Valtteri Bottas endured nearly six hours of pain in Sunday’s UCI Gravel World Championships, but the Finn ultimately completed the grueling event despite multiple challenges.
The 35-year-old Finn, for whom Formula 1 has practically become a side hustle compared to his passion and dedication to cycling, clocked in a creditable 133rd out of 247 participants in his age group (35 – 39) at the end of the 182 km course between Halle and Leuven in Belgium.
Bottas completed the circuit in 5h40m, or approximately an hour more than the Elite category winner, cycling pro Mathieu can der Poel.
Ahead of the start of the event, Bottas admitted to feeling “more nervous than before an F1 race”.
“Because I know it will last six hours,” he added. “But that's why I'm here. I want to enjoy it to the max. This is the perfect way to escape from the hectic Formula 1 world for a while.”
And the ten-time Grand Prix winner certainly got his money’s worth during the most brutal and punishing race day in his life.
“It was hard as expected!” Bottas wrote on social media after his ordeal.
“With the huge amount of people attending, queueing up for the single track sections in the beginning, and having to fix a puncture 5km before the finish, I was well happy with my day on the bike otherwise .
“Thank you for all the support on the course, it was unreal! And thank you for the best support leading up and during the event to everyone involved I’ll definitely remember this day!”
For good measure, Bottas’ partner Tiffany Cromwell was also in action in Saturday’s women’s Elite event, the Aussie completing her day 25th after a puncture set her back early on.
Bottas and Cromwell, the ultimate power couple!
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