IN BRIEF
Denmark’s Magnus Bak Klaris is the gravel world champion. On Sunday 11 October in Nannup, Australia, he won the sprint ahead of Belgian defending champion Florian Vermeersch, Britain’s Connor Swift and his teammate Mads Würtz Schmidt, at the end of 144 km, 85 % of it on gravel. An off-road specialist, he beat two WorldTour riders. A former winner of Paris-Roubaix juniors in 2014, he claims what Velo describes as the biggest result of his career.
| 1 | Magnus Bak Klaris (Denmark), 4 h 9 min 5 s |
| 2 | Florian Vermeersch (Belgium), same time |
| 3 | Connor Swift (Great Britain), same time |
| 4 | Mads Würtz Schmidt (Denmark), same time |
| Course | 144 km, 3,713 m of climbing, 85 % gravel |
He had spent the day working for someone else. Magnus Bak Klaris closed down attacks for his compatriot Mads Würtz Schmidt, before breaking away with him in the last five kilometres, then raising his arms in Nannup.
The sprint that crowned Magnus Bak Klaris
Four riders were left in the finale: Bak Klaris, Würtz Schmidt, Swift and Vermeersch. A little over 3 km from the finish, Würtz Schmidt slid out. He got back on to the other three at around 1.4 km, but Velo reckons that effort probably cost him a medal.
Swift had to lead out the sprint at 300 metres. Cyclingnews reports that the Briton launched the sprint and almost held on to the line, before the 30-year-old Dane came round him. “I can’t believe it right now. It feels like it’s it feels unreal right now,” the new world champion said, as quoted by Cyclingnews.
A specialist ahead of the road riders
Velo points out that two WorldTour riders had to bow to an off-road specialist. Cyclingnews notes that this is the first win by a gravel specialist at the UCI Worlds, a race dominated by road pros since it was created in 2022, and adds that Bak Klaris had paid for his own trip to Nannup. Florian Vermeersch, who rides for UAE Emirates-XRG, won last year and finished second in 2023 and 2024. He again leaves with silver.
The 144 km course started and finished in Nannup, with 3,713 metres of climbing and 85 % of the route on gravel. The day before, Marianne Vos had won the women’s title.
Read alsoGravel World Championships: Marianne Vos becomes first two-time world champion in Nannup
Paris-Roubaix juniors, then business
Fans of the cobbles know his name: he won Paris-Roubaix juniors in 2014 and took fifth place at the junior Worlds the same season. His road career then stalled, IDL Procycling reports. After studying human physiology at the University of Copenhagen, he founded the Danish performance company Palmarés with cyclist Rasmus Bøgh Wallin.
