so I didn’t really want to risk it for the finish," said Swenson who laid down another successful attack with more than 20 miles to go to ride solo to victory.

It was also a solo win for Villafañe in the women's race, crossing the line in just under seven hours. The rider from Argentina also delivered a strong start and spent much of the race working out the front with Alexis Skarda (Santa Cruz) while Ruth Winder (Trek) and Flavia Oliveira were on the chase behind. Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM) in the meantime had fallen behind on the early climbs.

After five-and-half-hours of racing Skarda fell away from the front, slipping away from Villafañe on the corkscrew climb. The position reshuffle then continued with Oliveira moving into second before being overtaken by the powerful pursuit of Cromwell.

“In the first hour of racing, I was feeling like I was not even going to make it to the finish,” said Cromwell who had fallen more than ten minutes behind the leaders at the start but ultimately leapfrogged Oliveira, Skarda and Winder with her powerful charge.

Still it was too late to catch Villafañe, with Cromwell coming over the line just over a minute after the in-form rider celebrated taking another victory. Oliveira held on for third and Skarda was fourth.

There were 3,000 riders across the four racing distances on a course which took riders out from the mountain town of Steamboat Springs in northern Colorado and into ranch territory on the champagne gravel of the region.