To start with, yes. But give it a few years, then we will see riders, who have really specialized on gravel. There will come new training methods, which target the gravel.
No! 2023 rewards cross overs. A cyclocrosser won the road worlds, a roady won the Mt b worlds, a ski jumper won el Giro and a fisherman won the Tour de France.
@@matthewlewis2072US gravel boring? Clearly you’ve ridden all of the Lifetime races, the mountain climbs and descents of Colorado, and the bluffs of Arkansas, if you can believe that they are straight 😂😂
I just did my 1st gravel ride/race ever at The MidSourh in Oklahoma. Specifically, the 12 mile inspiration race. I instantly recognized my minimal XC MTB experience, gave me an edge at certain points. But I lacked cyclist legs to handle the climbs. I'm already planning both road and gravel time, into this years training plans. NOT being dedicated to only one discipline of riding, just seems like the better idea to improve my skills across the board. I'm just a rookie but only focusing on one discipline seems like self sabotage to me. Learning how to open my hips up and extend my legs more, to finally get speed during the MidSouth gravel race. Was applied the very next weekend in this years 1st Tour de Dirt XC race. Where I may have finished last. But I finished proud of my progress and motivated to train harder . My GoPro pocket deleted that race though. 😢 IMO. Learning to road and gravel ride, is definitely going to improve my chances of reaching podium for XC. But, I'm now also planning to add gravel races into my bike racing journey. So gravel podium goals are also on my radar. And I already know how much my XC experience helped me there. So, Baby steps ATM. Im just getting started. Thanks for the interesting topic.
No, gravel cyclists will never be able to beat the legs of road cyclists on fast courses, but if the UCI organised a competition like it was in Millau in France, gravel cyclists would probably have a better chance. That means the organisation need to think in diversity, not loops and fast easy dusty roads.
Europeans are too worried about getting some mud on their shoes. And the roadies don't have the upper body strength to lift a gravel bike. So UCI will never let that happen. The real gravel world champion is crowned in Emporia.
Not saying he'll win but Keegan has a higher wattage per kilogram than Wout. Put him over 2000m altitude and he may have the best watts per kilo on the planet or he's at least very close to it. And while he's no MVDP, he does have national mountain bike titles so he's not exactly an incapable bike handler.
@cjohnson3836 if the gravel capital were created in California, Europeans would possibly wanna race there. I don't blame anyone for not wanting to go to Kansas. When I visit family in Arkansas from Utah, I hold my breath and don't drink so I don't have to stop in Kansas😂
Some ofhe strongest gravel, mountainbike and cyclocrossriders have signed for a roadteam, and their strenght is so extreme that they are favourites in gravelraces. Wout van Aert is one of the best roadies on the planet, because of his strenght, but his strenght emerged in cyclocross, so he is actually a cyclocrosser performing great both on gravel and road. When talking about socks. I got some that touch my knee. Good in the autumn when its getting somewhat colder.
They should make a rule that gravel events can only serve hamburgers, french fries, and milkshakes at the feed stations, maybe beer too. That way the purebreds won't show up for the fun :)
after Si failing to clear the barriers, Ollie trying to ride down a sandy slope, & Dan busting his ankle cycling on grass I'm almost surprised that any other GCN presenter is willing to risk cyclocross! Looking forward to the carnage!
For years there has been a gravel race held annually near Lincoln, Nebraska called "Gravel Worlds". Many gravelers were upset that the organizers of the new world championships failed to acknowledge that fact and some have even decided to boycott them. Maybe that hasn't kept the pro roadys away, but then they never really cared about gravel racing before either.
#CaptionCompetition: In a race where most raise the stakes, Marta ups the ante with a raised 'steak' and ensures she'll 'meat' competitors at the finish!
The hack/bodge with the bars rolled down... perhaps an anti-theft measure? If a thief would struggle to control the bike wouldn't they be less likely to try and steal it?
Here is the deal: If a gravel rider wins the Gravel World Championships, GCN is then obligated to create a new separate channel called GCNGC (GCN Gravel Channel) dedicated to gravel coverage and their sport alone.
Reminds me of watching the van tours of the under funded Tour de Fems, then watching Chris Hall explain he was using 24 spokes on his front wheel because that was the type of son28 he was able to borrow for Badlands from a friend.
