Traka 200: Pöstlberger Fends off Specialists in Thrilling Finale, Villafañe Shows Off-Road Class

Past Giro d’Italia stage winner Lukas Pöstlberger and recent Life Time Sea Otter Classic winner Sofìa Gómez Villafañe were triumphant in the Traka 200 in Girona on Saturday, winning the men’s and women’s events.

Former WorldTour pro Pöstlberger (Rose Cycling Circle) landed the biggest result of his gravel career when he beat Bryden Lange (Canyon x DT Swiss All-Terrain Racing) and Martin Stošek (Buff BH) by 20 seconds.

“I would have liked to have had a bigger advantage, the last kilometers were really tough,” he said afterwards, speaking about a tense finale. “But I made my day harder on my own, I went away on the last climb in the beginning and then Hans [Hans Becking of the Buff BH team], came on the flat part. We pushed and he paced it perfectly over the climb.”

They joined up with Jeremy Presbury and went into the final 60km over a minute clear of six chasers.

Presbury had a flat and lost his place out front, with Pöstlberger then pushing on alone with 20km left.

“Unfortunately he [Becking] couldn’t follow then any more, but he helped me a lot to get to the point to win,” he said. “I want to say thank you to Hans for guiding me also through the race.”

Pöstlberger dangled out ahead of the chase group and looked to be under pressure due to their greater off-road experience.

However while Lange, Stošek and his Buff BH teammate Wout Alleman were ten seconds back, they never made the junction and this enabled him to scoop the win.

‘I was completely on the limit’

Pöstlberger’s unexpected victory was perhaps reflected in the fact that two of his support crew dashed to embrace him at the finish line. Their joy was clear, but the move put the chasers in danger as they were standing right in the center and in front of a hectic three-man sprint to the line.

However they all remained upright, and the celebrations continued.

Pöstlberger said afterwards the key to holding on out front was reaching the single track ahead.

“I was completely on the limit, so it was really sketchy,” he explained.

“I was really afraid. I said to myself you need to be first in the single track, maybe you can have a small chance in the sprint. But actually I went quite good, maybe not as fast as the mountainbikers but I could push after because my time trial abilities are really good.

“You dream, you train, you work hard to get this one, you make a plan and today everything worked perfectly.”

Superior technique creates key split

There was less surprise about Villefañe’s triumph, partly due to her experience of off road racing and also her recent form. She has taken several victories this season, including the UCI Gravel World Series event in Castellon, plus the Mid South and Life Time Sea Otter Classic races.

She and Larissa Hartog (Canyon x DT Swiss All Terrain Racing) got away early on and established what was a small but decisive gap. Hovering ahead of a number of chasers, Villafañe distanced Hartog on the Els Metges climb but they came back together and from there built a more decisive lead.

Villefañe then went solo just over 10km from the finish line, racing in 1:09 ahead of Hartog and a huge 7:51 in front of Laing.

“I think my high of the day was that downhill where Larisa and I got away,” the two-time champ said. “I think all day as we were getting closer and closer to the finish line I was just thinking of how cool it was that today’s race-winning move came from two girls knowing how to ride their bikes really, really well.

“Okay, I attacked on the climb and that was the winning move in the end, but I think it sends a good message to a lot of girls to go spend time on your mountain bike, go spend some time in the skills park, learn how to ride your bike really well. Because some races are sometimes won on your ability to handle your bike. I hope that inspires a lot of young girls to prioritize working on skills. It is not just going uphill.”

The Traka program of events concludes on Sunday with the 100km races. The festival is considered Europe’s answer to Unbound, and is a key stop in the Gravel Earth series.

Traka 200:

Summary results: Men

1 Lukas Postlberger (Rose Cycling Circle) 200km in 6:04:42
2 Bryden Lange (Canyon x DT Swiss All-Terrain Racing) at 20 seconds
3 Martin Stošek (Buff BH)

Summary results: Women

1 Sofia Gómez Villafañe (Specialized Off-road) 200km in 6:54:42
2 Larissa Hartog (Canyon x DT Swiss All-Terrain Racing) at 1:09
3 Nele Laing (Canyon x DT Swiss All-Terrain Racing) at 7:51