The dethroned Matej Mohorič sees himself unrewarded at the Gravel World Championships: "They had no motivation to work"

Matej Mohorič was unable to replicate his performance from last year. The Slovenian finished seventh at the Gravel World Championships on Sunday afternoon but can still look back with satisfaction. An injury had almost prematurely ended his season, making a title defense out of reach regardless.

Things didn’t look promising for Mohorič after his training accident in Girona, where a tendon in his hand was exposed. The Slovenian was scouting the gravel race at Sea Otter Europe in early September. "It was an unnecessary fall. I wasn’t fully focused. I slid out in a corner because, I think, I wasn’t used to riding so much on gravel, and I handled the bike as if I were on a road bike," Mohorič told Cyclingnews after the race.

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The crash forced the Slovenian time trial champion to miss the Road World Championships. After the fall, it took about a week for the wound to heal enough for him to make a fist. It was only a few days before the Gravel World Championships that it became clear he would be able to compete.

Mohorič rode an aggressive race but was stuck with three Belgians

That was a positive development for him. Despite his physical challenges, Mohorič rode aggressively, staying in the lead group and later initiating multiple attacks to spark a chase of Mathieu van der Poel and Florian Vermeersch. Together with Connor Swift (Great Britain), he tried to close the gap but was ultimately outmaneuvered by the tactical advantage of the Belgian riders.

"In the chasing group, I was with three Belgians, and that made it very difficult. They had no motivation to work," Mohorič said afterward. In the sprint of the chasing group, Quinten Hermans crossed the line first. Mohorič admitted his timing in the sprint wasn’t ideal: "I went too early, and that cost me a spot in the top five."

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Despite missing the podium, Mohorič looks back on his performance with satisfaction. "I’m happy with what I showed today. It could have been a medal, but that wasn’t in the cards. Still, I’m proud of my performance."

The Gravel World Championships do not mark the end of the season for Mohorič. He will still compete in a few more races in Italy, including the Gran Piemonte. "I have a few more chances this season, and after that, we’ll focus on next year."