Cycling

'It's more a personal battle' - Sofia Gomez Villafañe locked in all year for significant climbing and 'wide open gravel' at UCI Gravel World Championships

October 6, 2026

Sofia Gomez Villafañe is aiming to cap off a dominant off-road cycling career with a world title at the UCI Gravel World Championships in Nannup, Western Australia. The 32-year-old, who holds dual citizenship in Argentina and the United States, has amassed over 20 major victories across three continents in the past five seasons, including multiple national championships in mountain biking and cyclo-cross.

Her resume features standout performances in high-profile endurance races like the Unbound Gravel 200, The Traka 200, and the Cape Epic, each of which she has won twice. In North America alone, she has claimed seven Belgian Waffle Ride titles, swept all three editions of the Valley of Tears series, and secured a win at the Leadville Trail 100, among other accolades.

Despite her success, a world championship—let alone a rainbow jersey—has remained elusive, even as she became the first Argentine woman to compete in mountain bike cross-country at the Olympics in 2021, finishing in the top 25.

Villafañe’s focus on the UCI Gravel Worlds was solidified over a year ago, following her team’s assessment of the course terrain. Unlike previous editions, the Australian event’s high-elevation, long-distance routes align with her strengths, particularly after she transitioned from shorter, high-intensity races to grueling off-road challenges in 2021.

Her journey began humbly, with her first gravel race victory coming at the 69-mile Crusher in the Tushar in Utah, where she won solo despite starting with borrowed equipment. Now, with three Life Time Grand Prix titles and a commanding lead in the 2026 series standings, Villafañe enters the championships as one of the most decorated and determined competitors in the field.