Undoubtedly the biggest race of the European gravel season, The Traka now attracts Tour de France stage winners, mountain bike world champions and many others to the start line, with incredible speeds across the gravel tracks of the Catalan countryside.

Our own Mattia De Marchi found a place in the front group, before an early puncture left him chasing for over a hundred kilometres. Finally regaining a place in the top 15, he defended his position despite all the wasted energy and fought well for a 12th-place finish.

Eddy Le Huitouze, meanwhile, made an early break, but then had some mechanical problems in this, his first 300-kilometre-plus race. And Jordy, who had suffered a crash only days before, stuck the course in the 200 kilometre race and battled on to the finish. Of course, there were fries – the best recovery food ever! – afterwards with our band of forever outsiders.

Not the results we were hoping for, but that’s racing on the biggest stage. Congratulations to Mads Würtz Schmidt and Rosa Klöser in the Traka360 and Lukas Pöstlberger and Sofia Gomez in the 200. Through the dirt and the dust we will stay the course. Hold tight for the next adventure at Unbound Gravel!