Fairytale story of woman who pushed Vos to her limits at Gravel World Championships: 'You can be proud'

The German cyclist’s story is remarkable. She was born in Geilenkirchen, about seven kilometres from the Dutch border. Despite the hilly countryside she grew up in, she didn’t develop a passion for cycling in her younger years.

Studying was more Klöser’s thing, which brought her to Maastricht during her teenage years: she lived there for three years while pursuing her bachelor’s degree. She then moved to Copenhagen to earn her master’s degree and, later, her PhD in the field of ecology.

It wasn't until she arrived in Copenhagen—a city known for its cycling culture—that she discovered her love for cycling. It happened by chance when her city bike was stolen in 2021. She decided to buy an entry-level road bike because she saw so many people riding them in the Danish capital.

Klöser, who was already 25 years old at the time, quickly realised she was making good progress and decided—while still working on her PhD—to join a cycling club and participate in Zwift races.

During a workshop, she then met the Dutch pro Piotr Havik, who recognized her talent and advised her to try competing in a gravel race.

And so it came to pass: as early as 2023, two years after she started cycling following the theft of her city bike, the German rider finished on the podium in several UCI Gravel Series races, including Millau, La Monsterrato, and Grit 'n Grind. A year later came her definitive breakthrough in the United States, where Klöser won the prestigious Unbound race.

Naturally, that victory didn’t come easily. As an independent rider, a lone competitor, Klöser prepared for that race with meticulous precision. To get used to the 320-kilometre race through the rugged landscape of Kansas, she completed similar rides on rural roads in Denmark and Germany.

Things didn't go smoothly on race day either. Klöser crashed early on and also got a flat tire, which quickly put her two minutes behind. Despite this, she managed to pass everyone and ultimately won the race ahead of the Dutch rider Geerike Scheurs.

The pro teams then lined up to sign her, and Klöser signed with Canyon//SRAM for 2025, with Paris-Roubaix as her ultimate goal. She finished 31st there in both 2025 and 2026, while in a race like this year’s Tour de France Femmes, she was able to add another layer to her already strong foundation.

This season, Klöser won Traka, among other races, and she also lined up as the top favorite on the gruelling World Championship gravel course in Australia.

Things didn’t go as planned there on Saturday, as she ran into equipment problems early on. Eventually, she found her way back to the front and attacked on the toughest climb.

Only Vos knew she had to follow the German rider’s wheel, after which the Dutch rider launched her attack 3.5 kilometres from the finish.

Klöser, who had been worn down, then crashed and arrived at the finish a little later, where Vos was waiting for her with the words, “You can be proud.” And that’s exactly right!