The Trek UCI Gravel World Series has expanded even further than originally anticipated in 2024, with recent additions to the calendar in Africa, Switzerland and Italy taking the total number of events in the series – including the Gravel World Championships – up to 25.
It’s also not the only change to the series that delivers the top 25 per cent of riders in each category the opportunity to race at the Gravel World Championships. Organisers have announced that there will now be a minimum lap distance of 40km for local loop races introduced, plus an elite category.
There were sixteen events in the series for 2023 but with the additional races, plus the European Championships and World Championships from this year also acting as qualifiers for the 2024 rainbow race, the opportunities to pursue a spot on the start line of the World Championships in Belgium on Saturday October 5 and 6 have expanded considerably.
“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,” said the UCI Gravel World Series media statement.
Many additions had already been flagged in an earlier 2024 calendar release – with new events for 2024 including Wörthersee Gravel in Austria, Hegau Gravel Festival in Germany, Brwydr Y Graean in Wales, Sea Otter Europe in Spain and Safari Gravel Event in Naivasha, Kenya.
Still, there have been even more races added with the latest announcement. They include Tugende Gravel in Kigali – with the Rwandan event adding a third option in Africa – Gravel Suisse and also the Giro Sardegna Gravel, which delivers a second chance to qualify in Italy.
The series rounds that will act as qualifiers for the 2024 World Championships have already begun. with Connor Sens and Courtney Sherwell taking out victory at Australia’s Beechworth Gravelista race in October and the first leader’s jerseys.
The series – which has the majority of rounds in Europe but branches out with multiple races in Australia, Africa and North America – now hits the pause button until racing resumes at Wörthersee Gravel in Austria on April 7, while Sea Otter Europe in Girona will provide the last qualifying round on September 21. The first 25 per cent of riders in each age category qualify, as well as the first three riders, regardless of the number of starters in that age group.
UCI Gravel World Series 2024 calendar
- October 28, 2023…
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