When the blast off begins in early April for a fourth edition of the Life Time Grand Prix, this time at the new Life Time Sea Otter Classic Gravel, a new generation of off-road racers will steal part of the spotlight. Cyclists between the ages of 18 to 22 can not only gauge their talents against star-studded fields in some of the biggest US off-road races, but they can also claim two spots in the Life Time Grand Prix for 2026.
The initial application process was launched last December for the Life Time Grand Prix U23 Development Program. This week, organisers announced major changes, including a revised selection process and an extension for women's registrations, now open through February 28.
Rather than announce selections for women and men a week later, Life Time, the owners and operators of the Grand Prix series, will now give applicants "the opportunity to race their way into the program", using points earned at Sea Otter Gravel and Unbound Gravel.
U23 Program participants must compete in either the 90-mile Sea Otter Classic Gravel race on April 10 in Monterey, California or Unbound Gravel 100 on May 31 in Emporia, Kansas, then a final selection for series contenders will be made based on the results from those two races.
After Unbound Gravel, 20 men and 20 women will be selected for the U23 Program. There is a separate leaderboard throughout the season for the U23 Program contestants, with four starts required across the six races in the Life Time Grand Prix. Points are distributed based on finishes for men and women at each event, and the best points from four out of six events will settle the leaders at the end of the calendar, Big Sugar Gravel on October 18 in Arkansas.
A caveat to the competition is that an under-23 rider can also compete for one of the six wildcard spots for this year's series, which would mean a top finish in Unbound 200 rather than the 100-mile race. If he or she earns and accepts a wildcard spot, then that rider would be removed from the U23 Program for the rest of the year.
According to Life Time, the number of approved applications on offer for men were filled by the first deadline, January 31. Applications remain open for women, the web site stating, "due to not all of the women's spots yet being filled we are leaving it open to women only through 2/28/25. The men's roster is full and closed at this time."
Juniors
How about a junior rider under the age of 18? Is there a way for teenagers to gain experience at big races and not wait another year? The USA Cycling Junior Gravel National Series fills that gap with their new series.
Any junior between the ages of 15 to 18 can take part in this new series, which includes the 60-mile race at Sea Otter Classic Gravel in Monterey and Unbound Gravel 50 in Emporia. A five-race series launches soon, beginning March 8 at Valley of Tears in Turkey, Texas.
"Junior registration has been very strong at the Valley of Tears Gravel race, the first stop on the USA Cycling Junior Gravel Race Series for 2025. We are dedicated to keeping registration open for juniors until the day before the race," Christian Fairly, race director for Valley of Tears, told Cyclingnews.
"We think this 49-mile event is a perfect way to kick off the season. Valley of Tears Gravel is our family's way of giving back to the Texas cycling community, and especially the junior community that we all were part of when we were younger."
The Texas race is mainly gravel through the vast terrain that includes Caprock Canyons State Park, the medium route used by juniors comprising the first half of the long course used by the elite riders the same day.
SBT GRVL serves as the fourth stop of the series, the juniors riding 80 miles, two laps of the new course on June 29. The final event will be at the US Gravel National Championships, September 20, in La Crescent, Minnesota.
