Lauf Gravel Worlds 2025 will long be remembered not just as another edition, but as a reinvention—a homecoming, a test of grit, and proof that gravel racing can both evolve and stay true to its soul. With Lauf Cycles stepping in as title sponsor, the event pushed boundaries: massive prize money, full live coverage, expo expansion, and addition of triathlon. Despite an unforecasted Friday night storm that muddied key sectors, the day’s riders rose above the chaos.

A New Chapter with Lauf

This year’s title partnership with Lauf Cycles signaled a new era. Lauf, known for its innovative gravel components and suspension systems, brings credibility, investment, and vision. Their support has helped Gravel Worlds elevate both its production values and its philanthropic ambitions—ensuring that as the event grows, its heart doesn’t change.

With Lauf on board, Gravel Worlds 2025 went all in on spectacle, scale, and inclusivity—demonstrating how a grassroots tradition can evolve without losing its soul.

Back to Sandhills, Bigger Than Ever

In 2025, Gravel Worlds made a symbolic full circle by returning to the Sandhills Global Event Center in Lincoln. The choice of venue reflected both history and ambition. Sandhills allows for a massive indoor expo, over 1,000 on-site camping spots, and the infrastructure to host a growing international field and vendor presence.

For many participants, returning to Sandhills felt like coming home—but with a house full of new rooms. The expo hall brimmed with gear demos, panel talks, local culture showcases, and community spaces that helped turn race weekend into a festival of gravel.

A New Direction: Eastward into the Heart of Nebraska

2025 Gravel Worlds Courses

For the first time in its history, Gravel Worlds ventured east, exploring an entirely new landscape of rolling countryside, riverside climbs, and fresh gravel sectors. The 150-mile course charted through Nebraska City and Weeping Water, marking the event’s furthest reach yet.

An incredible 90% of the course featured roads never before used in Gravel Worlds’ history. The shift east brought a different kind of terrain—tighter curves, shaded river valleys, and historic bridges—showcasing parts of Nebraska few riders had ever seen from the saddle. The new route not only refreshed the racing dynamics but expanded the race’s connection to more communities across the state.

Muddy Beginnings: The Storm That Shaped the Day

Nature made its impact felt early. Overnight rains soaked the region, and by race morning, many MMR (Minimal Maintenance Roads) and dirt connectors had turned into muddy quagmires. These early sectors proved decisive. Riders described clogging chains, slipping wheels, and chaotic separations in the first 20–30 miles.

Those who navigated the mud best earned advantage. As the day wore on and those stretches began to dry, the race settled—but the damage was done. The muddy trenches reshaped the fields before the hills and heat ever had a chance.

Bigger, Bolder, Better: Expo, Coverage & Prize Money

2025 wasn’t just about the race—it was about the experience. The expo at Sandhills expanded into what many called the largest indoor gravel expo in the U.S., with gear displays, tech talks, clinics, and partner showcases filling the halls.

On the media side, Gravel Worlds broke new ground. For the first time, the entire race—from dark start to finish line—was covered live with real-time splits and rider tracking. This kind of broadcast quality is rare in gravel, and it gave fans everywhere eyes on every move.

The prize money reflected the ambition: the 150-mile event featured the largest single-day prize purse in gravel history—a reflection of how far the event has grown. Beers’s $17,500 first-place payout was part of that revolutionary pot. Velo+1

For the Riders in the Middle: Stories of Survival & Triumph

While camera focus naturally turned to the podium, the vast majority of riders were waging personal wars. Many dealt with mechanicals, clogged chains, heat, and doubt. Mud bogged progress. Some dropped. Some clawed their way back. Aid stations became crucial — not just for fuel and water, but for moral lifting.

Finishing in 2025 was a medal in grit. The First2Last ethos—honoring the journey as much as the result—felt especially meaningful in a year when the first miles were more about survival than speed.

Elite Racing: Beers & Klöser’s Climactic Sprints

Men’s 150

On a rain-scarred and grinding 151+ mile course, Matt Beers delivered a masterclass in patience, recovery, and timing. After surviving the muddy first leg, he bridged back into the lead pack and made his decisive move in the final kilometers, outsprinting Keegan Swenson to the line. The margin was narrow, but the execution was perfect.
Multiple analyses (Velo, Slowtwitch) broke down Beers’s splits—his steady pacing through the mud, power conservation, and well-timed surge gave him the edge.

