While much of the spotlight at the 2025 UCI Gravel World Championships fell on the all-conquering Dutch team, a quietly impressive performance came from further down the results sheet. American rider Heidi Franz finished 13th in Maastricht – a strong ride in elite company that doubled as a statement of resilience from a rider once again facing an uncertain future.
Franz was the highest-placed US rider and one of only two in the top 15 not racing for a Women’s WorldTour or ProTeam outfit. Speaking to CyclingNews after her third appearance at Gravel Worlds, the 30-year-old said the result felt like long-awaited validation.
“I was pretty thrilled with how the day went,” Franz told CyclingNews. “These types of courses suit me quite well – punchy, technical and fast. Saturday was finally a reflection of what I’ve known I’ve had in me for a long time.”
She admitted the ride carried extra motivation after a difficult few seasons. “Going into the race, I did kind of feel like I was pretty forgotten as a rider – as an American based in Europe fighting like hell to stay relevant and stay in the sport,” she said. “I really wanted to make sure people knew I was here.”
Photo Credit: PelotonBriefAnother team gone
That determination was tested again within days of her performance. Franz spent this season as co-leader of Cynisca Cycling, but five days after the World Championships the US Continental team announced it would “take a strategic hiatus” for 2026 after failing to raise sufficient funding.
It was a familiar blow for Franz, who has already seen multiple teams fold in recent years. “Having gone through a number of different journeys to a team collapsing, I didn’t have a good feeling about this one,” she told CyclingNews.
Despite the uncertainty, her 2025 results were among her best. She won a stage and multiple classifications at the Volta a Portugal Feminina, finished third overall, and added ninth at La Périgord Ladies, plus 13th at Gravel Worlds.
Road racer at heart
Although gravel racing has offered Franz new opportunities, her passion remains the road. “My favourite competition is still the road,” she said. “That’s where I love the chess-game aspect of racing – being smart, anticipating what’s going to happen next, and doing that with a team. Gravel is fun, but the road is where I feel most at home.”
A nine-year professional, Franz has previously represented the United States at three Road World Championships and has overall wins at the Redlands Bicycle Classic and stage victories at the Joe Martin Stage Race and Volta a Portugal Feminina.
She now faces another off-season spent searching for a contract but remains determined to continue. “I’ve got one lead that’s just taking more time than expected,” she said. “I’m still motivated, still racing hard, and I know what I’m capable of.”
Still fighting
After years of team instability and setbacks, Franz’s top-15 finish in Maastricht was more than a result – it was proof she still belongs at the top level. “It was a relief and a reminder that I can compete with the best,” she told CyclingNews. “I’ve had to fight like hell to stay in this sport, but I’m not done yet.”
