Lauren Stephens (Cynisca Cycling) repeated a so🐼lo ride across the line in Gering, Nebraska to win a second elite women's title at US Gravel National Championships. Lauren De Crescenzoꦕ (Factor-The Feed-Maxxis-Castelli) earned the silver and Paige Onweller (Trek Driftless) took bronze.

This year Stephens completed the 13🎐1.5-mile course in western Nebraska in 6:31:44, which was a little more than 14 minutes faster than the inaugural editio🦩n in 2023.

The fast🅠, dry conditions saw De Crescenzo finish just 1:21 back, and Onweller was 2:46 off the pace. A fourth-place finisher last year, De Crescenzo crashed out ꧂of SBT GRVL three weeks ago and sustained a broken collarbone, and she was questionable to line up for the event.

"Just getting to the start line will be a huge win for me," De Crescenzo said on social m𒅌edia the day before the race.

Fo🌌urth-placed Alexis Skarda (Santa Cruz Bicycles-SRAM) was the only other woman in the elite field to fin๊ish in single digits behind Stephens, 4:16 back. She and Cecily Decker (Scuderia Pinarello), who was fifth at 13:10, rounded out the top five, which earned them automatic qualifications to the UCI Gravel World Championships in Belgium on October 5.

Jenna Rinehart (Mazda Orange Seal Off-road) and Emily Newsom (PAS Racing), both in the top 10 last year, were the only starters in the 17-rider field not finishing the event. Rinehart crashed just before the mid-po🐎int of the race and then rode the next 29 miles solo before calling it a day, while Newsom st🍎opped due to leg cramps and fatigue.

Twelve starters stayed together for the Kirk Chapel aid station at mile 72.2. On th🃏e early miles to ꦦthe third and final aid station, four riders emerged at the front as the lead group - Stephens, De Crescenzo, Onweller and Skarda. 

Then🧜 just before the aid station at Peaceful Valle🤡y, Stephens surged away on a final climb to take a 25-second lead. 

“I was just focusing on putting an attack in on the last climb. I made my attಞack on the steepest part and knew straight away th🌄at I got a decent gap,” the defending champion said in a USA Cycling press release after the race.

I was a lot less nervous this year than last year. I think there were a lot more unknowns. I was calme♓r coming into today having done it last year. At 500 metr💃es [to the finish], I just started soaking it all in. It’s really exciting to get to wear the stars and stripes for another year.”

The top seven finishers shared in half of the $40,000 prize purse on offer for elite athletes, Stephens earning $10,000 for the victory and De Crescenzo taking $5,000. In sixth and seventh places, respectively, Whitney Allison (Bike Sports) and Caroline Wreszin (Sꦏkratch-Factor) took home the final checks, $250 each.

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