Women’s 150

The women’s race was just as dramatic. Rosa Klöser and Geerike Schreurs broke away early, especially through the mud-soaked sectors, holding a gap through much of the day. In the final sprint, Klöser edged Schreurs in a head-to-head finish (7:57:07 vs 7:57:09), claiming her title in dramatic fashion.

Their breakaway and sprint finish became one of the day’s most replayed moments—a gritty, graceful duel through mud, wind, and fatigue.

2025 Lauf Gravel Worlds® 150 Champions

Man: Matthew Beers 6:58:40
Cape Town, South Africa

Woman: Rosa Kloser 7:57:07
Übach-Palenberg, Germany

Non-Binary: Rach McBride 9:21:20
Vancouver, BC

Para Man: Mitch Brekke 9:05:42 (GW Record)
Hartland, MN

2025 GW300 Champions

Man: Carter Lembke 18:52:42.
Colombia, MO (17 years old!)

Woman: Christie Tracy 23:37:29
Austin, TX

2025 GW50K RUN Champions

Man: Dwight Brown 3:35:13
Lincoln, NE

Woman: Chelsea Burns 4:23:17
Boise, ID

2025 DFL Champion

Alan Abrams 15:16:08

Amplifying the Experience: Expo, Largest Champagne Spray In Gravel (DFL), Coverage & Prize Showdown

The expo at Sandhills expanded in scale and ambition, becoming one of the most robust indoor gravel showcases in the U.S. Gear vendors, technology demos, clinics, local businesses—all layered into a weekend that felt like a festival of gravel culture. Over 80 vendors packed into the Sandhills Global Event Center for the Gravel Worlds Expo.

On coverage, Gravel Worlds continued to push boundaries. Live splits, rider tracking, and start-to-finish streaming gave fans a front-row seat to every tactical move, mechanical, and drama. This kind of production quality remains rare in gravel, and 2025 raised the bar further.

But perhaps no metric spoke louder: Gravel Worlds 2025 offered the largest single-day pro prize pool in all of gravel. Beers and Klöser’s victories were not just symbolic—they were richly rewarded.

The First2Last Party: A Celebration of Every Finish

At Gravel Worlds 2025, the First2Last Party reached legendary status. True to the spirit of celebrating every rider’s journey, the final finisher was welcomed with the largest champagne spray in all of gravel—a jubilant eruption of 40 bottles of bubbly showering the crowd in gold mist. What began as a small, symbolic toast years ago has grown into a defining tradition of Gravel Worlds: honoring the grit, joy, and persistence of every rider who refuses to quit. From first to last, every finisher earned their moment under the lights—and in the champagne.

The Middle: Grit, Strategy & Personal Victories

Beyond the leaders, most riders battled their own storms. The mud demanded mental toughness—shifting strategy, aiding fellow racers, choosing when to push and when to conserve. Aid stations became lifelines: water, rags, chain lube, and encouragement.

For many, simply finishing was a win. The First2Last ethos—honoring all finishers—felt especially meaningful. Whether crossing early or long after dusk, riders were cheered for their resolve, journey, and the story they rode.

Gravel Worlds Triathlon: National Championship Glory

2025 marked another milestone as Gravel Worlds expanded beyond cycling with the Gravel Worlds Triathlon, hosting the USA Triathlon Gravel National Championships. This partnership brought elite multisport athletes to Lincoln to compete on gravel roads, blending swimming, cycling, and running into a single grueling test of endurance. The collaboration with USA Triathlon elevated the weekend, highlighting Gravel Worlds as a premier destination for both cycling and multisport competition. It was a chance to showcase the diversity of off-road athletics and celebrate athletes pushing their limits across disciplines.

Why 2025 Will Be Remembered

First2Last Party takes to a new height. Celebrating last bigger than first.
Beers & Klöser victorious in tactical sprints after a muddy gauntlet
Largest single-day pro prize pool ever in gravel at $100,000
Live, end-to-end coverage—world-class broadcast from start to finish
Gravel Worlds Foundation formed to help give more. $100,000 to charity in 2025.
Lauf partnership, elevating tech, vision, and reach
New eastward course into Nebraska City & Weeping Water
Weather’s wild card, creating one of the most challenging courses ever
Gravel Worlds Triathlon welcomes triathletes into the Gravel Family. Celebrating USAT Gravel Nationals.