Bronze for Lore on German gravel roads

AG Insurance - Soudal's Lore De Schepper captured bronze on Sunday during the 3RIDES Gravel Race at the CHIO complex in Aachen. The course consisted of a 41 kilometer loop that the riders had to complete three times, featuring a combination of hills, gravel, and cobblestone sections. Lucinda Brand clinched the victory.

“I participated to qualify for the World Championships, and fortunately, I succeeded," an enthusiastic Lore shares. “The course was divided into three loops of 41 kilometers each, totaling 123 kilometers. In gravel races, men and women start together, and after about ten kilometers, the men overtook us. That was the moment when the race really opened up. We tried to keep up with the leading men and soon we were down to just six women at the front. Twenty minutes later, however, I had to let the lead group go because the pace was just too high for me.”

“I was in fifth place for a long time, but in the second round, I passed Sanne, moving up to fourth. In the last round, I suddenly saw Lorena, and when our group caught up with her, she couldn't maintain the pace and fell back. From that point, it was crucial to keep pushing hard with the group to secure third place. It was incredibly tough; in a gravel race, you can't just hide behind others to rest as you can in a road race, but despite that, I end this day feeling good.”