"This was one of my best days on the bike" - Very best level of Matej Mohoric earns him World title in Gravel

Matej Mohoric put on an impressive display of descending quality but also climbing legs to win the Gravel World Championships solo. The Slovenian rider barely put a foot wrong throughout the difficult race and has added a rainbow jersey to his collection.

“I felt great today and the course was beautiful. This was one of my best days on the bike. I used to always ride a mountain bike, but my friends eventually made me start racing on the road. But I really enjoyed racing on gravel and I'm glad it went well," Mohoric said in a post-race interview. As the race split in bits he found himself in front together with Florian Vermeersch and Connor Swift, but after several hours of racing he had more left in the tank in the final 25 kilometers where the decisive gaps were opened.

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“I have always believed in victory, especially because I survived every selection. That made me feel that I had the legs," he tells. "I had explored the last 40 kilometers. That was super technical and with steep climbs, which suited me perfectly. I knew I had to go for it and soon noticed that everyone else was suffering.” With 18 kilometers to go he set off by himself, and looked the strongest. Still he took huge risks in the final descent and ended up going down.

“During the reconnaissance I took a slightly different route, but fortunately I remained calm and did not panic," he says. In style, he crossed the line to take the World title in a very scenic and exciting race. "It is an elite title in a discipline that has a great future. This is becoming very popular and that's why I'm very proud. If it works, I will definitely come back to the World Championship.”

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Rainbow stripes for @matmohoric 🌈 What a ride by the Slovenian to become UCI Gravel World Champion! 🇸🇮 #Veneto2023

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