Fresh from winning the Italian Gravel Championship, Erica Magnaldi travelled to Iceland this weekend to compete in one of the most prestigious events on the international gravel calendar, The Rift Gravel Race.
The UAE Team ADQ rider, who is the reigning European and Italian Gravel Champion, delivered another outstanding performance, finishing second after an epic 200km race featuring 2,600 metres of elevation across Iceland’s spectacular volcanic landscape.
Magnaldi was one of the key protagonists throughout the race. After bridging across to the leaders, the Italian launched a decisive attack on one of the climbs and opened a gap of around one minute. However, on the long descending false flat towards the finish, Haley Smith (Factor Racing) gradually reeled her back in before making the winning move.
More than just a race, The Rift is a true adventure. With 92% of the course on gravel roads, riders left Hvolsvöllur and headed deep into Iceland’s rugged interior, crossing volcanic plains, highland desert roads, exposed ridgelines and the slopes of the Hekla volcano. Sharp lava rocks, deep sand, river crossings, gradients of up to 30%, snow sections and highly technical terrain combined to create one of the toughest races on the gravel calendar.
After crossing the finish line, Erica Magnaldi reflected on her remarkable day: “I think it was the toughest experience of my life. It was absolutely brutal. Apart from the first eight kilometres, the entire course was gravel, constantly changing from sharp lava rocks to deep sand where your wheels would sink, then 30% climbs, gravel descents and even snow. It really had everything and it felt like a true adventure.
I’m happy with the way I managed the race. It was my first experience on such a long and demanding course. A bit of everything happened out there. I crashed twice, including once while crossing a river, and another time on a very rough section. Two riders had gone clear, but I managed to catch them before attacking on a climb and opening a lead of about one minute.
Unfortunately, the long descending false flat favoured the heavier riders who could generate more speed. It was also a very technical section, so I preferred not to take unnecessary risks. Haley Smith caught me and eventually went on to win. Still, I’m very happy – first of all to have made it to the finish, and then with the result. The Rift is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious gravel races in the world, and it was an incredible experience.”
(Ph. @chiara_redaschi)
