Dutch riders Femke Markus (SD Worx-Protime) and Jordan Habets (Metec-SolarWatt p/b Mantel) claimed victory at the Gravel Grit ’n Grind in Halmstad, Sweden, securing their second straight win in the UCl Gravel World Series after triumphing at the Gravel One Fifty last month.
Markus finished the 146km course in a time of 4:34:53, outsprinting Nicole Frain (Ridley), and Irina Lützelschwab (Bulls Swiss) for the victory.
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Starting in Halmstad, the route set off across gravel through the extensive Wapnö farms before turning into the hills, serving up real backcountry terrain almost from the start. At halfway, riders passed through the village of Torup and tackled a brutally steep, short climb before pressing on towards the remote village of Gräsås and north to Getinge along technical forest tracks. The final stretch wound over Harplinge and Nyårsåsen, featuring tricky roads and rocky descents, before finishing in front of the beer tent.
The race also doubled as the 2025 Nordic Gravel Championship, open to riders from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, or the Faroe Islands. In the women’s race, Swedish rider Hanna Nilsson (Sartoria Ciclistica Squadra) crossed the line fourth overall, but it was enough to secure her the Nordic Gravel champion’s jersey, while Norway’s Stensby claimed the men’s crown.
Swipe to scroll horizontallyElite women – top 5
Pos.
Rider (Team)
Time
1
Femke Markus (SD Worx-Protime)
4:34:53
2
Nicole Frain (Ridley)
4:34:54
3
Irina Lützelschwab (Bulls Swiss)
4:34:55
4
Hanna Nilsson (Sartoria Ciclistica Squadra)
4:34:57
5
Tiffany Cromwell (Norwood CC)
4:35:22
Swipe to scroll horizontallyElite men – top 5
Pos.
Rider (Team)
Time
1
Jordan Habets (Metec-SolarWatt p/b Mantel)
3:56:30
2
Anton H. Stensby (Coop-Repsol)
3:56:41
3
Ian Millennium (Cykling Odense)
3:56:46
4
Luca Dressler (Protective Factory Team)
3:56:50
5
Linus Østdal (Team Cranks)
3:57:01