Klismets and Ermane-Marčenko Win Latvian Gravel Cycling Championships

According to the Latvian Cycling Federation (LRF), the third stage of the 'Latvijas valsts meži' MTB and Gravel cycling series took place in Ranka under hot weather conditions, determining the Latvian champions in the elite category. In the men's 102-kilometer race, the first major turn occurred after the initial 16-kilometer lap in Jaunpiebalga when Mārtiņš Pluto launched a solo attack, gaining a one-minute lead. However, efforts by Māris Bogdanovičs, Oskars Muižnieks, and Estonian Markus Maebū caught Pluto. Immediately after, Kārlis Klismets broke away, building a one-minute advantage that no one could erase. Klismets finished first with a time of 2 hours 44 minutes and 51 seconds. In the sprint for second place, Maebū was faster in the final meters, finishing 1 minute and 42 seconds behind. Last year's champion Oskars Muižnieks took the Latvian championship silver medal, one more second back, while Pluto claimed bronze. The next positions were occupied by Olivers Jēkabs Skrapcis, Ģirts Harkins, and Māris Bogdanovičs.

In the women's elite race, Evelīna Ermane-Marčenko led for most of the distance and secured victory. She beat her closest follower Renāte Rodionova by 1 minute and 14 seconds, while Rodionova edged out Krista Pūcīte by less than a second. Rodionova also became the Latvian amateur champion.

In the junior category, Toms Strēlis became champion, finishing seven seconds ahead of Markuss Jākobsons, with Valters Jonass arriving 3 minutes and 58 seconds behind Strēlis.