When Geerike Schreurs crashed laborious within the early phases of The Traka 360 in early Might it was not only one, however two, of the largest races of the season hanging within the steadiness for the Dutch SD Worx-Protime rider who has shortly made herself a reputation as one of the crucial formidable gravel gamers.
Schreurs tried to proceed on after hitting the deck in Spain, pushing on for one more 135 kilometres throughout the tough terrain of the 360km race from Girona. The rider who might clearly be seen attempting to keep away from placing any stress on the injured arm, endured by the various bumps till the ache acquired so unhealthy that after ten hours and 274km of racing she needed to take the “quickest option to the hospital as a substitute of the end line”.
There it was revealed that she had fractured her elbow, that means she not solely had been drive to finish her plight to raised the second of 2024 at The Traka 360 however misplaced the possibility to defend her title at The Gralloch Gravel and confronted a race in opposition to time forward to attempt to make it to one of many gruelling however prestigious races of the season, Unbound Gravel 200.
Happily, that race to make it to the beginning line in Emporia now appears to be like set to be a profitable one.
“I’ll race Unbound,” Schreurs stated in response to an e-mail question from Cyclingnews.
Nonetheless, there isn’t any doubt an damage hampered run up is just not the best lead in for 200 miles of racing on tough roads – or 202.4 miles and 325.7 kilometres to be precise – notably at an occasion which boasts such a deep discipline. Had all gone effectively the rider, who in 2024 launched into her debut 12 months and took second place, could be coming into among the many prime favourites. A damaged elbow, nevertheless, wasn’t a part of the plan.
“Sadly I could not practice and put together as I needed to because of the fracture,” stated Schreurs. “It’s the greatest race of the 12 months and one of the crucial lovely races there’s in gravel racing, so I don’t wish to miss it.”
Given the lower than splendid lead-in Schreurs could also be coming into Unbound 200 surrounded by rather less expectation as she takes on the likes of defending champion Rosa Klöser (Canyon-SRAM-MAAP), Sofia Gomez Villafañe (Specialised), two-time The Traka 360 winner Karolina Migoń (PAS Racing) and a debuting off-road drive, Annika Langvad (Specialised).
Nonetheless, there might be no writing off Schreurs, not given her efficiency in Kansas final 12 months, a run of outcomes this season which already contains two UCI Gravel World Sequence spherical wins plus the clear energy and tenacity on show at The Traka earlier than she was compelled to drag the pin.
Solely Saturday will inform whether it is doable for Schreurs to win each the race to the beginning line in Emporia and the one to the end line as effectively.
