![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Vos-through-traffic-.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nGravel slalom in Australia<\/p>\n
For a brief, but bizarre moment, lapped masters rider number 24o6, and two companions, also joined onto the back of the leading five women. It turns out even world championships racing isn\u2019t immune to the phenomenon of master\u2019s men getting caught, refusing to admit that they\u2019ve been caught by faster riders, and joining in the race. After a few words from Vos and, then, the motor bike, the trio of old men appeared to concede their free ride was over.<\/p>\n
Australia\u2019s Nicole Frain then clawed her way back to the front group, which swelled to eight with Sern\u00e9 and Switzerland\u2019s Irina L\u00fctzelschwab joining back on. \u00a0Frain attacks immediately when the group hits a longer section of tarmac, only to be immediately marked by Vos. Laing joined before the rest of the group brought them back.<\/p>\n
Cromwell is chasing hard and, despite a long solo effort off the front, catches the leaders. Gomez-Villafane is the next to join. The Argentinian U.S.-based racer\u2019s presence seems to wake up the Dutch squad, who start to put a more concerted effort into keeping the pace high enough to deter more joiners.<\/p>\n
Cromwell again goes from the back right to the front and back on the attack as the race turns left and sharply uphill<\/p>\n
Frustratingly, there\u2019s now even more masters on the road infant of the women. Most are being polity but the sheer difference in pace on the climbs leaves Cromwell to swerve around one rider as the course takes a 90-degree turn back onto gravel.<\/p>\n
Kl\u00f6ser and Vos work their way through lap traffic to catch, then drop Cromwell. Vos, 39, is the 2024 grail world champion. She was second in a spring in 2025. Add that to her seven cyclocross world champs, road world championships and countless other wins, and she is a dangerous woman to let off the front. Laing senses the danger and is fighting through lap traffic to try catch the front duo but can\u2019t quite make it.<\/p>\n Again, we\u2019re now into the final 25 km of a world championships race and the leaders are swerving through masters traffic at an alarming rate. What is going on?<\/p>\n Kl\u00f6ser is now alone with Vos on the front. Despite Vos\u2019s history, the German seems content to do the bulk of the work on the lengthy, 3.6km steady climb averaging around 5.5 per cent. Eventually, Kl\u00f6ser throws a few flicks of the elbow and Vos, very begrudgingly, answers by pulling through.<\/p>\n Behind, Laing is caught by Hartog, which could make for a very interesting two-on-two quartet if they can catch the leading pair. Hartog isn\u2019t very willing to work with Laing, who quickly seems frustrated with the Dutch woman\u2019s refusal to pull through. The gap to Vos and Kl\u00f6ser is only 30 seconds, but soon starts to grow. With Gomez-Villafane again working her way forward, just 1:100 back, with under 15km to go.<\/p>\n Up front, Vos is taking occasional pulls but is, for the most part, still forcing Kl\u00f6ser to do the bulk of the work.<\/p>\n At 5.5 km to go, the duo hit a 2.5km climb that disrupts their procession to the finish. Despite Kl\u00f6ser doing most of the work, they\u2019re holding a high enough pace that the chase has faded to 1:13 back.<\/p>\n At 4km to go, Vos reaches down to tighten the buckles on her shoe. Almost immediately after, she attacks the final section of the climb. It takes Kl\u00f6ser a second to respond, and the German is absolutely fighting her bike to try regain the wheel. She does get back to Vos\u2019s wheel, but the Dutch woman keeps the pressure on over the top of the climb.<\/p>\n Kl\u00f6ser, maybe a bike-length behind, goes for an inside line to try regain Vos\u2019s wheel. The German washes out and goes down. It\u2019s not a fast crash, and she is on the bike quickly, but Vos is gone. A devastating moment after Kl\u00f6ser\u2019s spent so much of the day working.<\/p>\n<\/a>Laing chases Vos, Kl\u00f6ser and a bunch of masters racers.
\nVos on Kl\u00f6ser make an escape<\/p>\n<\/a>Vos rounds the corner onto the final descent. Kl\u00f6ser goes down trying to find an inside line.
\nThe Boss makes her move<\/p>\n