The 2023 Gravel World Championships have been decided at Unbound in Emporia Kansas.. Keegan Swenson won the Men's elite event and Caroline Schiff won the elite women's' race. I watched the UCI 'gravel races' and they were found wanting.
good one guys, regarding the Sagan story he has faded from the spotlight due to contracting covid a few seasons ago, which then turned out to be long covid, damn shame, as he says himself he just doesn't feel the same & that he can't reach his maximum performance, to us mortals he is still fast but just not as fast as he once was.
I was once passed by an actual one-legged cyclist during a fondo. I would have felt bad, but this guy's one leg was almost as big as both of mine put together. His calf was as big as one of my quads.
I think you’re overlooking how much work Keegan has put into his training, specifically this season. That being said, the Wouts of this race are still going to be hard to beat
Look at World Tour performances at Unbound. The fix is in when the roady friendly course was chosen... hoping Kegan can overcome UCI attempts to bias the results.
I know it is a bit of a niche but what do you think about Wahoo RGT shutting down? For those who aren't familiar, it was a sort of "free Zwift" made by Wahoo. In my experience, it opened the doors to indoor training for many cyclists with a limited budget, like me, since it could be used just with speed and cadence sensors (MyWhoosh doesn't) on any type of indoor trainer. I guess I will switch to running this winter.
RGT was not developed by Wahoo. It was its own separate app, then it was acquired by Wahoo. Wahoo then didn’t promote it or continue developing it. Now it has been put in the bin. I worry that Wahoo will do the same to the Sufferfest (SUF), that they also acquired, since they have gotten rid of the original staff that developed it as well. Shame on you Wahoo. I don’t think GCN will approach this topic due to sponsorships.
The US is going all in to to get Keegan and Alexy in the main moves. They are the two strongest riders. Guys like Payson McElveen will be watching for attacks and possibly be there later in the race top help if he has a good day. The rest of the team like Brennan wertz are on damage control.He a diesel engine that can sit on the front and do damage as needed. Luke Lamperti is there as well but havent seen him ride much gravel so not sure what to expect there. Lots of other minor players for the US but will be very interesting to see how the race plays out. Watch for US to try to be on the front all day with how narrow some of these roads get to make sure that they are in position to go with ANY move that could be dangerous. My two cents. Looking forward to the race!!!
Some strong ideas here! US have a strong team for sure, The big pro names will have to have there eyes on riders like Keegan and McEveen 👀 It's going to be a super interesting fight 🥊
There's plenty of room for both, the Spirit of Gravel and the Pursuit of High Performance. With plenty of action in between. And it is very cool that enthusiasts and pros can compete together here in the States. But there is so much good to say about gravel events and maybe it is all about the Spirit of Adventure and that's a big deal for Americans.
Probably Keegan had some high altitude camps being that he won the Leadville 100 where most of the 100 mile race takes place at an altitude higher than the tallest Alps around 10,000 ft or over 3,000 m.
When Si said the SRAM thing is for a curtain type of rider. Did Si look at Dan in the same way you look at someone else your talking to. Or in the context of this tech would be great for Dan?
Si tipped the right answer exactly at 10:00. US gravel courses and distances are SO different from the still evolving Euro “gravel courses” that the World Champs are still just a dusty road race by direct comparison.
Si’s raced SBT - where I have been fortunate to participate- and knows exactly how different the tactical, physical and mental challenges are. As a point of reference, I overheard a former World Tour pro exclaim in the finish area that SBT was similar to and possibly harder than Liege Bastogne Liege.
Maybe the bike with the upturned drops is the ultimate commuter and the owner hangs his shopping bags off of them after hitting the off-licence after work??
You’re right about social media fanning the flames….I’ve stopped X as I was always receiving video clips of near misses and confrontations with cyclists….they make riding feel so dangerous…
Looking to get into road biking but thinking a gravel bike might be my best entry point in case i do encounter worse terrain. What is the best second hand bike under 1k I should be looking for guys?
To me the true world champ race is still unbound 200m. The UCI race have yet to feature an actualy gravel route. I would love to see the top roadies attend that instead
I think the better questions is; which cycling discipline crosses over the gravel the best? I think everybody assumes a road cyclist is going to win this.
The Blue Cube with the handle bars pointing down. I defiantly call that a bodge. The worst thing is. I know someone who does the exact same thing. He says it's because he broke both wrists when he was younger and his wrist hurt if he has the bars in the correct position. The problem is, he buys bike big enough for Conor and he is nowhere near that tall. Also he keeps to original length stem.
