Participants will have chance to qualify for the inaugural UCI Gravel World Championships to be held in this fall in Europe
Gravel Racing has become very popular in the last 5-10 years. A new gravel series has spawned to crown racers at a World Championship level.
Trek UCI Gravel World Series
The concept of the new gravel series is based on that of the existing UCI Gran Fondo World Series where riders can also earn their spot for an annual UCI World Championships.
A truly global series at 12 great locations around the world. Top 25% in each age category qualify for the new UCI Gravel World Championships in October.
Trek Bikes, Waterloo WI, is the title sponsor of the series for 2022 through 2024.
Riders will compete in their age group, including pros. The top 25 percent of finishers in every age category will qualify for the world championships. Age categories begin with a large 19-34-year-old field and then carry on in increments of five years — 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, and so on.
The UCI adds that it has chosen not to make the regulations too strict in the series’ first years, allowing participants to compete on any type of bike without electrical assistance (e.g. gravel, cyclo-cross, road, mountain bike). Rules will be evaluated in the coming years.
UCI President David Lappartient “I am thrilled that we now have an exciting and rich calendar of gravel events for riders with an adventurous spirit who enjoy cycling on unsealed roads and paths.
Chuck Hodge, USA Cycling’s chief of racing and events says “I think USAC is staking a stance with this that we want to be very respectful what has organically developed with gravel and appropriately be involved with the existing community and the UCI and other organizations,” he said. “To try and respect the spirit of gravel as well as look forward to what we all know is coming.”
Jingle GX Gravel in Amana Iowa - A Qualifier
The organizers of the world famous Jingle Cross Cyclocross events are excited to announce the Jingle GX Gravel weekend August 5-7 2022 in Amana Iowa is part of the new UCI Gravel World Series.
Check out jinglecross.com for more details. There is a full weekend of gravel planned in this unique German themed village with a "Beers and Gears" Biketoberfest theme, entertainment, and great local beers.
More details will be posted soon.
2022 Trek UCI Gravel World Series Schedule
- Apr 3 2022: UCI Gravel Philippines, Bongabon, Nueva Ecija (PHI)
- May 15 2022: Seven, Nannup (AUS)
- Jun 5 2022: Wish One Gravel Race, Millau (FRA)
- Jun 18 2022: Gravel Adventure, Swieradow-Zdroj (POL)
- Jun 25 2022: Highlands Gravel Classic, Fayetteville (USA)
- Aug 6 2022: Jingle GX Gravel Race, Amana (USA)
- Aug 20 2022: Gravel Grit n Grind, Halmstad (SWE)
- Aug 27 2022: Houffa Gravel, Houffalize (BEL)
- Sep 3 2022: La Monsterrato-Strade Bianche Monferrato, Quattordio (ITA)
- Sep 4 2022: Gravelista, Beechworth (AUS)
- Sep 17 2022: Gravel One Fifty, Veenhuizen (NED)
- Sep 18 2022: Ranxo, Ponts (ESP)
ABOUT The UCI Gravel World Championships qualifier series
Born in the US Midwest some 12-15 years ago under the name of Gravel Grinders, Gravel events are the new highlight in the Gran Fondo World where riders are looking for new challenges. After the States, other continents have embraced the concept in recent years and the Gravel market is current booming worldwide.
Focusing on masters and cyclo tourists these events are a long distance bike race on mainly unpaved roads and paths with an adventurous and often challenging route in the middle of nature. Organizers are often switching to the format to cope with the difficult process of getting approvals to hold Gran Fondos on public roads.
The Trek UCI Gravel World Series is a series of UCI-sanctioned races held all over the world. Some 15-20 qualifier events will qualify the top 25% in each age group to the UCI Gravel World Championships where the champions are awarded with the coveted UCI rainbow jersey.
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BIKEIOWA NOTE: This series is completely separate from the
Gravel Worlds gravel races hosted by Pirate Cycling League the weekend of August 19-20 2022