World Championship gravel cycling in Leuven

A bit more than 2 years after the UCI world championship on the road, Leuven was hosting a new UCI world championship.  This time it was gravel cycling that came across our city.  No finish at our door line, but they came close enough a few 100ms further through the domain of the Park Abbey. 

With all the fun I had had in 2021, I wanted to go and check out this race out. We weren't going to be around for the men race on Sunday but I was happy to go and see the women elite.  It was a nice race with 2 magnificent athletes Marianne Vos and Lotte Kopecky on the head of the race.  I saw them first at the abbey.  

but since they still had to do a big loop, I had time to walk along the rest of the parcours where also good amateurs were racing behind the elite women. 

Jan and I headed to the city centre to watch the finish of the race at the heart of our city. We sheered loudly for Lotte.  Both leaders but also a suicidal pigeon strolling back and forth in front of racers (as the amateurs with one loop behind the elite women were just racing by as well...very absurd in the midst of a world championship finale) came by us.  Lotte has seen the pigeon. And just then Marianna pulls the sprint and wins from Lotte Kopecky. Well done Marianne but I blame Lotte's loss to the pigeon. 

After this nice race, we strolled back home, along the many other (amateur) racers still giving their best in their age categories.