The weekend just concluded was particularly packed with emotions for gravel enthusiasts who, within just a few hours, witnessed four stages of the UCI Gravel World Series 2026: Grand Tour 3 Cime Lavaredo in Italy, the Eislek Gravel in Luxembourg, the OG Classique in Canada, and The Devils Cardigan in Australia.

This quartet of races, each vibrant and demanding in its own way, has officially inaugurated the second half of the 2026 calendar of the circuit organized by the premier international body, which from today until September 26 will see twenty more appointments take place before the current season can be officially concluded.

Let us therefore recap the results and protagonists of the last weekend of racing.

GRAND TOUR 3 CIME LAVAREDO

The attention of our home fans was clearly concentrated this weekend on the second and final Italian stage of the Series, namely the Grand Tour 3 Cime Lavaredo. Organized by ASD Pedali di Marca, the event saw some of the most acclaimed off-road exponents compete on a course with a high difficulty coefficient (133 kilometers with over 3,000 meters of elevation gain) that ultimately rewarded Italian Fabian Rabensteiner and Polish Karolina Migon.

The former, the reigning national Marathon champion, prevailed solo, distancing two-time world champion in MTB (also in Marathon) Leonardo Páez and Norwegian Eskil Evensen-Lie, racing with the Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team, while the latter (fourth this year at both The Traka 200 and Sea Otter) claimed her first seasonal victory in the discipline, literally annihilating the competition starting with Italians Erica Magnaldi and Debora Piana, respectively second and third at the finish line with significant time gaps.

Men's finishing order

1. Fabian Rabensteiner – 4:36:21

2. Hector Leonardo Páez León – 4:36:47

3. Eskil Evensen-Lie – 4:38:46

Women's finishing order

1. Karolina Migon – 04:12:57

2. Erica Magnaldi – 04:17:29

3. Debora Piana – 04:25:06

EISLEK GRAVEL LUXEMBOURG

Notable winners at the Eislek Gravel Luxembourg where, over the 111 kilometers reserved for the elite category, Niels Vandeputte and Lorena Wiebes shone. If the Belgian from Alpecin-Premier Tech Development secured his first 2026 gravel victory by outsprinting Joris Nieuwenhuis, Petr Vakoc, Hugo Drechou, and Magnus Bak Klaris, the World Champion in the discipline made the difference by attacking from far back and dominating her race with the same superiority she has displayed in road sprints in recent years.

Behind her (at her second success in as many gravel races contested this year), the recent winner of the Wish One Millau Grands Causses Sophie Wright had to settle for second place, and her compatriot (and teammate) Femke Gerritse for third.

Men's finishing order

1. Niels Vandeputte – 3:25:24

2. Joris Nieuwenhuis – 3:25:25

3. Petr Vakoc – 3:25:25

Women's finishing order

1. Lorena Wiebes – 4:03:08

2. Sophie Wright – 4:04:24

3. Femke Gerritse – 4:05:58

OG CLASSIQUE

Very tight finishes were witnessed in Canada at the OG Classique. Both in the men's and women's categories, after 124 hard-fought kilometers of racing on the Wakefield course, a sprint finish decided the winners. In the men's race, it rewarded multi-time Canadian national champion Adam Roberge, first ahead of former pro Michael Woods, Guillaume Fiset, and Griffin Easter.

Among the women, the best kick in the sprint proved to be that of two-time Canadian MTB Marathon champion Haley Smith, victorious ahead of this year's third-place finisher at the Highlands Gravel Classic Dylan Baker and Laetitia Bilodeau.

Men's finishing order

1. Adam Roberge – 3:09:46

2. Michael Woods – 3:09:47

3. Guillaume Fiset – 3:09:47

Women's finishing order

1. Haley Smith – 3:45:45

2. Dylan Baker – 3:45:45

3. Laetitia Bilodeau – 3:45:46

THE DEVILS CARDIGAN

After Gravelista and Seven, over the weekend the UCI Gravel World Series returned to traverse Australian gravel roads for the third time this year on the occasion of The Devils Cardigan, a race that, at the elite level, registered two different conclusions between men and women.

Among the former, clear was the victory of the 2026 Seven champion Brendan Johnston who, making the difference from the very start, secured his second triumph of the season, winning by more than forty seconds over Harry Leask and nearly 4 minutes over Harry Bebbington. Among the latter, a very tight sprint decided the winner, with Holly Harris prevailing ahead of Michaela Rogan. Third, just under three minutes back, was British rider Flora Johnson.

Men's finishing order

1. Brendan Johnston — 3:22:49

2. Harry Leask — 3:23:35

3. Harry Bebbington — 3:26:40

Women's finishing order

1. Holly Harris — 4:15:44

2. Michaela Rogan — 4:15:45

3. Flora Johnson — 4:18:24

Photo Credit: Grand-Ducal Cycling Photography