Holy Crap….who “Bodged” that lollipop stick hack? That is the greatest hack since Otto Jacome used pieces of a Coke can to keep Greg Lemond’s TT bars from slipping on the last day of the 89 Tour
You guys are silly. Keegan lives in Utah and trains above 2,000-3k meters nearly every day. He just smoked everyone at Leadville (4,000m elevation) and broke the course record. To bad this race isn't actually much of a gravel race. Certainly not a high altitude one either.
The handlebars pointing down look more like someone was probably trying to steal with bar with shifters and got disturbed so they are just hanging down.
Are roadies going to dominate this year’s gravel world champs? 🚴
Yes. Next question
Certainly not an American one, the World's involve corners
14:20 50m of vertical elevation us not enough in, say, Bath.
More than likely; it's another disappointing course. Not enough climbing, and not technical enough.......
To start with, yes. But give it a few years, then we will see riders, who have really specialized on gravel. There will come new training methods, which target the gravel.
No! 2023 rewards cross overs. A cyclocrosser won the road worlds, a roady won the Mt b worlds, a ski jumper won el Giro and a fisherman won the Tour de France.
Who's winning the gravel worlds? 👀
@@gcn A roadie on a gravel bike or a gravel specialist on a road bike.
The proper questions should be, "Is the route really a gravel route this year?"
Straight and boring, as in US gravel?
@@matthewlewis2072 Better than the pewee club velodrome race you Euros tried to pass off last year.
@@matthewlewis2072US gravel boring? Clearly you’ve ridden all of the Lifetime races, the mountain climbs and descents of Colorado, and the bluffs of Arkansas, if you can believe that they are straight 😂😂
We'll have to wait and see! Do you think that'll chance the outcome of the race? 🤔
160k is too short for a gravel race.
Matt Stephens commenting on a cleatless sprint is ironic considering how much trouble he has clipping in.
Matt resuming chase of Peter Sagan and trying to clip in: "F**k sake!" -- years ago. 🤣
Cromwell and other non-Europeans were allowed to race at the EC Gravel because it also was a qualifier for the World Championship of next year.
Dan and Si are legit, the elite duo of presenters!
I miss Matt. And the Brick!
Matt’s voice almost made this feel like an older video!
No knock on the other presenter duos, just that nothing tops Chet and David. 😀
#CaptionCompetition: Hamming it up on the podium after winning the race, Marta is proving once again she's no phoney Bologna
THIS IS THE WINNER!!!!
I just did my 1st gravel ride/race ever at The MidSourh in Oklahoma. Specifically, the 12 mile inspiration race. I instantly recognized my minimal XC MTB experience, gave me an edge at certain points. But I lacked cyclist legs to handle the climbs.
I'm already planning both road and gravel time, into this years training plans.
NOT being dedicated to only one discipline of riding, just seems like the better idea to improve my skills across the board.
I'm just a rookie but only focusing on one discipline seems like self sabotage to me.
Learning how to open my hips up and extend my legs more, to finally get speed during the MidSouth gravel race. Was applied the very next weekend in this years 1st Tour de Dirt XC race. Where I may have finished last. But I finished proud of my progress and motivated to train harder .
My GoPro pocket deleted that race though. 😢
IMO. Learning to road and gravel ride, is definitely going to improve my chances of reaching podium for XC. But, I'm now also planning to add gravel races into my bike racing journey. So gravel podium goals are also on my radar. And I already know how much my XC experience helped me there. So, Baby steps ATM. Im just getting started. Thanks for the interesting topic.
No, gravel cyclists will never be able to beat the legs of road cyclists on fast courses, but if the UCI organised a competition like it was in Millau in France, gravel cyclists would probably have a better chance. That means the organisation need to think in diversity, not loops and fast easy dusty roads.
Europeans are too worried about getting some mud on their shoes. And the roadies don't have the upper body strength to lift a gravel bike. So UCI will never let that happen. The real gravel world champion is crowned in Emporia.
Not saying he'll win but Keegan has a higher wattage per kilogram than Wout. Put him over 2000m altitude and he may have the best watts per kilo on the planet or he's at least very close to it. And while he's no MVDP, he does have national mountain bike titles so he's not exactly an incapable bike handler.
