Search
shop

Alistair Brownlee strikes gold on gravel return and says ‘felt so good to be back amongst it’

Double Olympic champion returns from injury with a gravel race victory.
News Director
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

Alistair Brownlee was on the top step of a podium once again on Sunday when he took the overall victory at the three-day Raiders Gravel event at Gatehouse of Fleet in the south west of Scotland.

Injury has meant the two-time Olympic champion’s only major triathlon race this season has been the PTO European Open in Ibiza in May, where he finished sixth.

But he underwent successful surgery on his right ankle in July, saying afterwards: “It’s also a big relief that we’ve successfully removed something that has caused me so many issues.”

It’s clear Alistair’s bike legs are in decent shape judged on a dominant performance on the gravel against what was mostly a British field in Dumfries and Galloway.

How the race panned out

He was in control from the outset after crossing the line in 1.23.46 on day one, exactly five minutes ahead of runner-up Mikey Mottram.

He took another 32 seconds out of him on what was a similar second day – with Brownlee, Mottram, and Lawrence Carpenter once again getting away very early on, though this time they were joined by Mottram’s Ribble Collective teammate Metheven Bond.

“There were four of us but I think Mikey just kept riding until everyone else had gone,” explained Brownlee. “We had a decent battle up the climb in the middle, that was a lot of fun and then that descent down there was fast and I got a way a little bit, but he’s just so much quicker than me on the flat rolling stuff.”

Alistair Brownlee Raiders Gravel Race photo credit Joe Cotterill
[Photo credit: RED:ON / Joe Cotterill]

Good training for triathlon

That put him in command going into the final day but he was taking nothing for granted, adding: “I’ve ridden round here enough to know that anything can happen, you can have five minutes with one kilometre to go and it can all disappear in a cloud of smoke.”

But thankfully for him all went well and he won by 6:42 over Mottram in the overall standings, with Bond at +16:07 in third.

Speaking afterwards, Brownlee said: “It felt so good to be back amongst it racing on the weekend.

“I’ve really enjoyed it, it’s an amazing, beautiful place and a good format having three days of racing. You get some good racing and some good training in.”

It’s not his first gravel race title – he won his age-group title at the British Gravel Championships in 2021 – and he added: “Over the years I’ve done quite a lot, as much as I can really, I’d like to do more.

“I’m still concentrating on triathlon, but I love racing – I like being competitive, I like being in the outdoors and exploring new places so definitely in the next few years I can see myself doing a bit more.

“I think racing on gravel is actually very different in that when you race on the road it’s very dependent on how good your top end power is and what sort of kick you’ve got, whereas [on gravel] you can’t kick like that and it’s more about effort over one, three, five minutes and that’s more kind of endurance triathlon that I train for.

“I race for between four and eight hours so the longer the race that kind of long endurance effort is good for me as well.”

Jonathan Turner
Written by
Jonathan Turner
Jonathan Turner is News Director for both TRI247 and RUN247, and is accustomed to big-name interviews, breaking news stories and providing unrivalled coverage for endurance sports.  
Discover more
Caroline Pohle Lena Meissner ironman 703 jonkoping sprint 2025
PremiumTriathlon’s mid-season report card: Tim Don on who’s raising the bar this triathlon race season
TRI-FIT VANGUARD tri suit review
The entry-level tri suit with a serious amount of performance for the price point – TRI-FIT VANGUARD review
Hayden Wilde bike supertri Boston 2024 photo credit supertri
Premium10 ways to make your road bike faster and more aero for triathlons
Kristian Blummenfelt photo credit: PTO Canadian Open
PremiumIs your gut health impacting your performance? The untapped potential of good gut health for triathletes
Laura Philipp and Kat Matthews on the run at the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship
PremiumHas triathlon reached peak performance? Tri experts and legends on how much faster triathletes could get
latest News
Triathlon superstar Hayden Wilde to make shock comeback at London T100
Lionel Sanders wins 70.3 St George 2025 photo credit Getty Images for IRONMAN
‘Intimidating’ to go into Worlds after four months off – but Lionel Sanders up for the challenge
Georgia Taylor-Brown Alex Yee Super League Triathlon Malibu 2021
Triathlon’s most decorated Olympic duo now honoured by their former University
Olav Aleksander Bu Photo credit: Roj Ferman | Surpas
Top triathlon coach Olav Aleksander Bu says it’s all about the team after Uno-X bag first Tour de France win
Danielle Lewis (USA) takes the win in Lake Placid.
IRONMAN Lake Placid 2025: Date, start time, how to watch and who’s racing
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

TRI247-LOGO_Primary-Black_RGB-1

CHOOSE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO BECOME PART OF SOMETHING EPIC

We’re on a mission to elevate the world of endurance sport, becoming your go-to resource for expert training tips and inspiration, unbiased reporting and creating a platform for grassroots voices. But we can’t do it without you on board! Choose a TRI247+ membership option below and become part of something epic.

£7.95/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

100+ new articles/month

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

£47.95/year
£95.40/year

50% Discount

100+ new articles/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

Share to...