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THE TRAKA 200 \u2013 Evensen-Lie claims impressive 7th in Gravel debut<\/b>
\nThe weekend\u2019s highlight was undoubtedly\u00a0The Traka 200<\/b>\u00a0in Girona, Europe\u2019s premier gravel event. The race saw a thrilling sprint finish won by former road pro Lukas P\u00f6stlberger, who held off a charging pack of MTB specialists, while Sofia Gomez Villafa\u00f1e secured a dominant back-to-back victory in the women\u2019s field.<\/p>\n
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In this elite field, tackling a\u00a0202 km course with 2,650 meters of elevation<\/b>, Norwegian powerhouse\u00a0Eskil Evensen-Lie<\/b>\u00a0delivered a masterclass. In his first-ever gravel race, the\u00a0Metallurgica Veneta<\/b>\u00a0rider stayed in the mix from the gun, riding in a 40-strong lead group that dictated the pace until the first feed zone at kilometer 99. As the selection tightened between km 99 and 125, Eskil bridged across to an elite chase group of 5-6 riders – featuring some of the biggest names in MTB and gravel – to hunt down the leading trio.<\/p>\n
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The prestige of his performance was further highlighted by trading pulls with mountain bike “GOAT”\u00a0Nino Schurter<\/b>\u00a0during the closing stages.<\/p>\n
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“Chasing the break with Nino Schurter was a blast,”<\/i>\u00a0Evensen-Lie commented after the finish.\u00a0“The Traka 200 is in the books\u2014my first ever gravel race and I loved every bit of it. I managed to stick with the favorites when the race blew apart on the climbs after 110 km. In the last 30 km, my legs weren’t exactly happy anymore, but I\u2019m stoked with a solid 7th place. Huge thanks for the support throughout the weekend!”<\/i><\/p>\n
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It was a tough day, however, for teammate\u00a0Andrea Candeago<\/strong>. The Italian was forced to abandon after just 25 kilometers due to a double puncture on a descent. Despite his best efforts to repair the tires, the massive distance remaining and the gap to the feed zone made continuing impossible.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n BIKE MARATHON GARDA TRENTINO \u2013 Arias and Zarantonello secure Top-10 results<\/b> <\/p>\n Colombian veteran\u00a0Diego Arias<\/b>\u00a0showed his trademark character, riding consistently in the hunt for a podium spot. For three hours, he looked set for a top-5 finish, but severe cramping on the final climb forced him to drop from the lead group. He eventually fought through a five-way sprint to take\u00a011th overall<\/b>, improving on his 2023 result but leaving him hungry for more given his early-race form.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the women’s elite race,\u00a0Maria Zarantonello<\/b>\u00a0sought redemption after a DNF in 2025. She rode a calculated race, hovering between 7th and 9th position. Despite also battling cramps on the final ascent, she crossed the line in\u00a09th place<\/b>, a result that builds crucial momentum for the coming weeks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “The sensations were good early on,”<\/em>\u00a0said a determined Zarantonello.\u00a0“But I had a lot of energy fluctuations today. The pace on the first climb in Riva was higher than I\u2019ve ever seen. I\u2019m not entirely satisfied, but I finished only two minutes off 7th place, so the form is there. We\u2019ll bounce back at Capoliveri – a technical, brutal course that suits me perfectly.”<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Next Stop <\/p>\n![\"Traka](\"https:\/\/isbsport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/The-Traka-26-03-888x1024.jpg\")
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\nSimultaneously, the team was in action at the grueling\u00a0UCI Bike Marathon in Riva del Garda\u00a0<\/b>(84 km, 3,400m+ elevation). The pace was relentless from the first ramps.<\/p>\n![\"Traka](\"https:\/\/isbsport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/The-Traka-26-02-1024x683.jpg\")
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\nMetallurgica Veneta Professional Team<\/b>\u00a0now shifts its focus to the\u00a0UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Cup in Capoliveri<\/b>, looking to convert this weekend\u2019s strong signals into podium hardware.<\/p>\n