Lauren De Crescenzo (The Feed-Argonaut-Castelli-Maxxis) opened her 2026 gravel campaign on familiar territory in Georgia, returning as the two-time elite women's winner of Homegrown Gravel Adventure, supported by Wahoo. Several dicey mud sections put her in unfamiliar situations, however, leaving her with a runner-up finish and a battered left arm.
The early prognostication was for a battle against Emily Newsom, making her first start with a new Ventum-BikeTiresDirect setup, no matter what the course conditions. Heavy rain in the days leading up to the 100-mile race factored into how the two riders would survive to the final 1.5 miles to decide the win. Newsom would earn the victory in her first appearance in Franklin, Georgia, finishing in 5:34:10, 30 seconds ahead of two-time winner De Crescenzo.
