Is UCI’s organizational chaos reviving the spirit of gravel?

For years now, “core” gravel racers, the ones that were “there from the start” have complained bitterly that pros (influencers), and then UCI itself have co-opted and are now, quite likely, ruining gravel. It appears the UCI is, in an unlikely twist, maybe listening?

Take 2023 gravel world championships (different than the long-running Gravel Worlds event in Nebraska). Instead of a highly organized, heavily regulated and predictable event that would allow pro racers to properly prepare and train, like the first official gravel worlds, cycling’s governing body is keeping gravel’s top racers on their toes. The race has threatened to change locations within the Veneto region of Italy, and may finally make the shift to start in Treviso and end in Pieve di Soligo. It’s definitely changed organizers and everyone is refusing to release any substantial course details. All this with the race dates, Oct. 6-7, just weeks away.

Gravel as an experience, not just an event

For those who have actually been around the gravel scene since the “early days,” this will all sound familiar. Fly-by-night organizers putting on low-key events that grew by word of mouth, not by highly promoted and rigorously organized event planning. Last-minute course reveals that kept racing fair, or at least lent it an air of mystery. Some events even moved around from year to year, keeping riders coming back with new courses and new locations all the time. It was about the adventure, the experience. As long as you were with a group of like-minded individuals, you could all have a good time suffering together.

I.e. the opposite of the UCI’s reputation for heavily sponsored and overly-regulated events that return to the same venues year after year to ensure maximum predictability for sponsors and teams.

An injection of uncertainty

This year’s gravel worlds are anything but standard. For months, UCI promised the race would be in the Veneto region, but little more. Then rumours started to spread, eventually confirmed, that the governing body was on the outs with the original organizer. Clandestine meetings with a replacement organizer resulted in a late relocation, now confirmed, but still no detailed course release. All that’s left is for UCI to follow the Barkley Marathon’s lead and start the race at the sound of a bugle at some random hour instead of setting a proper start time.

Who knows, by the time racing actually happens maybe the UCI will even reverse course…