The Traka 360 always packs a punch, with the world’s best riders lining up outside Girona in northern Spain for a day (and then some) of fighting it out on gravel tracks, from the foothills of the Pyrenees to the Mediterranean. Terrain ranged from farm tracks to technical singletrack, with twists and turns designed for no-compromise racing.

Axelle escaped from the pack late in the race along with Poland’s Karolin Migoń and the American Sarah Sturm. The three women then fought it out, with Sturm first getting dropped and Migoń then pushing on for the win, for the second year running, finishing just 30 seconds ahead of Dubau-Prévôt in second.

Said Axelle: “I don’t have any specific goals this year because I refuse to put excessive pressure on myself for a single event. If it doesn’t go to plan, the disappointment can be too great. Of course, The Traka is one of the races I want to perform well in, but ultimately, that’s the case for every race this year. The pressure started to build a few days before, but I felt ready. The kilometres ticked by and I quickly realised that this was going to be a great day. I took control of the race and pushed up the pace. Getting a second place in my first time out is incredible. It’s a result that gives meaning to our project and I can’t wait to experience a day like this again.”

As for our male athlete, Hugo Drechou, a hydration problem in the chaos of the opening kilometres cost him his shot at a top-10 placing. Nevertheless, he fought on and finished 25th. "I had good feelings and I was riding the race I had hoped for,” he said, “but I lost my water supply quite quickly, forcing me to do the first 125 kilometres with only 700 millilitres. This unfortunately cost me at the end of the race. I think The Traka really is the race that suits my strengths, and I can be reassured I'm in good form. I'm already looking forward to the summer races, it’s always a period that suits me!"

It hasn’t taken Numéro 31 par Café du Cycliste long to open the scoring this year, and with form continuing to be good, the stars are sure to align soon for Hugo. Now, the pair are heading stateside once again, for the Belgian Waffle Ride in Utah, closely followed by another season highlight, Unbound.