Valtteri Bottas wins bronze medal at Australian Gravel Championships

Certainly the most Australian of Finns, Valtteri Bottas flew to Oceania following the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in F1. There, he entered the Australian Gravel Championships, which, despite the name, are open to competitors of other nationalities. Gravel is a bit of a mix of road cycling, cyclocross, and mountain biking, in that competitors compete on trails and through undergrowth, on bikes very similar to those used on the road, but with wider tires, offering better shock absorption, and sculpted to better traverse slippery surfaces.

Bottas attended the event with his partner, professional cyclist Tiffany Cromwell. For the first time in her career, Cromwell donned the green, yellow, and white jersey of the Australian Elite Champion, winning the women's race. This will give her the opportunity to wear her national champion's jersey throughout the coming year, competing in gravel races around the world.

Despite finishing third, Valtteri Bottas didn't have an easy race, suffering a total of three punctures! Including the one he repaired on Tiffany Cromwell's bike before the start, the Finn has become a tire repair specialist. Let's hope his team Mercedes, where he holds the position of reserve driver in Formula 1, will not need his talents this weekend at the Miami Grand Prix!

ALSO READ > Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes' joker