RADL GRVL p/b Quad Lock 2026: Nicole Frain Dominates Women, Romain Bardet Wins Pro Men, Oceania Champs Crowned
- James Ion
- Jan 23
- 3 min read
Words By James Ion - Photography by Patrick Boere
And we are off! The Gravel Race season has started in sunny Down Under with the RADL GRVL p/b Quad Lock 2026, Nicole Frain dominates the women's race, and Romain Bardet Wins.
2026 has barely got going, and we have our first major pro results! In the much sunnier climes of South Australia, the guys behind SBT GRVL, along with co-founders pro rider Tiffany Cromwell and F1 Driver Valtteri Bottas, invited over 700 local and international riders from 13 countries to come to the RADL GRVL presented by Quad Lock and see what McLaren Vale had to offer.
Now in its third year, riders can expect a fun atmosphere no better demonstrated than by the Quad Lock Budgy Beach Ride in Adelaide, basically a load of people just wearing swimming trunks, or 'Budgy Smugglers', riding to the beach for a swim! That afternoon, a star-studded Pro Panel on the Main Stage entertained crowds with off-bike challenges, won by Tiffany Cromwell and Dylan Johnson.
Despite it being so early in the season, the PRO field was pretty stacked. The women's start list featured the winningest gravel racer of 2025, Nicola Frain, Life Time Grand Prix racers Mellissa Rollins and Samara Shepard, former British Gravel Champ Danni Shrosbree and Tiffany Cromwell herself. Over in the men's, current Life Time Grand Prix Champ Cameron Jones was one of the favourites, along with Frenchman Romain Bardet (- you might have heard of him before, he did ok at some bike race in France), plus Americans Alexey Vermeulen and Ian Boswell.
Women's Race Report
The elite women's race split early on the initial climb, with Nicole Frain (AUS, Factor Racing CC, 2025 UCI Gravel Champion) launching a daring solo breakaway on Kings Hill Road less than 15km in, quickly establishing a small gap over Tori Barry, Tiffany Cromwell, Melisa Rollins (USA, Liv Racing Collective), Samara Sheppard, and Danni Shrosbree. By 25km, Frain's lead hit one minute; Rollins pushed solo to the bridge but couldn't, leaving the chase group behind. Frain's advantage swelled to two minutes by 44km and over three minutes by the SRAM Oasis aid station at 80km, as heat and climbs fractured the peloton. She crossed the line unchallenged, dominating for both the overall win and the Oceania Championship title.
Men's Race Report
The men's race exploded from the start, with an early lead group of Mark O'Brien (AUS, reigning AusCycling Gravel National Champion), Ian Boswell (USA), Romain Bardet (FRA, Factor Racing CC, recently retired WorldTour pro and four-time Tour de France stage winner), Tasman Nankervis, and Cameron Jones (NZL, Scott Sports USA) gapping the field by over a minute post-first climb. Drama hit at 45km when Jones punctured on a technical descent, chasing to within 50 seconds before a second stop to replug; by 65km, the group reformed. At the 80km SRAM Oasis, Bardet ramped up attacks, distanced rivals like O'Brien, Brent Rees, and Boswell, and cleared a decisive gap in the final 10km. Jones surged late to finish 54 seconds back for second overall and the Oceania title, holding off chasers by nearly a minute; Alexey Vermeulen (USA) took third.
Pro Results
Elite Women's Top 10
Position | Rider | Country |
1 | Nicole Frain | AUS |
2 | Melisa Rollins | USA |
3 | Tiffany Cromwell | AUS |
4 | Samara Sheppard | NZL |
5 | Tori Barry | AUS |
6 | Danni Shrosbree | GBR |
7 | Matilda Raynolds | AUS |
8 | Cassia Bogliо | AUS |
9 | Elle de Nooyer | AUS |
10 | Paige Penrose | AUS |
Elite Men's Top 10
Position | Rider | Country |
1 | Romain Bardet | FRA |
2 | Cameron Jones | NZL |
3 | Alexey Vermeulen | USA |
4 | Mark O'Brien | AUS |
5 | Brent Rees | AUS |
6 | Ian Boswell | USA |
7 | Jeremy Presbury | NZL |
8 | Cassius Anderson | USA |
9 | Jasper Albrecht | AUS |
10 | Curtis Dowdell | AUS |
Oceania Elite Women's Top 10
Position | Rider | Country |
1 | Nicole Frain | AUS |
2 | Tiffany Cromwell | AUS |
3 | Samara Sheppard | NZL |
4 | Tori Barry | AUS |
5 | Matilda Raynolds | AUS |
6 | Cassia Bogliо | AUS |
7 | Elle de Nooyer | AUS |
8 | Paige Penrose | AUS |
9 | Karla Bell | AUS |
10 | Inez Cashman | AUS |
Oceania Elite Men's Top 10
Position | Rider | Country |
1 | Cameron Jones | NZL |
2 | Mark O'Brien | AUS |
3 | Brent Rees | AUS |
4 | Jeremy Presbury | NZL |
5 | Jasper Albrecht | AUS |
6 | Curtis Dowdell | AUS |
7 | Lachlan Morton | AUS |
8 | Tom Cheesman | AUS |
9 | Tom Chester | AUS |
10 | Adam Blazević | AUS |
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