Tobias Kongstad and Karolina Migoń win The Traka 360
Pas Normal Racing takes home double victories at Europe's most prestigious gravel race
Tobias Kongstad and Karolina Migoń won The Traka 360 in Girona, Spain, today. Part of the Gravel Earth Series, The Traka quickly became one of, if not the most prestigious gravel race in Europe, so much so that it earned the comparison of being the Unbound of Europe.
The 360-kilometre race is the marquee event of the weekend, attracting plenty of big names seeking to prove themselves against the best racers in Europe and beyond.
To win his race, Kongstad attacked with about 160km to go for an extended but successful solo effort, while Migoń won the women's elite race in a late attack from a group of three.
In the men's race, a truly international lead group was established by kilometre 135, consisting of Australian Connor Sens, Swiss rider Jan Stöckli, Belgians Lars Van Coppenolle and Arno Van den Broeck, Norwegian Paul Sandmann and Brit Jonas Orset.
About 100 kilometres later, the group swelled with new names including American Pete Stetina, Dane Tobias Kongstad, Canadians Benjamin Perry and Adam Roberge, Norwegian Tobjorn Roed and Italian Mattia De Marchi.
Kongstad broke away in a gutsy move with about 160km to go and gained several minutes on his rivals. Stöckli and Perry mounted a chase, but by kilometre 338, Perry had dropped back to fourth on the road, replaced by Simen Nordahl in the chase.
Kongstad managed to stay away to win The Traka after finishing second and fifth in previous years. Stöckli opened a small gap on Svendsen to finish in second place, more than 5 minutes behind the winner.
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“I didn’t want to pull in the headwind alone,” Kongstad said of his attack. “I didn’t want to pull all the small mountain guys on the flat. They shouldn’t benefit from me, so I thought if I just go solo, they need to catch me.”
Tobias Kongstad dominates with a long solo to the finish
Lead women hike a bike at The Traka
The women’s race lead group was established early, consisting of familiar faces, including Dutchwoman Geerike Schreurs, French Life Time Grand Prix rider Axelle Dubau-Prévôt, defending champion Karolina Migoń, and American Sarah Sturm. Schreurs (SD Worx-Protime) crashed early in the race and had a bloody left knee and she was seen holding her left arm in pain as she rode. Later in the race, she abandoned and was taken to the hospital, leaving the three in the lead.
Behind the four leaders, Brit Danni Shrosbree and American triathlete Heather Jackson led the chase. As the race was entering its final 75k, Jackson, now in fourth place, opened a gap on Shrosbree but was still trailing 10 minutes behind the leaders.
The trio of Migoń, Dubau-Prévôt and Sturm stayed together until the final kilometres, when Migoń got away in the final singletrack section and was able to gain a 33-second lead by the time she crossed the finish line ahead of Dubau-Prévôt, who outkicked Sturm in a sprint for the line.
Migoń's victory is her second in a row at The Traka after she won last year.
"I have to admit that it was the goal of the season to defend the title, and I'm incredibly happy to do it again," the Polish PAS Normal rider said. "I cannot even explain how good I feel."
