Gomez Villafane, Vermeulen Win Big Sugar

What began as a brisk 43-degree morning in Bentonville transformed into a sun-soaked 78-degree day, providing the perfect backdrop for the overall champions of the Life Time Big Sugar Gravel Classic: Sofia Gomez Villafane and Alexey Vermeulen. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the evening erupted into celebration, drawing in elites, casual riders, and enthusiastic spectators alike to honor a successful gravel season.

The race itself presented formidable challenges, with dusty and rocky conditions testing all competitors. The rugged terrain of the Ozarks claimed several tires, impacting both the men’s and women’s fields significantly.

In the women’s race, a lead group of 13 riders quickly formed, featuring notable names such as Sofia Gomez Villafane, former champion Paige Onweller, and Olympic medalist Flavia Oliveira Parks. Unfortunately, Oliveira Parks, as many others, encountered a tire issue that sidelined her from contention. Just two minutes behind, a group of six—including Rad champion Lauren De Crescenzo, Whitney Allison, and Crystal Anthony—collaborated in an effort to close the gap. However, the initial lead group eventually splintered, leading to a new alliance consisting of Gomez Villafane, De Crescenzo, Leadville 100 champion Melisa Rollins, Alexis Skarda, Michaela Thompson, Cecily Decker, and Onweller, as they chased Erin Huck, who had established a 30-second lead by mile 80. In a dramatic finish, Gomez Villafane clinched the win, narrowly edging out Rollins, while Decker rounded out the podium. Onweller took fourth, and Lauren De Crescenzo finished fifth after the grueling 105-mile race.

The men’s race exploded much earlier in the day. Garmin Gravel World’s champion Simen Nordahl Svendsen and Alexis Carter broke away before reaching aid station one at mile 37, with Colby Simmons and Sebastian Schonberger trailing just a minute behind. Simmons then bridged the gap to the front, where he and Alexey Vermeulen eventually dropped Svendsen. At mile 80, Alexey made his intentions clear: “Just so you know, I’m racing for the win.” From mile 85 onward, he fought to shake Simmons. In a thrilling finale, Alexey surged ahead, crossing the finish line just nine seconds before Simmons, securing his title as the 2024 Lifetime Big Sugar Classic Champion. Nordahl Svendsen, Keegan Swenson, and Brendan Johnson sprinted for third, fourth, and fifth, respectively.

The day’s outcomes also reshuffled the leaderboard of the 2024 Life Time Grand Prix series. With her win, Sofia Gomez Villafane not only secured victory for the day but also clinched the series title. Paige Onweller finished third in the series, with Melisa Rollins taking second. Alexis Skarda and Haley Smith completed the top five standings.

While Keegan Swenson had already secured his series title prior to the race, the results of the day reshaped the rest of the podium. Matthew Beers and Payson McElveen swapped positions, finishing second and third overall, respectively, after a thrilling sprint where Beers edged out McElveen by a mere second. Brendan Johnson climbed from seventh to fourth, while Cole Paton slipped from fourth to fifth in the final standings.

The event concluded on a celebratory note, with Life Time Grand Prix fourth place finisher Alexis Skarda spinning tunes for a crowd of 2,400 gravel enthusiasts. Stories of the day and the season were shared, solidifying the Big Sugar Gravel Classic’s reputation as the event to cap off the season. As many athletes now look forward to much-deserved rest, excitement is already building for 2025. Will Sofia and Keegan maintain their reign as the “power couple” (yes, they’re engaged), or will the offseason bring new challengers to the forefront? 

We’ll find out in 2025.

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