The Trek UCI Gravel World Series will expanded further than originally anticipated in 2024, with new additions to the calendar in Switzerland and Italy, taking the total number of events in the series – including the European and 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 announcement.
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. There was also a race in Andorra and one in Kigali added on earlier versions of the calendar but they are no longer on the series list.
More races have been added with the latest announcement and they include 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 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 - Gravelista, Beechworth, Australia
- April 7, 2024 - Wörthersee Gravel, Velden am Wörthersee, Austria
- April 20, 2024 - La Indomable, Berja, Spain
- April 25, 2024 - Giro Sardegna Gravel, Orosei, Italy
- April 27, 2024 - Swartberg 100, Prince Albert, South Africa
- April 27, 2024 - Highlands Gravel Classic, Fayetteville, USA
- April 28, 2024 - Gravel Fondo Limburg, Valkenburg, Netherlands
- May 11, 2024 - SEVEN, Nannup, Australia
- May 12, 2024 - 3RIDES Gravel Race, Aachen, Germany
- May 18, 2024 - The Gralloch, Gatehouse of Fleet, Scotland, UK
- June 1, 2024 - Gravel Challenge Blaavands Huk, Blaavands, Denmark
- June 15, 2024 - Blue Mountains Gravel Fondo, Thornbury, Canada
- June 16, 2024 - The Safari Gravel Event, Naivasha, Kenya
- June 16, 2024 - Wish One Millau Grands Causses, Millau, France
- June 30, 2024 - Hegau Gravel Festival, Singen, Germany
- July 6, 2024 - Gravel Suisse, Villars, Switzerland
- July 6, 2024 - Brwydr y Graean, Ruthin, UK
- July 13, 2024 - Gravel One Fifty, Roden, Netherlands
- July 20, 2024 - Gravel Adventure, Świeradów-Zdrój, Poland
- August 17, 2024 - Gravel Grit N Grind, Halmstad, Sweden
- August 24, 2024 - Houffa Gravel, Houffalize, Belgium
- August 31, 2024 - La Monsterrato Gravel Race, Quattordio, Italy
- September 21, 2024 - Sea Otter Europe, Girona, Spain
- October 5&6, 2024 - UCI Gravel World Championships, Halle-Leuven, Belgium
* 2023 Gravel European Championships also among the 25 qualifying rounds for the 2024 UCI Gravel World Championships
