UCI launches a new worldwide series of gravel events

AIGLE, Switzerland (March 25, 2022) — The UCI and Golazo are proud to present a new series of worldwide mass participation gravel events – UCI Gravel World Series – with races on four continents where riders can qualify for the new UCI Gravel World Championships which will take place in the European autumn. The date and venue of these first UCI Gravel World Championships will be communicated shortly.

Born in the US Midwest some 15 years ago, gravel has grown in popularity and is now booming worldwide. Popular with riders seeking new challenges, it combines elements of road and mountain bike, and takes place mainly on unsealed roads (gravel, forest tracks, farm roads, cobbles, etc).

The concept of the new gravel series is based on that of the existing and very successful UCI Gran Fondo World Series where riders can earn their spot for the annual UCI World Championships. At each round of the new UCI Gravel World Series, the top 25% of men and women from each age group will qualify for the UCI Gravel World Championships which will crown the new UCI World Champions in each age group.

The only difference with the concept for Gran Fondo is that professional riders may also take part in events of the series and qualify for the discipline’s UCI World Championships.

The new Series will kick off on 3 April with an 85km event in the Philippines. The series will have a total of 12 events: after the Philippines, the series will continue with two races in the United States, two in Australia and one event in each France, Poland, Holland, Sweden, Belgium, Italy and Spain.
The UCI has chosen to not make the regulations too strict in the first years, allowing participants to compete on any type of bike without electrical assistance (gravel, cyclo-cross, mountain bike, road…). This will be evaluated in the upcoming years.

UCI President David Lappartient declared: “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. The best among them will earn the right to compete in the inaugural UCI Gravel World Championships, the details of which will be released soon. The UCI Gran Fondo World Series is incredibly popular, and I am convinced that this concept will be equally successful for the gravel format.”

The Trek UCI Gravel World Series will be managed by Belgian Sports & Health company Golazo which has coordinated the UCI Gran Fondo World Series since 2011.

For more information please visit www.ucigravelworldseries.com.

2022 Trek UCI Gravel World Series calendar