Tiffany Cromwell successfully defended her title, and Brendan Johnston reclaimed his crown as they stormed to solo victories at the SEVEN Gravel Race in Nannup, Western Australia.
National champion, Cromwell not only made it back-to-back victories but also became the first three-time winner of SEVEN having also won in 2023.
Johnston, who won in 2024, made a late solo move as they approached the finish line to beat defending champion and current national champion Mark O'Brien.
Cool conditions and overnight rain greeted more than 2,000 participants from 29 countries as they rolled out from the centre of Nannup from 7am. It did not take long for the sun to come out and the temperature to warm for the UCI Gravel World Series event.
In the elite women's field, Cromwell used her experience to reduce the front group to herself, Matilda Raynolds and Maria Laurie from New Zealand.
On the closing loop Cromwell made her move, quickly building a 40-second advantage that quickly grew to a minute and growing as she raced towards the line.
After crossing the line in four hours 28 minutes and 52 seconds she embraced partner and F1 driver Valtteri Bottas, who won the 35-39 age group in FIVE.
Cromwell said, "Yeah [it feels] great actually. I haven't had the best last couple of months, a bit of soul searching, so that definitely was one that's helped with the confidence and gives me a little bit of spring back in my step, let's say".
"It was an interesting race, although we had a small field it was a very strong field and I always just kind of sit back and analyse everyone to start with, because I only knew probably half of the girls and then there was the two who I didn't know at all," she added.
"I just kind of played it calm and thought I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get rid of these girls, but like step by step one would drop, one would drop, and then I started feeling stronger and tried to put little subtle digs on the climbs without proper attacks but just trying to make it so it hurt.
"Then it came down to Matilda and I, and we dropped the last one and I was like let's go, and then on the road section on some of the climbs it was like go for it and then I went into time trial mode."
While pleased the result and the knowledge gained, Cromwell is not getting ahead of herself as she potentially chases a world title on the same course in October.
"It would be nice but I'm also not going to count my eggs before they have hatched," she said.
"I know we're going to have a super strong field line up. There's a lot of girls who are targeting this. It's still a challenging course for me on those steeper climbs. It's not necessarily my strong point but I'll work super hard so I can try and take it to them and fight for the rainbow jersey.
"From the setup to the bike to the pressures, to the training, I know what I need to do."
A stacked elite men's field that included four former winners, Johnston, O'Brien, Tasman Nankervis and Adam Blazevic set off for the 125km race.
Over the course, the initial group was whittled down by attacks, before being reduced to five, then four until only Johnston, O'Brien and Harrison Bebbington remained.
Towards the finish it looked set to come down to a three-rider sprint before the experienced Johnston rode away in the closing kilometres to take a narrow win.
His time of 3:55.56 was just seven seconds clear of O'Brien with Bebbington a further 22 seconds back.
Johnston said, "Oh, it feels good. Yeah, I mean, this is my fifth straight UCI win, so that was something I had in my mind".
"I wanted to get to five of them in a row and it’s where I wanted to do it. I think it's just like the hardest we've got in here in Australia and yeah, it played out just like that."
"In the long climbs, Marko [O'Brien] was really strong and even distanced all of us, but we kept coming back and then I knew the finish would suit me," he said.
"That knowledge of the course is going to be really helpful come world championships.
"I hope to get back, we have a bit of an event clash, but it's in the back of my mind for sure."
Participants who competed in SEVEN had the unique opportunity to ride the same course as the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships, providing a key insight into the route ahead of October.
Results
Elite Men
- Brendan Johnston - 3:55:56
- Mark O'Brien - 3:56:03
- Harrison Bebbington - 3:56.25
Elite Women
- Tiffany Cromwell - 4:28:52
- Maria Laurie - 4:31:22
- Matilda Raynolds - 4:31.23
The SEVEN Gravel Race is supported by the WA Government through Tourism WA's Regional Events Program, funded by Royalties for Regions.
Feature picture: Patrick Boeré