@cjohnson3836 if the gravel capital were created in California, Europeans would possibly wanna race there. I don't blame anyone for not wanting to go to Kansas. When I visit family in Arkansas from Utah, I hold my breath and don't drink so I don't have to stop in Kansas😂
So glad to see Dan and Si together again. Great chemistry!
Some ofhe strongest gravel, mountainbike and cyclocrossriders have signed for a roadteam, and their strenght is so extreme that they are favourites in gravelraces. Wout van Aert is one of the best roadies on the planet, because of his strenght, but his strenght emerged in cyclocross, so he is actually a cyclocrosser performing great both on gravel and road.
When talking about socks. I got some that touch my knee. Good in the autumn when its getting somewhat colder.
Name one rider who legitimately came from gravel to the road
Good old Matt! The cleat expert!
They should make a rule that gravel events can only serve hamburgers, french fries, and milkshakes at the feed stations, maybe beer too. That way the purebreds won't show up for the fun :)
I'd like to see Peter Sagan do a wheelie on the custom bike with the huge back wheel 😁
He would make it effortless and cool 😎
after Si failing to clear the barriers, Ollie trying to ride down a sandy slope, & Dan busting his ankle cycling on grass I'm almost surprised that any other GCN presenter is willing to risk cyclocross! Looking forward to the carnage!
GCN and cross is always a spicy mix... throw Conor in and it's a recipe for fun🙌 Turn your notifications on and you wont miss the video 🔔
Cracking GCN+ documentary. Chapeau Conor.
Glad you enjoyed it! Should we can him lining up for another gravel race?
Maybe Tiffany Cromwell was included in the European Gravel Championships in the Spirit of Eurovision, which also allows entries from Australia.
Hahaha that'll be it!
For years there has been a gravel race held annually near Lincoln, Nebraska called "Gravel Worlds". Many gravelers were upset that the organizers of the new world championships failed to acknowledge that fact and some have even decided to boycott them. Maybe that hasn't kept the pro roadys away, but then they never really cared about gravel racing before either.
GCN haven’t done their research. The US based Pro Gravel riders spend most of their season racing at altitude.
#CaptionCompetition: In a race where most raise the stakes, Marta ups the ante with a raised 'steak' and ensures she'll 'meat' competitors at the finish!
Swenson is on superb form. He’s got a chance
You can never count him out! Will he fend of the likes of Wout?
punctures… the worse the condition the better the chance
The hack/bodge with the bars rolled down... perhaps an anti-theft measure? If a thief would struggle to control the bike wouldn't they be less likely to try and steal it?
#CaptionCompetition "people said I wouldn't muster the strength to mount a ham launcher off my shoulders; boy do they feel silly now!"
I would have loved hearing Si say "on a Legit GCN elite water bottle." It would have been so fitting : )
#captioncompetition "We can only imagine what Sepp Kuss would do..."
Here is the deal: If a gravel rider wins the Gravel World Championships, GCN is then obligated to create a new separate channel called GCNGC (GCN Gravel Channel) dedicated to gravel coverage and their sport alone.
I'm glad you mentioned the pi-pop bike.. it looks intriguing! I hope you try one out on a video
Really looking forward to that video of Connor with Amy! That's gonna be fun!
It's great! We can't wait for you to see it... A future GCN classic for sure 🙌
23:30 So he replaced a carbon leaf spring with a....carbon leaf spring.
#CaptionCompetition
"-Here's a bit of tadella...
-I need more tadella"
I'll see myself out.....
I did the Cintron Tour of Majorca in 2011, absolutely nuts :) Yanto, Chris Opie, Clancy... I rode off a cliff etc
I'm supprised there was no bingo wings caption for that one!
Reminds me of watching the van tours of the under funded Tour de Fems, then watching Chris Hall explain he was using 24 spokes on his front wheel because that was the type of son28 he was able to borrow for Badlands from a friend.
Towel over the bars works just fine.
And doesn’t require pointlessly throwing a load of cling film into the bin every week either 🤷♂️
Nice to see Si wearing the Australian while talking about an Aussie in the Euro Gravel champs
The 2023 Gravel World Championships have been decided at Unbound in Emporia Kansas.. Keegan Swenson won the Men's elite event and Caroline Schiff won the elite women's' race. I watched the UCI 'gravel races' and they were found wanting.
Exactly
The UCI has no jurisdiction here!
