2019 Gravel Worlds (Year 10)
A Decade on the Gravel Seas
2019 Gravel Worlds Results and Photos
Independent Links and Videos
When Gravel Worlds rolled into 2019, it carried with it a weighty sense of history. This was the 10th edition — a decade of gravel, grit, friendships, and untold stories across the roads around Lincoln. The organizers leaned into that legacy, and for many riders, 2019 felt like a celebration as much as a race. On that backdrop, legends were confirmed, hometown glory was claimed, and the heart of the event—its everyday riders—shone through.
The Big Headlines: Tetrick’s Three-peat & A Local Hero Emerges
One of the defining narratives of 2019 is that Alison Tetrick captured her third consecutive Gravel Worlds title — the only time in the event’s history someone has won three in a row. Going into 2019, she had won in 2017 and 2018; in 2019, she again paced flawlessly, raced tactically, and sealed her name in Gravel Worlds lore.
But the men’s race delivered its own fireworks. John Borstelmann, a Lincoln native, crossed the line first in a dramatic sprint against Eric Marcotte, finishing just one second ahead (7:02:19 vs. 7:02:20). That finish made him a local legend — winning the 10th edition in his home region, before his home crowd.
Tetrick’s victory also gave her the distinction of being the winningest athlete in Gravel Worlds history, surpassing earlier champions.
The Course & Conditions
The 2019 course followed the signature 150-mile route through Nebraska’s gravel heartlands. For many riders, the routes felt familiar, yet every year the roads demand respect — the rolling climbs, hidden loam sections, shifting gravel, and relentless undulations add up, even when no single climb dominates.
John Borstelmann’s win also drew attention to how the race was won: nearly 10,000 ft of climbing, tactical timing, and power numbers that reflect how modern gravel racing lives at the intersection of toughness and precision. In Velo’s “Gravel Power Analysis,” Borstelmann’s ride is broken down: he made a midrace move before the first aid station to give himself buffer for mechanicals, maintained a smart pace, and timed his final sprint perfectly.
The men’s finish came down to a sprint, with Borstelmann edging out Marcotte. On the women’s side, Tetrick put in a commanding ride, opening time in critical segments and holding firm under pressure.
The Everyday Rider’s Gravel Worlds
While the top of the podium draws headlines, the true spirit of Gravel Worlds lives among the hundreds of riders chasing finish lines of their own. In 2019, those stories were as rich and varied as ever.
Some riders approached the event as a personal test: pacing conservatively early, rationing nutrition and water, and riding through miles of doubt. The heat, sand sections, wind, and cumulative fatigue made every mile feel earned. Many talked about the mental game — when the legs got heavy after mile 90, when the roads stretched barren, when the horizon looked the same as miles before — pushing through that zone is as much where the race is won (or lost) as any climb or sprint.
One rider in the privateer fields or midpack would later recall overhearing the elite finishers on their way home, giving them hope or distraction or motivation to keep turning the cranks longer. Or pausing at a small country store for a refill and encouragement, hearing names of strangers and veterans alike cheering them on.
Another poignant insight comes from the GravelFamily blog, where a rider describes crossing the 75-mile finish (in the shorter event), watching Tetrick finish in the full race, hugging riders, seeing familiar faces, and realizing that for many participants, Gravel Worlds is less about placing and more about belonging, community, pushing boundaries, and a little bit of magic in the dust and wind.
In 2019, finishing felt like an affirmation. For some, just making it inside the cutoff was a victory. For others, catching glimpses of the leaders or passing on familiar roads with new resolve made the day more than a race — it was a milestone.
Why 2019 Matters
Anniversary weight: 10 years of Gravel Worlds — not every event reaches a decade, much less continues to grow in reputation.
Tetrick’s 3-peat: A unique legacy. No one before or since has matched that three-peat at Gravel Worlds.
Local hero: Borstelmann winning at home gave the crowd a story to cheer for, and showed that even in big fields, local roots still matter.
Power meets soul: The analysis of Borstelmann’s winning metrics shows how modern gravel racing demands not just grit, but power, tactics, and smart execution. Velo
Community & character: Through midpack hills, dust, fatigue, smiles, and shared struggle — the riders who weren’t in contention still wrote their own Gravel Worlds stories.
