First gravel race, strong legs, one late puncture.

Race day

The decisive move came early, and the race stayed fast from there.

The morning looked colder than it actually felt. Seeing many riders warming up in long sleeves made overdressing look sensible, but once the openers were done it was clear that the lack of wind changed everything. Dropping the jacket and racing in short sleeves was the right call.

My plan was to make the first selection rather than wait for the race to settle. That mattered because the first climbs still allowed overtaking, while the flatter parts later on rewarded riders who were already in a fast group. I made the front pack of roughly 20 riders and stayed there almost all race.

There was one sketchy bunch moment when a rider ahead dropped a bottle at around 50 km/h and it bounced under my front wheel. I stayed upright, but it was the clearest reminder that even a well-organized group can turn messy instantly on gravel.

The puncture

One mechanical turned the final 5 km into damage control.

By the last descent I still felt well-positioned. The final forest sector naturally split the field because different strengths start to matter at the same time. I was gaining places on the descents and losing some back on the sharper rises, but still very much in the race.

Then came the bad luck. With only 5 km left, I punctured the front tyre on roots. The reaction was immediate, the repair was quick, and the electric pump kept it from getting even worse. But seven lost minutes at that point in the race changes everything.

Officially that meant 43rd out of 118 riders. Practically, the ride itself felt much stronger than that number. It was frustrating, but also reassuring. The form is there, and this result does not hide that.

Training day

The recon ride confirmed both the terrain and the plan.

The day before the race started cold too, but warmed up enough for a useful recon session. I chose a smaller loop that covered the most relevant parts of the course while doubling as a proper openers ride. That was enough to test the bike on terrain that still felt new and to remove uncertainty before the start.

The official training was supposed to be ridden only in one direction, but not everyone followed that. On blind descents that made a few moments sketchier than necessary. No crashes, just enough unpredictability to notice it.

Outside the bike itself, the planning mattered. Nutrition and pacing were thought through before the weekend, then adjusted using what the recon revealed. It also answered the last open question from the injury: whether the hand could take braking, vibration, and rougher lines under pressure. By the end of that ride, I already felt it was back.

Food and tourism

The rest of the weekend held up just as well as the racing part.

Geschmackssache Gasthaus & Laden was the clear food highlight near the venue. Cozy without trying too hard, serious about local sourcing, and exactly the kind of place where dinner becomes part of the memory of the trip rather than just refuelling between rides.

Villach also delivered the right off-bike atmosphere: clean streets, water, mountain views, and enough space to slow everything down after the race. And yes, MU Ice Cream still deserves its place in the summary. It is one of the few dessert stops I would actively plan around.