rewrite this content and keep HTML tags
The 2025 Life Time Big Sugar Gravel presented by Kenetik wrapped up the Life Time Grand Prix season with chaos, rain, and all-out racing across a shortened 50-mile course.
When the mud cleared, Cameron Jones sprinted his way to the overall men’s title, Sofía Gómez Villafañe locked in a clean sweep of Bentonville, and Matthew Beers finally grabbed his first Grand Prix win. If you missed the race, you can watch the full replay of both the men’s and women’s race below – free.
Forecasted storms forced organizers to cut the 100-mile route in half, but the shorter route made for different tactics and some exciting racing. The men’s race went full throttle from the start, and the women’s field followed with equal ferocity, both decided in tense, tactical finales.
Men’s Elite: Beers Goes Solo for the Win
South African powerhouse Matthew Beers (Specialized Factory Racing) launched one of the day’s boldest moves, breaking away with Matthew Wilson and Riley Amos early on. When Wilson suffered a mechanical and Amos faded in the closing miles, Beers pressed on alone, hammering to a decisive solo victory.
“I’m really good at this type of effort coming from the mountain bike side,” Beers said. “It was full gas, head down, commit 100%. I’ve been close so many times, so finally winning one feels amazing.”
Behind him, Griffin Easter nipped Amos in a drag race for second, while Julien Gagne rolled through in fourth. The overall contenders, Swenson, Jones, Pellaud, and Røed, rode together all day, eyeing each other’s every move. When the dust (and rain) settled, Jones outkicked them all in a fierce sprint for fifth, a finish that handed him the 2025 Life Time Grand Prix title by the slimmest of margins.
Life Time Series Over Cam Jones’ Wild Card Season Ends in Glory
Cameron Jones started the year as a Wild Card rider, an outsider fighting for a roster spot. Five months later, he’s the overall champion.
“Today was exciting,” Jones said. “We just marked each other all day. It was a long sprint, but I managed to hold on. I’ve proven my point that I belong here.”
Jones’ storybook season included wins at UNBOUND Gravel and Little Sugar MTB, and a hard-fought fifth-place finish at Big Sugar that sealed the deal. Keegan Swenson finished fourth in the series overall, describing the finale as “tactical and tricky… I gave it everything I had.”
Women’s Elite: Villafañe Closes Out a Perfect Bentonville
For Sofía Gómez Villafañe, Bentonville was the perfect ending to a dominant year. After winning Little Sugar MTB last weekend and securing her third straight overall Grand Prix title, she capped it off with another victory at Big Sugar.
Racing alongside U.S. Gravel Champion Lauren Stephens, Villafañe timed her attack perfectly on the slick course, dropping Stephens in the closing miles to take the win solo. Stephens held on for second, while Stella Hobbs sprinted in for third ahead of Alexis Skarda and Courtney Sherwell.
“I thrive in chaos,” Villafañe said with a laugh. “The weather and uncertainty made it fun. I recon’d the course yesterday with Matt Beers, which turned out to be a smart move. Winning both Sugar races and the overall, I couldn’t ask for a better ending.”
Cecily Decker edged Melisa Rollins for second overall, capping her season on a high note after a tough recovery from injury.
A Win for the U23s, and a Look to 2026
The U23 competition wrapped up with Alexandra Charles and Jonas Woodruff taking wins at Big Sugar. At the same time, Ruth Holcomb and Griffin Hoppin claimed the inaugural U23 Life Time Grand Prix titles, earning automatic spots for 2026.
Next year’s series will automatically invite the top five men and women from 2025, along with the U23 winners, ensuring that Jones, Villafañe, and the next generation of gravel talent are already on the roster.
Next stop: 2026. The stage is already set.
