Bardet & Villafane Win UCI Gravel Race Castellón 2024

Romain Bardet of Factor Racing and Sofía Gómez Villafane of Specialized Off-road emerged victorious at the Castellón Gravel Race on Sunday. Both riders secured solo wins in the UCI Gravel World Series event, which began and ended in the Spanish village of Llucena.

A Challenging Course and Competitive Field

The 97km Castellón Gravel Race presented a demanding course, with 80% of the terrain being off-road and featuring over 2500m of elevation gain. The men’s race saw Mads Würtz Schmidt, fresh off a win at Santa Vall the previous week, finish second, more than two minutes behind Bardet. Mathijs Loman of Canyon x DT Swiss ATR completed the podium in third place.

Did You Know? The Castellón Gravel Race is the second event in the UCI Gravel World Series, a qualifying series for the UCI Gravel World Championship in 2026.

Villafane Continues Dominance

In the women’s race, Sofía Gómez Villafane continued her impressive form after winning at Santa Vall. She took the lead after the first ten miles, even navigating through the fields of male competitors. Morgan Aguirre (PAS Racing) finished a close second, just 17 seconds behind Villafane, while Elena Hartmann, a Swiss national time trial champion from 2022-2024, secured third place.

Villafane’s Race Strategy

Villafane described a tense finish, noting a surprise challenge from Aguirre in the closing moments. According to a social media post, she was unaware of the time gap and was nearly overtaken before the final stretch.

Expert Insight: Villafane’s ability to maintain a lead in a physically demanding race like the Castellón Gravel Race highlights the importance of pacing and awareness in gravel cycling. The close finish underscores the competitive nature of the UCI Gravel World Series and the need for riders to push themselves to the limit.

What’s Next?

The Castellón Gravel Race contributes to the overall standings in the UCI Gravel World Series. Riders will likely continue to compete in upcoming events to accumulate points and qualify for the UCI Gravel World Championship in 2026. Villafane and Bardet will continue to be frontrunners in the series, but other competitors could emerge as the season progresses. Further races could see shifts in strategy as riders analyze their performance and adapt to varying course conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the men’s race at the Castellón Gravel Race?

Romain Bardet of Factor Racing won the men’s race.

Who finished second in the women’s race?

Morgan Aguirre of PAS Racing finished second in the women’s race.

What percentage of the Castellón Gravel Race was off-road?

80% of the Castellón Gravel Race was off-road.

What does the growing popularity of gravel racing say about the evolving landscape of competitive cycling?