Marianne Bos became the first rider to use the innovative self-inflating tire in a stunning victory over local Dutch favorite Lotte Kopecky at the UCI Gravel World Championships in Leuven.

The two riders pulled away from the rest of the pack with just under 50km to go, dramatically separating the chasing group of pre-race winners such as Pac Petersen and Lorena Wiebes.

It is partial consolation that the Dutch team finished first and third in the UCI Gravel World Championships after a road world championship debacle that left them completely off the podium.

Unsurprisingly, however, Vos experimented with a rare technicality in this race, mounting the Graber KAPS Adjustable Tire System on his bike and adjusting the tire pressure to the terrain during the race.

Gravel racing can be a significant attack on either off-road, cobblestone surfaces or smooth pavement, and the benefits of customized tire pressure on both surfaces are clear.

Speaking to Cycling News after her victory, she admitted that she used this system frequently during the race, contributing to her victory.

“It helped me apply high pressure at the finish, but it also helped me take the pressure off on the rough course,” she said.

The same technique was introduced by Vimalise-a-Bike in Paris-Roubaix in 2023, but was used only by the men's team and to no noticeable effect.

For the teams and brands, this would be an impressive endorsement of the technological advantages that can be offered. When asked if they would continue to use this technology in races next year, Voss said that they would continue to use it in these types of races.

For Vos, the process of winning the World Championship jersey may have been a bit repetitive.

“To be honest, I wasn't thinking about the 13 times I've done this. Of course, [the Gravel World Championships] are fairly new, but it's the World Championships, so you try to do your best.

“It was nice to be at the top with Lotte. She added, “And I'm happy to be in the lead with Lotte. She won [the Road World Championships] last week, so I knew she was in good shape.”

Speaking to Cycling News after the race, Vos explained that she went into the race with an open mind. Speaking to Cycling News after the race, Vos explained that he went into the race with an open mind. Vos said, “Midway through the race, we were still with a big group and I thought, ‘These are the stars, it's going to be hard to get out here.’”

It was Kopecký's move that shredded that big group. 'When Lotte Kopecký left, we were the first four. When Lotte Kopecký went, we were four at first. But of course, with Lotte Kopecky with us, we're a great group.”

The two attackers crossed in the last kilometer, and Vos made a big move on the 300-meter Lamberg climb with less than 2km to go, but was unable to shake off his Belgian breakaway mate.

It was clear that the race was going to be a sprint between two of the sport's most talented riders. Kopecký hesitated, however, and made his way to Vos.

“Actually, I was thinking that she wouldn't really go,” Kopecky said. So I thought: 'So,' Vos told Cycling News, 'I'm not going to go.' 'With 175 meters to go, I just went as fast as I could to the finish.'

“Fifteen meters in, I thought, okay, I can make it.”

For Vos, the gravel world championship title was a great way to end the season. It's the off-season, so I'll enjoy some time off. I'll enjoy some family time. And, yeah, of course, I'll relax a little bit and enjoy this.”

Unlimited access to all coverage of the 2024 UCI Gravel World Championships - including breaking news and analysis from local journalists of the women's elite and men's elite events. Details.