Under a blazing sun and on bone-dry, dust-choked trails, The Gralloch returned to the Galloway Forest Park for its third edition, offering a thrilling spectacle as part of the UCI Gravel World Series. Riders from across the globe (35 nations) tackled the iconic Scottish course, with elite men and women racing flat-out across 111km of rolling gravel, fierce climbs, and technical descents.
With scorching conditions transforming the famously rugged route into a high-speed battleground, both elite races delivered gripping storylines, breakout performances, and two unforgettable sprint finishes in Garries Park.
Men’s Elite Race: Vakoč Claims Victory in Photo Finish
A stacked men’s field set off with a clear intent to race hard and fast. Early climbs, including the iconic Fuffock Hill, saw a large front group emerge before Petr Vakoč (Canyon Isadore) and Ben Thomas (Ribble Outliers) broke clear on the descent and built a commanding lead, continually increasing through key climbs such as Slaughter Hill and along Raiders Road. The gap increased further up until the 76.5km mark.
But as Vakoč suffered a puncture, the door opened for a dramatic regrouping. Matthew Holmes (OGT Factor Racing) and Benjamin Perry reeled in the leaders, setting up a tense four-way battle.
Returning to Garries Park for the sprint, Holmes led it out, but a perfectly timed inside line from Vakoč saw the Czech rider snatch victory by just three hundredths of a second. Holmes was left agonisingly close to back-to-back Gralloch wins, with Perry rounding out the podium and Thomas finishing fourth—just one second behind.
Top 4 separated by a single second. A race for the ages.
Women’s Elite Race: Neefjes Triumphs After Epic Battle
The Elite Women’s field was loaded with talent—and ready to race. Noemie Thomson lit up the course with a fearless solo attack on Fuffock Hill, carving out a lead that stretched to nearly 2.5 minutes by KM61.
Behind her, a chase group of four formed: Ffion Gilbert (Wold Top Pactimo), Tessa Neefjes (Liv Racing), Lizi Brooke (Das Hutchinson), and Sophie Wright (Ribble Outliers). Thomson’s crash with 14km to go gave the quartet the opportunity they needed.
What followed was a tactical game of grit and speed, culminating in yet another four-way sprint into the Event Village. Brooke (+0:07) was the first to fade, while Neefjes surged ahead to secure a famous win ahead of Gilbert (+0:00) and Wright (+0:01).
A Gravel Classic in the Making
With the Galloway hills baking in Scottish sunshine, thousands of supporters and riders lined the course and festival grounds in Gatehouse of Fleet to witness a world-class gravel showcase.
The Gralloch once again proved itself as one of the premier gravel events in Europe—delivering drama, challenge, and a celebration of the off-road spirit in one of the UK’s most scenic locations.
Official results are available at: https://www.grallochgravel.com/results
One partner. No competitors. Visible across local sport.
