DRECHOU AND LEJEUNE PROPOSE OREGON AS A NEW STATE OF FRANCE
Oregon Trail Race in U.S. was the third of five Grael Earth Global events of the season.
The French Hugo Drechou and Cécile Lejeune conquered Oregon after five formidable days
All eyes in the Gravel Earth Series turned to the United States the week of June 26-30. These were not just any days, they were the days of the third of the fifth Gravel Earth Global events. A unique opportunity to climb positions in the overall ranking and arrive well placed to the Gravel Earth Final. Remember that only the two best scores of the year will be taken into account before the grand finale of the competition. The prize of 1000 points for the winner was a very appealing prize. In this context, the Oregon Trail Gravel welcomed gravel enthusiasts to the picturesque Cascades Mountains.
The evevent offeried an exhilarating five-day challenge that captured the essence of adventure. Renowned as the “Grand Tour of Gravel”, this year’s edition marked a pinnacle of endurance and competition where the best were the French Hugo Drechou and Cécile Lejeune. Day after day, due to one problem or another, some of the favorites were out of options. A mechanical problem or a bad stage was paid dearly and they were dropped from the battle for the final victory. Oregon rewarded the regularity and constancy of the participants.
Starting and ending in Bend, the track spanned 560 kilometers with 9,000 meters of positive gain, showcasing Oregon’s most rugged and scenic gravel roads across five challenging stag. However, the differences between the favorites were minimal. Drechou was 15h14m13s on the bike, but second-placed Griffin Easter was just three minutes behind the Frenchman. Easter led the North American colony. In fact, the battle between North Americans and Europeans was exciting during the five days. Third place on the podium was taken by the Canadian Rob Britton. The New Zealand Cameron Jones and the American Peter Stetina competed in the Top 5. In fact, Rob Britton has taken the lead of the Gravel Earth Series from Peter Stetina. Drechou and Easter have also climbed many positions. However, all of them will arrive with options to the Ranxo Gravel, the grand finale of the circuit.
On the women’s side, there is no significant change in the overall, but the bikers who occupied the top positions of the Oregon Trail will surely give much to talk about. We are just at the halfway point of the season and the points obtained in the United States will be key to the development of the Gravel Earth Series. On this occasion, the French Cécile Lejeune dominated the race with more authority. Her pursuers were more than half an hour behind her time of 17h35m54s. The Americans Serena Gordon, Flavia Oliveira and Morgan Aguirre occupied the second, third and fourth places, while the British Danni Shrosbree closed the Top5.
Beyond the names, all the participants enjoyed the gravel in a privileged natural environment. Participants navigated varied terrain, from demanding climbs to sweeping descents, amidst the natural splendor of the Cascades. Each evening, riders gathered for fireside campouts and entertainment in Bend, Gilchrist, Oakridge and McKenzie -the different camps of the event- immersing themselves in the region’s wilderness. Oregon Trail Gravel was celebrated not only for its challenging course but also for the camaraderie forged among bikers, regardless of their level.
