Results Gravel World Championships men | Florian Vermeersch takes victory and brings another world title to UAE

Florian Vermeersch has won the Gravel World Championships in formidable fashion, as today in Limburg the Belgian rider of UAE Team Emirates - XRG once again proved he is one of modern cycling's strongest classics specialists and bike handlers.

Vermeersch was no unknown name coming into the 180-kilometer long race, having been runner-up last year to none other than Mathieu van der Poel and having finished fifth at this year's Paris-Roubaix. This is his style of racing, and the Belgian's good feeling on the day was combined with great timing of an attack that ultimately net him the victory.

For large kilometers, Vermeersch had anticipated some of the other main favourites and rode together with the Netherlands' Frits Biesterbos. The two benefited from the large number of Belgian riders behind who wouldn't fully commit to a chase in the ondulating route, and when Vermeersch dropped the Dutchman with 18 kilometers to go, he rode solo to become the fourth rainbow jersey in the discipline, adding his name to a very successful list of riders. Biesterbos rode brilliantly to a surprising second place whilst Matej Mohoric completed the podium. Tom Pidcock and Tim Wellens were also present in the Top10.