Individuals she is aware of name her ‘Gee’, however most individuals within the US weren’t conversant in Geerike Schreurs (SD Worx-Protime), or tips on how to pronounce her identify, till she hit the large time of gravel on the 2024 Life Time Unbound 200. A relative newcomer to gravel racing and a first-timer at Unbound, the Dutch rider completed second to winner Rosa Klöser, one other debutant, in an thrilling eight-rider dash to the road in downtown Emporia, Kansas after 203 miles (327km).
Saturday’s fierce dash, to finish a race that performed out over 10 hours, 26 minutes and two seconds, was additionally the quickest version of Unbound Gravel’s north route which has been accomplished now 3 times.
“Once I realised it was for positive going to be a dash, I attempted on the ultimate kicker to assault, and use my large core, my weight, on the downhill to get a spot,” laughed the tall Dutch rider referring to her top, at simply over six toes.
“I had a very good lead out from Sarah Sturm, she was on the entrance on the final nook, I stated ‘simply go, go, go’,” stated Schreurs of her fellow Specialised rider. “I feel the strongest truly gained at the moment. Rosa [Klöser] was actually sturdy. I’m actually comfortable that I might dash to second place at the moment.”
Coming into her first Unbound Gravel race, she already had a robust outcomes sheet, together with a win at The Gralloch two weeks in the past, second at Wörthersee Gravel Race and The Traka 360. She additionally made a visit to the US and completed fourth at Belgian Waffle Journey Arizona. However 2024 is her first full season racing off-road occasions, so even she was uncertain of what she would uncover at Unbound about her skills and her opponents.
“I don’t know everybody so nicely but as a result of it’s my first yr. It’s my first time at Unbound. So it’s all the time kind of arduous to see how everybody will probably be within the dash,” she stated within the combine zone to media after her second place at Unbound 200.
“It’s actually superior. It’s actually totally different. I’m comfortable that I can expertise this. I’ve such an excellent sponsor behind me, they let me come over from Europe to be right here, particularly Specialised. That’s actually superior.”
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A biking profession reboot
Her path to gravel glory is a bit difficult. Gee’ started racing a motorcycle when she was 19 years previous and he or she did it for enjoyable. “I performed volleyball for a really very long time and needed one thing totally different.”
Her biking profession started in 2008 with a membership group and after a number of years on the Continental degree she simply stopped racing when her group closed its doorways. In 2017 she started working as a soigneur for groups Hitec and Cylance, then touchdown with Lidl-Trek in 2019. In 2023 she took a possibility to concentrate on her using once more, this time with SD Worx-Protime.
“She stop biking, which at the moment I assumed was actually unhappy that she did as a result of she was actually sturdy as a street bicycle owner,” SD Worx-Protime sports activities director Anna van der Breggen recalled in a YouTube video about Schreurs put out by Specialised. “She began fairly late and he or she actually preferred it, but it surely was additionally fairly totally different [to be part of] the bunch if you don’t have the expertise. I keep in mind she crashed many instances, and he or she had some nice outcomes.
“I don’t know the way it got here up, however I recommended it, why don’t you strive gravel racing. She had a gravel bike and he or she preferred it on the roads round right here [Netherlands] so she was constructive about it,” Van der Breggen stated. They each questioned if it was attainable after so a few years of Schreurs working as a soigner, however Van der Breggen stated the timing was proper since gravel was rising.
“Whenever you see the qualities of Geerike, it’s one thing she will be able to actually do nicely. The longer it takes, the higher she will get. And she or he is in fact very motivated. We prefer it that there’s a gravel rider racing in our package. Workforce SD Worx-Protime is actually supporting this. We’re serving to the place we will to offer her the perfect preparation and supplies, along with Specialised to make her the perfect gravel rider.”
Schreurs completed second at The Traka 360 this yr, whereas the 200 final yr, the place she got here fifth within the girls’s class, was a pivotal level in her gravel journey as ‘the primary occasion that obtained me into gravel’.
“I do know now that I used to be a very good soigneur. By all the time taking care of another person, you typically overlook your self, ‘what do I need, or what do I would like’,” stated Schreurs. “Once I made the choice final yr, I assumed I do one thing lastly that I need to do. And I don’t let anybody change my resolution. I really feel comfortable about it, that I used to be courageous sufficient to make that call and return to the place I didn’t [leave] on a superb feeling.”
Now with a podium at Unbound Gravel 200, Schreurs stated she deliberate to remain within the US to to compete on the Oregon Path Gravel, held June 26-30 as one of many international occasions for the Gravel Earth Collection.
“I’m actually wanting ahead to it [Oregon Trail] as nicely. It’s going to be one other American expertise. And have a while between to only loosen up and luxuriate in America.”
