Road Professionals Face Uphill Battle as Gravel Specialists Question UCI World Championships
Limburg, Netherlands – As the UCI Gravel World Championships commence this weekend, a growing chorus of gravel specialists are warning road professionals that the event may prove far more challenging than anticipated, citing course design, competitive dynamics, and a potential lack of true “gravel” conditions. Many top American gravel racers are opting to skip the UCI event altogether, favoring domestic series and alternative championships.
Since its inception in 2022, the UCI Gravel World Championships have faced criticism for deviating from the spirit of the discipline.Concerns center on routes lacking the technical difficulty-such as “peanut butter mud” and hike-a-bike sections-typically found in prominent American gravel races like Unbound,The Traka,and Big Sugar. This has led to a perception that the UCI course favors road cyclists, who often compete as part of large national teams, effectively crowding out self-reliant gravel racers.
“The dream of winning feels further away for a gravel pro coming to worlds against a stacked field of all other disciplines,” said an unnamed source. ”That’s maybe why some gravel riders don’t even bother.” The race dynamic, they explain, shifts dramatically, with individuals competing against coordinated teams of ten or more riders from a single nation.
This discontent has fueled support for an unsanctioned gravel world championship held this August in Nebraska, attracting many of the USA’s leading privateers. High travel costs and scheduling conflicts with the lucrative LifeTime Grand Prix series are also contributing factors to the absence of prominent American riders like Sofía Gómez Villafañe, Keegan Swenson, and Lauren De crescenzo.
Unlike many customary cycling disciplines, the UCI Gravel World Championships currently offer no payout, and federations like USA Cycling and British Cycling provide only partial support for gravel racing. This financial burden disproportionately affects riders without the backing of road-focused employers, making participation a costly endeavor. Some observers question whether the UCI event is evolving into an end-of-season outing for WorldTour professionals.