The Grip’s first season has already had a bit of everything: mud, heat, travel, stage wins, top 10s and more than a few reminders that gravel rarely gives anything away for free.

The year began in heavy conditions at Santa Vall, where Mattia De Marchi, Jordy Bouts and Eddy Le Huitouze opened their account in the first round of the Gravel Earth Series. A tough, muddy start rather than a breakthrough, it set the tone for a team that races hard and often.

The first real highlight came at Sahara Gravel, where Eddy Le Huitouze put together the team’s standout performance. Two stage wins and third place overall was a serious result in a demanding stage race. It gave the team a first podium, and a proper foothold.

Since then, the results have kept coming, though the podium has remained elusive. At Gravel Desert, another Gravel Earth Series race, Mattia De Marchi rode to 5th place against a stacked field, while Jordy Bouts landed a top 10 in one of the biggest races on the calendar, with an 8th place at Sea Otter Classic. Back in Girona, Mattia added 12th at The Traka360, a solid result in a race he knows better than almost anyone, even if it wasn’t quite the fairytale return to the top step.

With Jordy bagging another top 10 at this past weekend’s UCI Gravel World Series’s Grand Tour 3 Cime Lavaredo, the direction of travel feels good. His top 10s, Eddy’s podium at Sahara and Mattia’s consistency in the Gravel Earth Series are a proper foundation for the second half of the year. Hold tight for more to come!

Learn more about the team and shop the race kit here!