Kasia Niewiadoma Secures First Rainbow Jersey at 2023 Gravel World Championships

Kasia Niewiadoma, representing Poland, emerged as the winner of the 2023 Gravel World Championships held in Pieve di Soligo, Italy. Riding for CANYON//SRAM Racing, Niewiadoma broke away from the lead group with 20km to go and crossed the finish line solo, clinching her first rainbow jersey.

Speaking about her victory, an ecstatic Niewiadoma said, “This is so sweet! I really don’t have words for it. It’s my first rainbow jersey. I’m just so happy!”

Niewiadoma showcased her strength early in the race, already establishing herself in a lead group of four riders after the challenging Ca’ de Poggio climb, which occurred 78km into the 141km race. Although the lead group expanded to 15 riders, Niewiadoma made her move during the final steep climbs, seizing the opportunity to break away.

“On the early climbs, I felt good and could see the others suffering. So when we came closer to the end, I attacked, expecting Demi or someone to join me, and we had a chance to go away together. I didn’t think I would go alone, but I wanted to eliminate some numbers in the group. I knew the final lap from the course recon and that there were some technical parts, so I felt it was a good time for me to go at that moment,” Niewiadoma explained.

The victory holds significant meaning for Niewiadoma, who had gone a long time without winning a race. She attributed her success to having the right equipment and emphasized the importance of gear selection in gravel racing. Expressing her gratitude, Niewiadoma acknowledged the support she received from Canyon and SRAM in her preparation for the race, as well as teammate Tiffany Cromwell, who finished tenth and secured her second top ten finish in the Gravel World Championship editions.

“After such a long time of not winning a race, it’s so special to win this. I really feel like I had the best equipment today. I learned quickly that gravel racing is so important to have the right gearing and every equipment detail. It was my first gravel race, and I had so much support here from Canyon and SRAM to prepare for today, and also Tiffany answered many of my questions before the race. This win feels so amazing, and I’m really grateful for everyone who helped,” Niewiadoma expressed.