2025 Bluewater International Gran Fondo
United States | Midwest | Ohio >> Villafañe and Mock Triumph in Tough Conditions at Valley of Tears Gravel Race

Villafañe and Mock Triumph in Tough Conditions at Valley of Tears Gravel Race

Sofia Gomez Villafañe and Daxton Mock emerged victorious in the challenging conditions of the Valley of Tears gravel race, held on Saturday. Snow, sleet, and blustery winds forced race organizers to shorten the long course from 97 miles to 47 miles (75.6 km), yet the elite competitors showcased their grit and determination in the face of adversity.

Villafañe and Mock Triumph in Tough Conditions at Valley of Tears Gravel Race

In just its second edition, the Valley of Tears race captivated participants and spectators alike, offering a substantial prize purse of $26,000 shared between the elite fields. Elite men and women started separately, but both faced the formidable weather conditions that transformed the sandy washes and steep climbs of the Tampico Tundra into a sticky, claret-colored mud pit.

The drastic shift in weather was evident over the course of athe event. The inaugural dirt criterium on Friday welcomed warm spring temperatures of 76°F, but by Saturday, temperatures plummeted 40 degrees, with winds gusting over 30 mph and rain transitioning from sleet to snow.

Villafañe, representing Specialized Off-road, demonstrated her versatility by winning both the dirt criterium and the gravel race. After a commanding performance in the criterium, where she broke away early to claim victory, she continued her winning streak with a solo effort in the gravel race, completing the shortened course in 2:39:35. Emily Newsom (PAS Racing) finished in second place, 4:55 behind, while Crystal Anthony secured third, crossing the line six minutes later.

"I made a solo move six miles in after the now infamous gravel limestone pit and it stuck until the end," Villafañe shared on social media. "I questioned my choice a bit in the massive headwind sections, but we finally had a race where it was a separate start and no drafting between fields, which was very sick."

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In the elite men's race, Mock, riding for the Bear National Team, seized victory from a lead group of three. The 24-year-old from Wisconsin was unaware that the course had been shortened, leading to an exhilarating finish as he sprinted across the line. French rider Hugo Drechou (Numéro 31 par Café du Cycliste) took second place, while Michael Garrison (MGR p/b NICH SpeedClub) finished third.

"Got in a good break, and as I was rolling into town, I guess I got a bit excited through the finish line and thought, ‘Why not sprint to the line, just in case?’ Turns out it worked when they shortened the original course due to weather," Mock explained on Instagram. "Would’ve loved to battle it out more with the guys, but a win’s a win and I’m loving it!"

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The Valley of Tears race also marked the opening round of USA Cycling's Junior Gravel National Series, featuring five races across the U.S. with scoring available in four categories. Carter Lembke won the men's 17-18 junior division in 2:03:38, narrowly beating Alex Snider in the 15-16 division, while Sara Shannon claimed victory in the women's 17-18 junior division with a time of 2:30:52.

2025 Valley of Tears Men Top 10

1 Daxton Mock 02:17:01
2 Hugo Drechou +00:01
3 Michael Garrison +00:02
4 Russell Finsterwald +02:17
5 Adam Roberge +02:19
6 Torbjørn Andre Røed +02:19
7 Chase Wark +02:19
8 Tobin Ortenblad +03:11
9 John Borstelmann +03:27
10 Dylan Johnson +03:38

2025 Valley of Tears Women Top 10

1 Sofia Gomez Villafañe 02:39:35
2 Emily Newsom +04:50
3 Crystal Anthony +10:27
4 Cecily Decker +11:50
5 Axelle Dubau-Prevot +15:13
6 Lauren Stephens +19:42
7 Ellory Clason +23:24
8 Erin Reedy +30:29
9 Maire Noonan +30:53
10 Terry Moore +35:03

Full results from the Valley of Tears are available at https://www.sixpackoutdoors.org/vot

The next event in the series, the Life Time Sea Otter Classic Gravel, will take place on April 11 in Monterey, California, followed by additional contests throughout the summe