Haley Hunter Smith (Trek-Dritless) and Lukas Baum (Speed Company) emerged victorious after four stages and 650km of remote racing in Kenya, with a tough battle for overall honours unfolding on a wildlife filled course which delivered both hot, dry and dusty conditions plus mud and rain.
The four-stage Migration Gravel Race in Kenya swept through wide open savannah, river crossings, followed trails carved through the landscape by wildebeests and cattle plus tackled brutal climbs through forest which contributed to the more than 8,000m of elevation gain as the race unfolded from Tuesday June 17 to Saturday June 20. Maasai Mara provided the base location which stages looped out from.
Baum made his bid for overall victory early, taking the first stage but then after dropping off the podium in stage 2 reclaimed it with another win on the penultimate stage. Still there was no easy path to victory between a crash on the finish line in slippery conditions on stage 3 and an early flat on stage 4 which left him with a chase on his hands.
Lachlan Morton (EF Education-EasyPost) finished fifth overall.
Hunter Smith, on the other hand, had a tough start but then was quick to bounce back on stage 2 and moved into the top spot overall on stage 3. The three wins in a row she delivered from stage 2 to 4 may have made it look easy, yet it was anything but.
"There were some tactics been thrown down for sure. It was hard, it was good though. I just had to keep my poker face on and not let them know they were about to break me," said Hunter Smith in a post race interview put out on social media.
"It was very close. I almost got dropped several times."
Last year Sarah Sturm and Hans Becking won the overall victories at the event, which is part of the Gravel Earth Series and among the five events which deliver a 20% bonus for the series points tally.
Position |
Rider |
Time |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Haley Hunter Smith (Trek-Dritless) |
17:57:54 |
2 |
Xaverine Nirere (Team Amani) |
18:10:42 |
3 |
Anna Yamauchi (Allied/Rapha/SRAM) |
19:15:47 |
4 |
Svenja Betz (RSV Friedenau Steinfurt) |
19:34:26 |
5 |
Claudette Nyrahabimana (Team Amani) |
19:38:52 |
Position |
Rider |
Time |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Lukas Baum (Speed Company Racing) |
14:57:12 |
2 |
Hans Becking (Buff Megamo Team) |
15:04:40 |
3 |
Jordan Schleck (Team Amani) |
15:07:16 |
4 |
Tsgabu Grmay (Team Amani) |
15:07:45 |
5 |
Lachlan Morton (EF Education-EasyPost) |
15:22:13 |
Stage 1 - Following the wildlife trails
- 150km
- 600m elevation gain
To start off the racing riders were tackling a course on the vast flat plains, following cattle and wildlife tracks, before heading to the headwind and heat exposed plains nicknamed the “Dutch Mountains”.
In the women’s race Xaverine Nirere made her move early, crossing through the 42km feed station already with a gap of around five minutes to Maddy Nutt, Claudette Nyirahabimana and Mary Aleper.
Later Svenja Betz also joined the chase while Aleper fell away. Nirere, however, had what it took to hold firm, crossing the finish line - where elephants had earlier been wandering through, sound 14 minutes ahead of Betz and then just behind it was Nyirahabimana.
The men’s elite field had been whittling down and by the time there was 50km remaining it was down to Lukas Baum and Hans Becking out the front with a chase group of Lachlan Morton, Jordan Schleck and Tsgabu Grmay.
The pair worked in tandem, crossing the line together with a handshake together after strengthening the friendship with the collaborative effort. After Baum and Becking claimed first and second, Schleck rolled over the line in third.
Men's top 3
- Lukas Baum
- Hans Becking
- Jordan Schleck
Women's top 3
- 1 - Xaverine Nirere
- 2 - Svenja Betz
- 3 - Claudette Nyirahabimana
Stage 2 – The long climb
- 170km
- 2200m elevation gain
The intense stage that passes by remote Maasai villages started with an extended flat section before riders had to tackle the brutal Mlima wa Shetani climb. After it gave way to a technical single-track descent riders had to make their way through the winding single track of the Loita Forest before the route heads back toward the finish line.
The tactical games were on in this crucial stage, with Jordan Schleck and Tsgabu Grmay out early and some reluctance among those pursuing to evenly work together in pursuit.
