Florian Vermeersch Claims Gold at Gravel World Champs, Frits Biesterbos Shocks with Silver in South Limburg

Florian Vermeersch succeeded Mathieu van der Poel as world gravel champion. At the 2025 Gravel World Championships in South Limburg, the Belgian classics specialist prevailed after a long two-man battle with Frits Biesterbos, the Dutch surprise of this championship. At the finish in Maastricht, Vermeersch crossed solo, well ahead of Biesterbos. The bronze went to Matej Mohoric behind them.

The Gravel World Championship covered 180 kilometers, taking riders from Beek to Maastricht. With gravel sectors, forest trails, country roads, and challenging climbs, it was a varied course. The route consisted of a loop of about 50 kilometers through Beek, Beekdaelen, Voerendaal, Meerssen, and Valkenburg, followed by a standalone finale towards Maastricht. The highlight and toughest challenge was the Bronsdalweg: over a kilometer of climbing at an average gradient of 8% on gravel.

Big names such as Tim Wellens, Quinten Hermans, Gianni Vermeersch, and Florian Vermeersch started from the large Belgian contingent, but also former gravel world champion Matej Mohoric and Tom Pidcock took part. The latter had raced the Tour of Lombardy on Saturday and flew by private jet to South Limburg to compete for the world title. The Netherlands also had a sizeable team, including Tibor Del Grosso and Senna Remijn, but no outright favorite.

Four leaders up front, Mohoric and Pidcock in pursuit
In the opening phase, racing was intense, and the cream was separated from the crop. Quinten Hermans, Connor Swift, and Pepijn Reinderink formed the first breakaway group of the day but couldn’t stay away. A quartet that did manage to break clear consisted of Florian Vermeersch, Floris Van Tricht, Nils Politt, and Dutch gravel champion Frits Biesterbos. They gained over a minute and a half on the first chasers, with Mohoric actively visible in the peloton.

A chasing group formed with many Belgians, including Wellens, Hermans, Gianni Vermeersch, Toon Aerts, and Fabio Christen. Differences were not very large there, so a big group of favorites and outsiders started the last 75 kilometers 45 seconds behind the front group. Up front, Politt had dropped back due to a mechanical defect and fell into a group with Mohoric and Félix Stehli.

Tom Pidcock and Matej Mohoric push hard on the roads of Limburg:

First big moves are starting to happen in the peloton! @tompidcock and @matmohoric are getting into the fight 💪#ZuidLimburg2025 pic.twitter.com/kUteQ6YLKV

— UCI (@UCI_cycling) October 12, 2025

This situation was not to Tom Pidcock’s liking, and he started to shake things up. However, he didn’t get much closer. Leaders Vermeersch, Van Tricht, and Biesterbos impressively held Mohoric and Stehli at 35 seconds, while the group with Pidcock and Wellens followed at a minute and a half. Quinten Hermans escaped from that group with Wellens and Rick Ottema, but even they struggled to close the gap to the leaders and the Mohoric group.

Only Biesterbos can follow Vermeersch
At 40 kilometers from the finish, Van Tricht had to drop back in a tough forest section, behind Vermeersch and a very strong Biesterbos. Those two came over the last section at the start with a 45-second lead over Mohoric, Stehli, and Van Tricht; with 35 kilometers remaining to Maastricht. The group with Hermans, Wellens, and Ottema gained reinforcements from Pidcock and Timo Kielich in that phase, but they were already 1:50 behind the leaders.

Gaps didn’t shrink much, allowing Vermeersch and Biesterbos to dream of the world title. Behind them, it became more of an individual battle, with Mohoric doing most of the work in the chase, and Pidcock breaking clear with Wellens in that group behind. There wasn't really solid cooperation.

Watch the decisive attack here:

Belgian Florian Vermeersch escapes!🇧🇪

Follow the Gravel World Championships live on L1 TV or https://t.co/PiA4xQjsgb. #ZuidLimburg2025 #WKGravel #GravelChampionships pic.twitter.com/AFIiNP2uUO

— L1 Sport (@L1_Sport) October 12, 2025

Vermeersch doesn’t get it easy from strong Biesterbos
At 20 kilometers from the finish, Vermeersch saw his chance. On a sloping section, he surprised Biesterbos by breaking away from his wheel. It seemed like he was gone, but the Dutch BEAT surprise didn’t give up and got back in sight of the Belgian. On the steep Bronsdalweg, 15 kilometers from the finish, the decision could still be made, but Biesterbos limited the damage. The gap was only 12 seconds with 13 kilometers to go.

Bit by bit, Vermeersch increased his advantage. 15 seconds became 20, then 30 seconds as they entered Maastricht. Biesterbos was broken and had to settle for the silver medal. In the final phase, the soloing Vermeersch was untouchable. After two silver medals at the Gravel Worlds (in 2023 behind Mohoric, in 2024 behind Mathieu van der Poel), he now claimed the gold himself.

In the battle for bronze, Mohoric was the strongest. He dropped Stehli on the Bronsdalweg and soloed to the third spot on the podium. That was a minute and a half behind Belgian world champion Florian Vermeersch, who took his time celebrating and became emotional after the finish. The top five was completed by Van Tricht and Stehli, leaving Pidcock and Wellens just outside the top five.

photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos