Jenna Rinehart and Brennan Wertz emerged victorious at the Highlands Gravel Classic, the only US round of the 2024 UCI Gravel World Series. The race took place over a 67.6 mile course with 7,000 ft of climbing, consisting of 95% gravel roads. Despite a setback early in the race when her chain came off, causing her to fall behind Maude Farrell and Flavia Oliveira Parks, Rinehart managed to catch up and ultimately finished first in the women’s category with a time of 3:51:55, 25 seconds ahead of Farrell and over four minutes ahead of Oliveira Parks.
Wertz, who had also won the Sea Otter Classic Gravel Race the previous weekend, crossed the finish line in 3:25:20, just 12 seconds ahead of Cobe Freeburn. Nicholas Roche came in third, 34 seconds behind the leader. The challenging course led to intense competition among both men and women. Overall, it was a successful event for both Wertz and Rinehart, showcasing their skills and determination in the sport of gravel cycling.
In an Instagram post, Wertz expressed his excitement at winning the race and qualifying for the UCI Gravel World Championships in Belgium in October. Despite a busy schedule of three races in two different locations over nine days, Wertz remained determined to continue working towards his goals for the year. Similarly, Rinehart faced a setback early in the race when her chain came off but she managed to catch up and ultimately finished first in her category with a time that was more than four minutes faster than second place finisher Flavia Oliveira Parks.