FNLD GRVL is proclaiming they can offer the World’s happiest gravel roads. The gravel around Lahti is amazing, and I am smiling as we are almost halfway into the Midnight Sun course. It’s a 178k route, starting in the harbor of Lahti, then going northwest through the hilly cross-country courses before heading onto farmland and forest roads. It’s a fast course, and it will separate.
The first selection was already made for the initial climb behind the Skijump hill. The pace was high right from the start, and soon we were down to 20 riders. I’ve been feeling great and had no problem keeping up with the many moves of riders like Greg van Avermaet, Peter Vakoc, André Greipel, Simen Nordahl Svensen, and Tobias Kongstad, to name a few. There are three main teams here: PAS, Last Dance, and Rose. I know that if a small breakaway forms with riders from those three teams, no one in the group will chase. I need to keep up with the moves to ensure I am part of the breakaway.
Andreas and I arrived yesterday and went for a small recon ride. Although Finland doesn’t have many mountains, the course features continuous undulations and some of the hills are covered in loose, stony gravel. The main face of the event is Valtteri Bottas, the Formula 1 driver. When he’s not racing, he enjoys riding on gravel, and we are currently on his favorite gravel roads in his hometown.
This is my fourth time in Lahti. I love racing here. I think the course suits me well, but it’s challenging with no rest. We are flying over the fields and in between farms. We sprint up every hill, and the pace is high even on the flats. I feel great and hope to get a good result today.
FNLD GRVL is a gravel monument in the Nordic with a €20.000 prize purse, shared equally between the top five men and women, so there is a lot to ride for.
Simen Nordahl Svensen from PAS is attempting a solo break up the road. He’s about 15 seconds ahead of us. I’m just waiting for Rose or Last Dance to make a move. I hear a rider shift to a higher gear and then I see Greg van Avermaet, the former Olympic Champion, accelerate. I know it’s a serious move. I dig deep and make it on his wheel. It costs a lot, but I manage to get on the right side of a small split. We catch Simen. There are three riders ahead of us. However, Rose isn’t happy and it doesn’t take long before one of the Germans bridges across. Then Greipel follows. Soon, we are all back together.
We have covered nearly 100 kilometers in the race. I was feeling fresh and strong earlier, but now I’m starting to get tired. I really hope the pace slows down, but it seems like the attacks keep coming. I am making sure to drink more Flow drink mix to get 90g of carbs per hour to keep me energized. The constant speed-ups are making my legs fill with lactate. Each acceleration is getting harder now. But I’m still in the race and trying to get Tobias Kongstad and Peter Vakoc to join me in another attempt. Unfortunately, we soon get caught again, and there are still about 15 riders in the front group.
We are deep in the Finnish land of lakes and forests, weaving between blue lakes, tall spruce trees, and occasionally a red barn. There is no traffic, and the few times we cross a main road, road marshals stop the cars. The weather is great, around 20ºC and sunny.
In a split second, the road disappears, and we find ourselves on a grassy field. A rider at the front sets a fast pace, and I have to push myself to keep up.
– Boom! Two riders slide out in a corner on the slippery grass. I have to close the gap to the first two riders. It takes a lot out of me at this time in the race, but I manage it, and soon the remaining riders are regathered.
We turn right, and the smooth gravel shifts to a stony, loose forest road. Vakoc attacks the climb, and a Rose rider follows. Soon, all riders are on their toes, without me. I try to push, but this time my legs are stiffening, and it seems impossible to make the acceleration. I get dropped.
In a short time, I had gone from feeling great and definitely a top-10 contender to being totally out of gas. My mind tries to find an excuse. Maybe it’s my recent crash on Wednesday? Maybe I haven’t recovered after Unbound two weeks ago? Maybe I haven’t trained enough? Finding a solution feels comfortable, but it doesn’t matter. I have to reset and focus on making it to the finish. I am still within the top 15.
Douwe Doorduin and Adam Engström are also dropped. They catch me, and we join forces and share pulls as we ride. Although the riders at the front are already far ahead and we probably won’t catch up to them, maintaining a good pace will help us stay ahead of the other riders behind us. Making it to the finish line now feels like a significant achievement, and I must continue to move forward.
One gravel climb of the time.
I sprint to the top of today’s biggest hill, the TV mast close to Mässila. It’s a 5 km climb with a tough start, three flat kilometers, and a few super steep sections towards the end.
I had a good run with Douwe and Adam, but eventually, I was totally depleted. I had to go slow for a while. I stopped at the last aid station for a coke and felt better for the last 20k. I am not great, but I feel like myself again. I have been teaming up to share pulls with Samuli Visuri and now also with Matthew Holmes, who is pushing the pace up the climb.
In a last attempt to catch up, I accelerate and catch Matthew on the downhill. Samuli is right behind me. We have 10 kilometers left. The end is near, but the last 10 kilometers are not easy. We are back on the cross-country trails from the beginning of the course, and there are a few challenging sections. I know some riders will walk here, but I manage to keep riding. I’m not fast up the steep climbs as Matthew who starts to pull ahead.
– I need to close the gap!
Well, I don’t really need to surpass them. I know that achieving the top result is now out of reach, but my racing mentality makes it feel like overtaking the two riders is the most important thing in the world right now.
Finally, there is the ski jumping hill. As we throw ourselves down the steep gravel hills, the stones fly as we skid through the last corners. I scoped out the last part, so I know how to approach the finish. I plan to stay left on the solid part of the road, make the right turn, jump up to the sidewalk to make the next left turn wider so I don’t have to brake. I am passing the riders and leading out the sprint from the right side, where the road is smoother. I open my sprint and beat them.
– Yeah!
It wasn’t important, but it still feels nice to beat them. I finish 19th.
At the finish area, there are food, drinks, and more smiles. I lost my smile for a moment at the 100k mark, but now it’s back. What a ride it was! Definitely one of the fastest and funniest courses around, but a real sufferfest when you’re out of gas. Each steep kicker is a real challenge. But FNLD GRVL is one of the best-organized events in Europe and a highlight of the season.
Thank you, SBT GRVL, for coming over to my Nordic ground to host a great FNLD GRVL event. We need this! See you next year!
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