OPENINGOn Sunday 10 May, 1,800 riders lined up in Valkenburg aan de Geul for the fourth edition of Marly Grav, a UCI Gravel World Series qualifier. The men tackled a 153 km course and the women raced 135 km, both routes combining gravel sectors with the short, sharp climbs and longer ascents of the South Limburg hills. Wout van Aert, a late addition to the start list racing for the first time since his Paris-Roubaix win, helped animate the men's race from the front alongside Niels Vandeputte, Rick Ottema, Florian Vermeersch and Jonathan Vervenne.

UNFOLDSThe men's race was shaped by that strong lead group, with Van Aert riding aggressively rather than sitting in. In the women's race a group of fourteen riders set the tone at the front for much of the day before the decisive selection came on the climb of the Muur van Banholt, on the Molenweg, where seven riders broke clear: Wiebes, Hartog, Pluimers, Amandine Muller, Nele Laing, Schiff and Eisen.

DECIDEDVan Aert launched a powerful attack with 22 km remaining and rode solo to the finish, no one in the lead group able to follow. In the women's race the seven leaders stayed together to the line, setting up a sprint in Valkenburg.

FINALEVan Aert soloed home for the men's win ahead of Vandeputte and Ottema. In the women's sprint Wiebes opened first and held off her rivals to take the win — in the rainbow jersey, in her own backyard — ahead of Hartog, Pluimers, Muller, Laing, Schiff and Eisen.