Gómez Villafañe and Jones Go Solo at Little Sugar MTB

Words by James Ion - Photography provided by Dan Hughes/Life Time.

Two solo rides, two statements. With the Grand Prix so close in the men’s overall it was no wonder so many chose to avoid the UCI Gravel World Championship and fight for the premier gravel competition. The women’s champion may have been decided but with the remaining top positions still to play for the field was stacked with contenders.

The day was defined by dominant performances from series leader Sofía Gómez Villafañe and Wild Card winner Cameron Jones, who both rode away from stacked fields to take emphatic victories at the inaugural Life Time Little Sugar MTB, the newest addition to the Life Time Grand Prix Series.

In the women’s race, Gómez Villafañe wasted no time—launching an attack within the first five miles and never looking back. Riding smooth and steady, she carved through Bentonville’s singletrack to win in 5:08:32, securing both the race win and the 2025 Life Time Grand Prix overall title in the process.

Behind her, Alexis Skarda kept things steady, finishing 2:57 back for second, while Melisa Rollins made a late push to snatch third from Hannah Otto and Michaela Thompson.

“I went solo up the grassy hill at the start and expected Alexis to catch me, but she was riding her own pace,” Gómez Villafañe said. “It was a bit lonely out there, but my legs were good today. Maybe too much altitude training—but it worked!”

With her overall series victory now confirmed, attention shifts to the fight for second—where Cecily Decker and Rollins are separated by just two points heading into the series finale at Big Sugar Gravel.

In the men’s race, Cameron Jones played his own hand—leading from the front, surviving a solo effort, and delivering another signature ride. The New Zealander found clear trail early, setting a tempo that only Matthew Beers and Bradyn Lange could initially match.

By mile 30, Jones was gone. He crossed the line in 4:17:00, 2:38 ahead of Lange, with Andrew L’Esperance rounding out the podium.

“I had awesome legs today,” Jones said. “The plan was simple—be up front in the singletrack, ride my own pace, and stay out of trouble. I cooked it a bit early and started to cramp, but it was good to have that buffer. Fun day on the trails.”

Further back, Keegan Swenson’s early puncture forced a massive chase—three minutes down after just six miles—but he still clawed his way to valuable points. The standings couldn’t be tighter: Swenson leads by just one point over Simon Pellaud and Jones, who sit tied for second on 97 points, with Torbjørn Andre Røed one point behind in fourth.

With riders allowed to drop their lowest score after Little Sugar, everything comes down to Big Sugar Gravel on October 18. Bentonville is about to host one last showdown.

Women’s Top 5

1️⃣ Sofía Gómez Villafañe – 5:08:32

2️⃣ Alexis Skarda – 5:11:29

3️⃣ Melisa Rollins – 5:13:44

4️⃣ Hannah Otto – 5:14:25

5️⃣ Michaela Thompson – 5:14:45

Men’s Top 5

1️⃣ Cameron Jones – 4:17:00

2️⃣ Bradyn Lange – 4:19:38

3️⃣ Andrew L’Esperance – 4:23:01

4️⃣ Matthew Beers – 4:24:14

5️⃣ Zach Calton – 4:26:05