Stunning Silver for Nicole in Monaco

For weeks now, Nicole Frain has been showing top form, but bad luck kept getting in the way. That changed this past weekend as she powered to a well-earned silver medal in the Monaco Gravel Race. After the first lap, she broke away with eventual winner Morgan Aguirre and secured her place on the coveted podium.

With 2,500 meters of climbing over two 57-kilometer laps, Monaco promised to be a true test of strength. Nicole and American favorite Morgan Aguirre—already a winner at The Hills—opened up a gap early on, with Nicole feeling confident and in control on the descents. Around 30 kilometers from the finish, Morgan launched a decisive attack on a steep climb that Nicole couldn’t match, turning the final stretch into a solo time trial to defend second place.

The last 10 kilometers were brutal, with German powerhouse Carolin Schiff—last year’s Traka 200 champion—closing in fast. But Nicole held her off and stepped onto the podium with a hard-fought silver medal, a just reward for the effort and dedication she's already poured into this season.

Nicole Frain:

“After the first climb, there were about five of us. I felt really confident on the descents, so I used that to my advantage and often created gaps. By the end of the first lap, it was just Morgan and me, and we worked well to grow our lead. Daan had a puncture and rode up to me to give time gap info, which helped us stay focused. About 30k from the finish, Morgan attacked on a steep section—I couldn’t follow that pace, so I settled into my rhythm. I really suffered in the final 10k but pushed as hard as I could."

Tough Luck for the Men’s Squad

Our men's team also lined up in Monaco, but the race turned into a war of attrition with a string of punctures affecting nearly all riders.

While Mads Würtz Schmidt went on to take the win, Felipe Orts fought hard and finished in a solid 12th place. Aaron Van der Beken came in 20th after a promising start, and Daan Soete managed to finish 34th despite setbacks. For Joris Nieuwenhuis, it was a tough debut in the gravel season—he was forced to abandon after a puncture he couldn’t repair mid-race.

Felipe Orts:

“It went well! I think I built into the race. I had the top 10 in my hands, but I flatted on the final downhill and lost three spots. Still, I’m happy—I had good legs in the second half, and that’s important.”

Aaron Van der Beken:

“I had a good start and crested the first climb in third with Mads and Simon Pellaud. Unfortunately, I hit a rock with my front wheel and had to chase back. Then I flatted again in the final descent.”

Daan Soete:

“Joris and I were riding smart and staying well-positioned. We expected a lot of riders to fade in the second half. Just as Joris was about to rejoin my group, I punctured. I left the course to head back to the start area and luckily found someone with a pump. That got me going again. After a few stops to add air, I met our team manager Bob De Cnodder, who had a spare wheel. I was able to finish the race and felt good. I’m already looking forward to The Traka.”

Joris Nieuwenhuis:

“It actually went quite well, considering it was my first race back and I only recently resumed full training. After three hours I had a puncture I couldn’t plug, so I had to rush back to the start area before I was riding on the rim. The course didn’t suit me, but I’m looking forward to The Traka. Hopefully, I’ll have a bit more of a base by then.”

Pictures: Julian Ripoll