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Brendan Johnston and Melisa Rollins both delivered their first big gravel wins in the US at the Belgian Waffle Ride Utah over the weekend, with the Australian multi-discipline rider rebounding from a rocky patch while it was a home ground triumph for Rollins as she returned to rougher surfaces after a big road block through the first part of the year.
The 128 mile (206 kilometre) race in the Southern Utah desert starts and finishes in Cedar City, is punctuated by nine road sections which make up just 8% of the race, has 7,500 feet of climbing (2,286 metres), single track, water crossings and often stiff headwinds.
In the men’s race Johnston (Giant Off Road) managed to sail over the line solo in 6 hours 25 minutes and 38 seconds. He was nearly five minutes ahead of Carter Anderson (Ventum Racing/KÜHL) in second and it was another three minutes to Cody Cupp (Reeds Racing p/b Floyd’s of Leadville) in third.
Johnston bided his time in the leading group before taking advantage of a crucial climb, topping out at just under 110 miles into the 128 mile race, to make his winning move.
“For me it was a matter of using up the group of five in the long head wind sections, and if I had the legs send it up the main climb of the day from Kanarraville,” Johnston told Cyclingnews. “From there it’s possible to make it to the finish. Fortunately I felt great out there and almost got better in the heat, and was able to really put some time in up the climb.”
For Johnston, who this season headed over from Australia for his first US gravel season with hopes…
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