Are you hoping that the route this year is more "gravely" - It would be be great if Keegan and Schiff could do the double? 👑
#captioncompetition another cycling transfer shock this week, Marta Cavalli has confirmed she is moving to Team Jambon-Visma
good one guys,
regarding the Sagan story he has faded from the spotlight due to contracting covid a few seasons ago, which then turned out to be long covid, damn shame, as he says himself he just doesn't feel the same & that he can't reach his maximum performance, to us mortals he is still fast but just not as fast as he once was.
Maybe if they actually did all the riding on gravel.
I was once passed by an actual one-legged cyclist during a fondo. I would have felt bad, but this guy's one leg was almost as big as both of mine put together. His calf was as big as one of my quads.
I think you’re overlooking how much work Keegan has put into his training, specifically this season. That being said, the Wouts of this race are still going to be hard to beat
We would love to see Keegan take the win! He's a strong rider for sure 🙌
This episode was legit
Ozzies at the Euro Gravel BickenChampionships? Sure why not! Australia were allowed to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest!
All of the GCN presenters are knowledgeable and entertaining. But it is always a treat when the original duo hosts the GCN Show together.
We don't mind kicking it old school with these two either 🙌
Look at World Tour performances at Unbound. The fix is in when the roady friendly course was chosen... hoping Kegan can overcome UCI attempts to bias the results.
6:35 I need to watch more mountain biking.
I know it is a bit of a niche but what do you think about Wahoo RGT shutting down? For those who aren't familiar, it was a sort of "free Zwift" made by Wahoo. In my experience, it opened the doors to indoor training for many cyclists with a limited budget, like me, since it could be used just with speed and cadence sensors (MyWhoosh doesn't) on any type of indoor trainer. I guess I will switch to running this winter.
RGT was not developed by Wahoo. It was its own separate app, then it was acquired by Wahoo. Wahoo then didn’t promote it or continue developing it. Now it has been put in the bin. I worry that Wahoo will do the same to the Sufferfest (SUF), that they also acquired, since they have gotten rid of the original staff that developed it as well.
Shame on you Wahoo. I don’t think GCN will approach this topic due to sponsorships.
Caption competition "Chip on your shoulder? no no these days its a ham on your shoulder"
Caption comp: Champagne disaster on the podium as grocery list confusion leads to ham and not bottle given to winner.
c'mon Keegan!! I want to see the checked shirts!!! (but yes, the course is pretty much a baby gravel route so tough ask)
If roadies keep dominating your off-road race series, maybe your terrain is a bit poncey and you need to up your game.
As an American who has never heard the term “poncey”, I got a good laugh out of this one.
Hahaha Yes😅😅😅
Is this GCN or Derek & Clive? Dan is definetley operating at slight angle to the Universe. Brilliant.
Ha ha ha love the banter...
The US is going all in to to get Keegan and Alexy in the main moves. They are the two strongest riders. Guys like Payson McElveen will be watching for attacks and possibly be there later in the race top help if he has a good day. The rest of the team like Brennan wertz are on damage control.He a diesel engine that can sit on the front and do damage as needed. Luke Lamperti is there as well but havent seen him ride much gravel so not sure what to expect there. Lots of other minor players for the US but will be very interesting to see how the race plays out. Watch for US to try to be on the front all day with how narrow some of these roads get to make sure that they are in position to go with ANY move that could be dangerous. My two cents. Looking forward to the race!!!
Some strong ideas here! US have a strong team for sure, The big pro names will have to have there eyes on riders like Keegan and McEveen 👀 It's going to be a super interesting fight 🥊
Poor old Marta, who's going to tell her, that's not Parma it's Mortadella?
There's plenty of room for both, the Spirit of Gravel and the Pursuit of High Performance. With plenty of action in between. And it is very cool that enthusiasts and pros can compete together here in the States. But there is so much good to say about gravel events and maybe it is all about the Spirit of Adventure and that's a big deal for Americans.
Probably Keegan had some high altitude camps being that he won the Leadville 100 where most of the 100 mile race takes place at an altitude higher than the tallest Alps around 10,000 ft or over 3,000 m.
#captioncompetition : With a Cavalli-er push on the final climb, second place is awarded a hard-earned Marta-della
#caption competition:Marta training for the Ham-phibious forces of Italy😂
Sitting on the wheel ti it comes to a stop gives a whole new meaning to saddle sore Dan 😂
Ouch! 😬
Caption contest: Marta asks, "now let's discuss pay disparity. "
When Si said the SRAM thing is for a curtain type of rider. Did Si look at Dan in the same way you look at someone else your talking to. Or in the context of this tech would be great for Dan?
