Love or hate them, the UCI has made their mark in gravel. Thus, the latest news concerning their series for 2024, which has expanded considerably.
“Eight new events join the TREK UCI Gravel World Series for its third edition, with a total of 26 events – including the UCI Gravel World Championships – comprising the 2024 calendar.”
“Gravel is booming, and its popularity was demonstrated at the 2023 UCI Gravel World Championships in Veneto, Italy, last October when hundreds of age-group riders competed on the same course as the Elite.”
“The battle for qualification spots for the discipline’s 2024 UCI World Championships has already begun, with two events raced last month: the UEC European Championships in Oud-Heverlee, Belgium, which featured sections that will be included in the 2024 UCI Worlds, taking place in Halle-Leuven. Four weeks later, Gravelista, was raced on the other side of the world, in Beechworth, Australia.”
“Austria will host the first new event on the calendar in early April 2024, in the southern city of Velden am Worthersee where reigning M40 UCI Gravel World Champion and former pro rider, Dutchman Johnny Hoogerland, will host a race on his training routes in the Worthersee Gravel.”
“Giro Sardegna Gravel is a new event as part of the Giro della Sardegna week of cycling on the Italian island in the last week of April. The course is designed in the beautiful area surrounding Orosei.”
“The UCI is also happy to announce two new African events in the series: Tugende Gravel in Kigali, Rwanda (host of the 2025 UCI Road World Championships) and Safari Gravel Race in Naivasha, Kenya will welcome riders on two consecutive weekends mid-June.”
“The southern city of Singen in Germany hosted the UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships in 2017 and will now add the Hegau Gravel festival to their rich history of off-road cycling events on the last weekend of June.”
“Switzerland will also have a new UCI Gravel race. Gravel Suisse will be combined on the same weekend with the Gran Fondo Suisse early July in Villars at the doorstep of the UCI headquarters with quite some climbing.”
On the same day, there will also be a second UK event in Wales, in the city of Ruthin, on a course designed in the Clocaenog Forest in Llyn Brenig under the name “Brwydr y Graean”, Welsh for “battle on the gravel”.
“Sea Otter Europe in Girona on the Spanish-French border will be the last option to qualify on 21 September. The race is part of a big bike festival weekend with expo and different cycling disciplines.”
“Sixteen events were already part of the series in 2023, with many attracting more than 1000 riders.”
“The 2024 UCI Gravel World Championships will be held on the weekend of 5-6 October with the start in Halle and the finish in Leuven, host town of the 2021 UCI Road World Championships. The course is designed in the Forests of Brabant, recently awarded as national park with a mix of forest and farming roads, cobbles and asphalt. Climbs are never very long nor steep, but the elevation starts to count at the end of the race.”
“The 2024 season also announces some new regulations with a minimum lap distance of 40km for local lap races and an Elite category that will also be introduced for the qualifier events. Riders now must choose prior to the race if they want to qualify for the Elite category or their respective age category.”
The 2024 TREK UCI Gravel World Series Calendar
| 1 Oct 2023 | UEC European Gravel Championships | Oud-Heverlee | BEL |
| 28 Oct 2023 | Gravelista | Beechworth (VIC) | AUS |
| 07 Apr 2024 | Worthersee Gravel | Velden am Worthersee | AUT |
| 20 Apr 2024 | La Indomable | Berja | ESP |
| 25 Apr 2024 | Giro Sardegna Gravel | Orosei | ITA |
| 27 Apr 2024 | Swartberg100 | Prince Albert | RSA |
| 27 Apr 2024 | Highlands Gravel Classic | Fayetteville (AR) | USA |
| 28 Apr 2024 | Gravel Fondo Limburg | Valkenburg | NED |
| 12 May 2024 | 3Rides Gravel Race | Aachen | GER |
| 18 May 2024 | Seven | Nannup (WA) | AUS |
| 18 May 2024 | The Gralloch | Galloway | GBR |
| 01 Jun 2024 | Gravel Challenge Blaavands Huk | Blaavands | DEN |
| 09 Jun 2024 | Tugende Gravel | Kigali | RWA |
| 15 Jun 2024 | Blue Mountains Gravel Fondo | Blue Mountains (ON) | CAN |
| 16 Jun 2024 | Safari Gravel Race | Hell’s Gate, Naivasha | KEN |
| 16 Jun 2024 | Wish One Gravel Race | Millau | FRA |
| 30 Jun 2024 | Hegau Gravel Festival | Singen | GER |
| 06 Jul 2024 | Gravel Suisse | Villars | SUI |
| 06 Jul 2024 | Brwydr y Graean | Ruthin, Wales | GBR |
| 13 Jul 2024 | Gravel One Fifty | Roden | NED |
| 20 Jul 2024 | Gravel Adventure | Świeradów-Zdrój | POL |
| 17 Aug 2024 | Gravel Grit n Grind | Halmstad | SWE |
| 24 Aug 2024 | Houffa Gravel | Houffalize | BEL |
| 31 Aug 2024 | La Monsterrato | Fubine | ITA |
| 21 Sep 2024 | Sea Otter Europe Girona | Girona | ESP |
| 5-6 Oct 2024 | UCI Gravel World Championships | Halle – Leuven | BEL |
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Qualifier Events for the 2025 Season |
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| 27 Oct 2024 | Gravelista | Victoria | AUS |
For more information and the full calendar : www.ucigravelworldseries.com