Sofia Gomez Villafañe wins a third consecutive Valley of Tears in tight battle with Paige Onweller while Alexey Vermeulen earns men's title at Texas gravel race

Sofia Gomez Villafañe secured her third consecutive victory at the Valley of Tears gravel race, triumphing over Paige Onweller in a closely contested battle. In the men's event, Alexey Vermeulen claimed the top spot, emerging victorious from a breakaway group that saw Simen Nordahl Svendsen finish second and Adam Roberge third after a decisive sprint finish. The Texas-based event once again delivered competitive racing across both fields.

Villafañe's hat-trick win solidifies her position as a dominant force in the burgeoning gravel scene, demonstrating remarkable consistency and endurance against a strong field. Her repeated success at a single event underscores a strategic mastery of its unique demands, while Vermeulen's victory, decided by a sprint from a strong break, highlights the tactical evolution of men's gravel racing, moving beyond pure attrition to include nuanced group dynamics and explosive finishes.

Another year, another Villafañe masterclass and a men's race proving that even off-road, the sprint still reigns supreme when the stakes are highest. Some things, it seems, are universal.