2026-10-11T03:18:53.822Z
The peloton has regrouped a little bit as the likes of Vermeersch, Beers and Avancini appear to be back in there.
2026-10-11T03:17:41.884Z
Onto the Shale climb. Named for the shale style gravel which is much more traditional to what we see in Europe, especially the UK.
2026-10-11T03:13:21.621Z
Now onto the Mader climb at 750m with an average of 12% on more traditional gravel compared to the pea gravel. The time gap is said to be 2’33” but we’ll take that with a pinch of salt after the live timings at the top of Brockman.
2026-10-11T03:11:07.809Z
(Image credit: Michal Cerveny/SWpix.com)
2026-10-11T03:09:06.605Z
Daan Soete (Belgium) is another big name who is out of the back. He is even further off the back than Vermeersch, Beers and Avancini.
2026-10-11T03:08:37.916Z
Now onto the Adina climb for the leaders.
2026-10-11T03:07:02.211Z
Defending champion Florian Vermeersch (Belgium) is out of the back with other big names Matt Beers (South Africa) and Henrique Avancini (Brazil). They’re a minute out of the back of the peloton.
2026-10-11T03:05:50.528Z
The gap updates on the timings and the peloton are now just 1’02” down with Connor Swift (Great Britain), Mads Würtz Schmidt (Denmark), Keegan Swenson (USA) and Paul Voss (Germany) leading the way.
(Image credit: SWPix)
2026-10-11T03:03:37.956Z
The tempo in the peloton has seen 30″ chipped off the advantage of the three leaders with 2’00” the new gap.
2026-10-11T03:02:51.178Z
Piotr Havik (Netherlands) losing touch at the back of the peloton as well as multiple Danish riders but they still have numbers at the front with Mads Würtz Schmidt, Magnus Bak Klaris and Andreas Stokbro.
2026-10-11T03:00:13.607Z
Pirotte is finally caught by the peloton with the Danish causing some damage here as the bunch is starting to split further.
2026-10-11T02:58:44.035Z
These three out front are riding very well together as we get to see Pirotte for the first time in a while as he is still very much in no-mans-land.
(Image credit: James Raison/SWpix.com)
2026-10-11T02:57:29.786Z
Back in the peloton it is Denmark who have taken up the chasing for their leader and European champion Mads Würtz Schmidt.
2026-10-11T02:56:31.663Z
The first major climb of the day, it is the climb of Brockman, 1.7km with a hellish average of 12%. This really split things up in the women’s race but it was not decisive.
2026-10-11T02:52:40.890Z
One of the Australian riders just having a spill on the hairpin on the bottom of the descent. The peloton had split with a few riders now getting back in including Freddy Ovett (Australia).
2026-10-11T02:49:00.780Z
120km to go
2026-10-11T02:48:01.977Z
Few more riders out the back of the peloton including a couple from Canada as well as Rick Nobel (Netherlands). It is a real war of attrition out there.
2026-10-11T02:46:56.184Z
The first descent is on now as they go down Killarney. All the riders out front are giving plenty of space to each other and making sure they get down this slightly damp and skittish descent.
2026-10-11T02:41:06.173Z
Two riders have kicked out of the peloton. Another Dutch rider as well as one from Belgium.
2026-10-11T02:36:35.997Z
They are now on the first climb of the day, the Killarney climb. Pöstlberger, Young and Schulting have 2’09” now on the bunch. This could be very dangerous as all three leaders are very capable with Pöstlberger and Young both winners of World Series races this year.
2026-10-11T02:31:52.446Z
130km to go
2026-10-11T02:29:47.650Z
Pöstlberger and Young went up against each other earlier in the year with the Austrian taking the win at The Gralloch in Gatehouse-of-Fleet and the Forest of Galloway up in Scotland.
2026-10-11T02:26:12.740Z
Gravel starts
2026-10-11T02:24:54.778Z
After briefly losing pictures we go back to the break and see that Pirotte is no longer in the break who have 58″ on the peloton. Maybe a mechanical or just dropping back.
2026-10-11T02:18:35.599Z
Pöstlberger and Young are joined Peter Schulting (Netherlands) and Jo Pirotte (Belgium).
2026-10-11T02:17:20.997Z
A few more counter attacks coming out of the peloton trying to get ahead before the gravel even starts.
2026-10-11T02:16:52.140Z
One of the Danish riders is trying to bridge but is struggling to get to the four leaders who have 46″ on the peloton.
2026-10-11T02:14:46.832Z
One of the Lithuanian riders tried to be involved but has already been distanced. Two riders from Lithuania racing today, they are Martynas Tomkus and Valdemar Volodko.
2026-10-11T02:13:15.949Z
Attack
2026-10-11T02:11:37.859Z
They have 9km of asphalt to begin before the gravel. The route is 85% gravel and hardly ever flat.
2026-10-11T02:10:37.082Z
143.7km to go
2026-10-11T02:08:21.749Z
The route is 143.7km but an absolutely brutal 3713 metres of elevation.
2026-10-11T02:07:01.427Z
There are a few road riders at the race, it is not just Vermeersch. Stan Dewulf (Belgium), Connor Swift (Great Britain), Andreas Stokbro (Denmark), Anton Stensby (Norway), Cameron Scott (Australia) and Ole Theiler (Germany).
2026-10-11T01:56:26.682Z
Around 15 minutes until the race gets underway.
(Image credit: SWPix)
2026-10-11T01:56:05.441Z
There’s also former mountain bike world champion Henrique Avancini (Brazil) riding. He has had a superb road season winning the GC at the Tour of the Gila as well as finishing in the top 10 at the Tour du Rwanda. He also won the Brazil gravel and has looked strong on the tracks. One to watch.
2026-10-11T01:53:22.628Z
The gravel specialists will be hoping they can take the win this time, though. The likes of Mads Würtz Schmidt (Denmark), Jenson Young (Great Britain), Daan Soete (Belgium), Matthew Beers (South Africa), Keegan Swenson (USA) and others will all hope to better the ‘roadies’ today.
2026-10-11T01:50:53.264Z
Much like in the women’s side of the sport, the worlds have been dominated by road riders with Vermeersch being the current holder of the rainbow bands after Gianni Vermeersch, Matej Mohoric and Mathieu van der Poel.
2026-10-11T01:47:14.922Z
Unfortunately, after travelling to Australia for the race Czech rider Petr Vakoč has had to pull out of the race due to illness. He is one of eight riders down as a DNS so far today.
2026-10-11T01:33:53.795Z
It was extremely muddy yesterday for the women but it did help on the unique pea gravel that is on most of the course here. When dry it is like riding on ice. Very slippery and unpredictable. When wet it compacts down and is far more manageable.
2026-10-11T01:29:01.515Z
(Image credit: SWPix)
2026-10-11T01:25:16.836Z
Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews’ live updates of the men’s elite UCI Gravel World Championships 2026 from Nannup in Western Australia.