The key climb, however, shook up the order, with Schleck first going solo then he was later caught by Lachlan Morton and Lawrence Naesen. On the descent Morton moved to the front but then it all came down to a sprint at the end, with Naesen taking the top spot ahead of Morton and Schleck. The leading duo from stage 2, Lukas Baum and Hans Becking, swept up the next two spots.
Xaverine Nirere, in the overall leaders jersey, didn't waste any time in getting out front and establishing a gap, with the winner of the weekend's Safari Gravel Hailey Hunter Smith and Claudette Nyirahabimana in pursuit. Nirere then lost the route and by the time she found her way back Hunter Smith – who had made the best of the descent – was now out front. Hunter Smith took the top spot ahead of Nirere, who still retained the overall lead.
Maddy Nutt had to pull the pin on stage 2 after feeling the consequences of an earlier crash, was a rare DNF.
Women's top 3
- Haley Hunter Smith
- Xaverine Nirere
- Anna Yamauchi
Men's top 3
- Lawrence Naesen
- Lachlan Morton
- Jordan Schleck
Stage 3 – Wide Savannah
- 140km
- 1600m elevation gain
Smoother, more flowing and faster gravel awaited on day three, providing some relief after a gruelling stage 2. The racing started at an altitude of 2265m, entered the Forest of the Lost Child before heading to the wide open plains, home to wildebeest, zebras and gazelles.
One disadvantage of the exposed terrain usually is that there is little shelter from the heat but in this case the wet weather provided some relief.
Haley Hunter Smith had carved out a solo lead by the time the race hit the plains, with Xaverine Nirere alone in pursuit, the pressure on to keep the gap as small as possible with an eye to the overall battle as well as stage honours.
Hunter Smith never gave up the lead, though as conditions got slick she said her mantra quickly went from "push it to don't be a dumbass". Nirere was second while Anna Yamauchi came over the line third to repeat the podium placings of stage 2. Claudette Nyirahabimana was fourth ahead of Svenja Betz.
A lead group including Lukas Baum, Lachlan Morton, Jordan Schleck and Hans Becking formed early in the men's stage, the five out front having already carved out a solid gap through the forest.
Tsgabu Grmay was working hard to bridge back through the last climb before the plains, while once there Morton had the challenge of a mechanical. The order at the front of the race reshuffled and by the time there was 30km to go Baum was out front with Becking and Schleck about a minute back with Morton and Grmay closing the gap.
Ultimately race leader Baum crossed the line first to extend his lead, skidding out on the final corner and hitting the deck in the now wet and slippery conditions. Next over the line was Schleck and Becking while Morton and Grmay took fourth and fifth.
Men's top 3
- Lukas Baum
- Jordan Schleck
- Hans Becking
Women's top 3
- Haley Hunter Smith
- Xaverine Nirere
- Anna Yamauchi
Stage 4 - A fitting finale
- 150km
- 1100m elevation gain
The Loita HIlls delivered one last challenging block of climbing before riders had a downhill run to the Mara plains. After the flowing descent it was wide open savannah, delivering riders a final chance to catch a glimpse wildlife and a final chance to take time.
An early puncture put overall men's leader Lukas Baum on the back foot early, leaving him with a battle on his hands to hold onto the top spot overall. It turned out that it was one he was able to overcome, clawing back time and while the top spots in the stage were beyond his grasp the overall was safe. Stage honours went to Lawrence Naesen, who won the sprint ahead of Bernard Ngdungu with Jordan Schleck taking third on the final day of racing.
Haley Hunter Smith and Xaverine Nirere ultimately established a gap in the women's race, the two dominant players continuing the GC battle that Hunter Smith had taken the upper hand in the previous stage. The rider in the pink leader's jersey then set out alone, with Nirere joining forces with Claudette Nyirahabimana in the chase behind, but to no avail as Hunter Smith delivered a powerful finish to clinch the final stage and overall.
Women's top 3
- Haley Hunter Smith
- Xaverine Nirere
- Claudette Nyirahabimana
Men's top 3
- Lawrence Naesen
- Bernard Ndungu
- Jordan Schleck
