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'I would love to see an actual gravel rider winning the jersey' – An established gravel incarnation of Nicole Frain lines up as key hope for home-nation at Nannup Gravel World Championships

Australian cyclist Nicole Frain is preparing for her third UCI Gravel World Championships, marking her second full season dedicated exclusively to the discipline. After securing second place in the 2026 UCI Gravel World Series, Frain enters the upcoming race in Nannup with high hopes for a podium finish.

She notes that the shift to an Australian venue, combined with a course featuring over 84 percent unpaved terrain, may finally break the recent dominance of road professionals in the sport. Frain, who previously competed for Hess and Ridley before joining Factor, expressed a strong desire to see a dedicated gravel specialist claim the rainbow jersey this year.

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