#captioncompetition: Marta Cavalli really pleased with the close support of Dan Big-ham
Dan’s caption was so ham fisted
I couldn’t name a single pro gravel rider 🤷🏻♂️
Do I smell a Castelli red flannel GCN jersey on sale for Christmas?
Hi, I thought I saw The Tour of Hainan on the Gcn app as an upcoming race, but now it seems to have disappeared?... Thank you.
It's settled. You two must travel together from now on. You have chemistry like Merry and Pippin, or Dominic and Billy.
It's like the LOTR on bikes.
Si tipped the right answer exactly at 10:00. US gravel courses and distances are SO different from the still evolving Euro “gravel courses” that the World Champs are still just a dusty road race by direct comparison.
Si’s raced SBT - where I have been fortunate to participate- and knows exactly how different the tactical, physical and mental challenges are. As a point of reference, I overheard a former World Tour pro exclaim in the finish area that SBT was similar to and possibly harder than Liege Bastogne Liege.
Peter Sagan will be remembered as much for his charisma, which is Waning in professional corporate sports ,.
#CaptionCompetition: When the trophy is as delicious as the victory!
Maybe the bike with the upturned drops is the ultimate commuter and the owner hangs his shopping bags off of them after hitting the off-licence after work??
#captioncompetition. “Marta with the ham dunk!”
#captioncompetition: Talk about going ham on race day
#CC: Ham really pleased to be in Parma 😊
You wouldn't want that capacitor to pop, though :D
How do we actually watch it? It's not showing on GCN+ upcoming races...
You’re right about social media fanning the flames….I’ve stopped X as I was always receiving video clips of near misses and confrontations with cyclists….they make riding feel so dangerous…
Keegan for the win!
#captioncompetition
Marta Cavalli went HAM for that win!
Looking to get into road biking but thinking a gravel bike might be my best entry point in case i do encounter worse terrain. What is the best second hand bike under 1k I should be looking for guys?
To me the true world champ race is still unbound 200m. The UCI race have yet to feature an actualy gravel route. I would love to see the top roadies attend that instead
I think the better questions is; which cycling discipline crosses over the gravel the best? I think everybody assumes a road cyclist is going to win this.
A point of order, the Lifetime GP (the big bucks USA gravel series) isn't exclusively gravel. Half of the races are MtB.
True, but don't you think that makes for some great racing? 🏁
#CaptionContest: Marta got into cycling to make ends meat.
#captioncompetition: Ham. It's what's for winner.
Caption competition: It’s so good to see female riders finally getting equal coverage after years of heavy lifting in the sausage fest.
#CaptionCompetition You've got to ham it to her, Marta was ready to meat her competition!
Caption: “they said passo di Mortadella was one of the toughest… ha!!”
Is the race going to be on GCN+?
The Blue Cube with the handle bars pointing down. I defiantly call that a bodge. The worst thing is. I know someone who does the exact same thing. He says it's because he broke both wrists when he was younger and his wrist hurt if he has the bars in the correct position. The problem is, he buys bike big enough for Conor and he is nowhere near that tall. Also he keeps to original length stem.
Marta caught hamming it up on the podium
#captioncompetition Marta Poses with New Team Mascot of Grou-Parma FDJ Suez
V interesting that the bike featured in Hack/Bodge with the massive rear tyre was actually a Trek bike 😲 obviously didn't catch on
Holy Crap….who “Bodged” that lollipop stick hack? That is the greatest hack since Otto Jacome used pieces of a Coke can to keep Greg Lemond’s TT bars from slipping on the last day of the 89 Tour
You guys are silly. Keegan lives in Utah and trains above 2,000-3k meters nearly every day. He just smoked everyone at Leadville (4,000m elevation) and broke the course record. To bad this race isn't actually much of a gravel race. Certainly not a high altitude one either.
Caption competition: hamming it up on the podium.
The handlebars pointing down look more like someone was probably trying to steal with bar with shifters and got disturbed so they are just hanging down.
Caption: “Who said a cyclist couldn’t train for the rugby world cup!! Eat your heart out Dan Craven.”
Here before the subtitles