Queenstowner Geoff Hunt has qualified for the UCI World Gravel Championships in Perth this October after a "tough day at the office" in the United States.
The 72-year-old competed in the Highlands Gravel Classic, in Goshen, Fayetteville, last Saturday (US time) in the men’s 70-74 age group, finishing second overall in a time of 3:30.17.
The course is a hilly, technical route through the Ozarks, often on single-vehicle-width roads in the backcountry, during which riders tackle 95% gravel, rolling ridgelines and over a dozen climbs.
Hunt says he was in the second 60+ group last weekend — in the middle of the race, that was at a "gentle pace" for 20 minutes.
"Things changed and a dropped chain at the base of the last big hill dropped me off the back of the group, and after 25km of chasing they were still out of sight."
Nonetheless, he managed to finish about 14 minutes behind age group winner Mark Ruscoe, and 16 minutes ahead of Wolf Meingast, both of the US, all of whom qualify for this year’s worlds.
