Mental Boost for Daan and Nicole After Strong Performances at Wörthersee Gravel Race

This past weekend, the Wörthersee Gravel Race took place in Austria’s Carinthia region. As part of the prestigious UCI Gravel World Series, this race has quickly become a standout fixture on the calendar. Against the scenic backdrop of Austria’s largest lake, both Daan Soete (6th) and Nicole Frain (8th) delivered impressive top-10 finishes—each earning not just results, but a strong mental boost.

Situated between Villach and Klagenfurt, the Wörthersee is a popular summer destination for swimmers and sunseekers. But for our riders, it was all about business: a new semi-classic in the gravel season awaited. The course featured a 68-kilometer loop with 700 meters of elevation gain, tackled twice by the riders.

Unfortunately, the race day started with some disappointment as Aaron Van der Beken had to withdraw due to illness. That left Daan to fly the flag in the men’s race—and he didn’t disappoint. Aggressive from the start, he raced smart and strong, but ultimately had to concede to an in-form Magnus Bak Klaris, who sealed yet another victory. Still, Daan’s 6th place is a performance to be proud of.

In the women’s race, Nicole Frain and Violette Neza faced a highly competitive field. The level was incredibly close—less than 90 seconds separated the winner from 13th place. Nicole battled through bad luck mid-race and still managed to finish 8th, showing great resilience and mental strength. Violette crossed the line in 43th.

Daan Soete: “I was in the lead group from the start with the front duo. After two hours I had to let them go—it was just a bit too fast. I knew I had to be with Magnus to win, but he was simply too strong. Still, I set my best-ever power numbers over 90 minutes and 2 hours, so I know my form is good! That early attack may have cost me a shot at the podium, but that’s the risk you take when you want to win. Overall, I’m really happy with how I raced.”

Nicole Frain: “It was a fast race with a lot of wind. There were two main climb sections that initially split the group, but it kept coming back together. Eventually, it broke into a front group of 12. On the second lap, during the long climb, some girls crashed in front of me, and I had to run a section—I lost contact with the front. I worked with another rider to chase back, but it cost me a lot of energy and I felt that in the final. I finished just behind the front four, in a small group, and placed 8th. It was a good learning experience, and I take confidence from this type of race—especially after last weekend. Now it’s on to Spain for some training.”