Just move it to Big Sugar. Same basic timeframe, but different continent.
You canâtâŚBig Sugar is sold out. There is no way to add a couple of thousand riders.
Even if you add another day to the event, it would be logistically challenging to get the road permits two days in a row.
Isnât Big Sugar âWalmart Poweredâ? If so, surely they have some pull.
In general, though, I was being facetious. The event will stay somewhere in Europe, presuming it happens.
Logically, if the UCI wants to grow interest in Gravel Worlds in the US, they should be take advantage of this screw-up and find a way to do it in the US.
Otherwise, there isnât a chance it will be held here until 2029âŚ
However, with Little Sugar and Big Sugar on back-to-back weekends, it seems unlikely they could tempt the big US gravel pros to race it anyway.
Thinking outside the box, letâs say they decide they want to combine it with Big Sugar. You could expand the Elite field to become both the LTGP finale and the Worlds. Send off the elite fields first. Then you send the AG Worlds groups out, say 30â later. Then another hour later, you send the regular Big Sugar fields.
Youâd have to extend the existing permits obviously and beef up the volunteer staffs, aid stations, etc. but I suppose it could, in theory, work.
But it would also be a logistical nightmareâŚthat is a schittload of riders out on public roads for a long period of time.
I think thereâs 0 chance of it going to the US. There simply isnât enough time for the majority of racers (from Europe) to sort the logistics with so many races quite close to the world champs. When it goes to the US the calendar will likely look a little different (i.e. qualify this year for a world champs next year).
News: UCI Gravel Worlds no longer to be held in Nice:
I just noticed that the event date for âLegacy Gravel Leuvenâ got moved from October 5th to October 19th. Funny enough, that was the weekend Nice was supposed to happen.
Are we looking at a repeat of the World Championships being in held in Leuven?
Yesterday some media in Austria announced that the new venue for the World Cup will be Villach.
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Nice catch.
That would definitely be a possibility. Much easier to leverage an event thatâs already on the calendar. As a matter of fact, Sea Otter Girona would also be an interesting candidate.
This has all been a bit predictable but also pretty devo. Iâm out for this year ⌠sights set on Australia in 2026 - will be awesome, get it in your plans 
Just found this updateâŚ.weâll see, I guess.
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According to Dutch cycling media, Valkenburg is apparently out. The city council deemed it too short notice to organize the event at a high level.
The same article mentions seven potential venues still in contention. Villach appears to be the leading candidate, with Kenya also expressing interest in hosting the event.
Hey there, have a question. Heard from a couple of people that once you race in Elite, you must race all races in Elite, and I would assume the same applies for age cats. But that doesnât seem clear at all to me from the regulations:
âElite riders from a UCI registered team must always take part in the elite category. Elite riders with a national level license have the choice to start in the elite category or in their respective age group, but must make that choice prior to the race. Riders signing up for the elite category can only qualify for the elite category at the UCI Gravel World Championships. Riders signing up for the age group categories can only qualify for the age group categories at the UCI Gravel World Championships. If a rider who started with the elites didnât qualify in the elite category, (s)he canât claim qualification in his/her age group if his/her finish time would be within the top 25% of his age categoryâ
The core of it is that I qualified in the age cat and would like to race elite (I do have a national license/UCI ID etc.) in the next races. I have a few friends thinking of doing the same. Any thoughts?
If youâve already qualified in an age group, you should be good to participate at the World Championships in that age group, even if you race the remaining events in the elite category.
For example, Dutch YouTuber âDouwe Doet Dingenâ raced in the elite category throughout 2024 but didnât manage to qualify in the elite division. He then raced in the age group category at Houffa Gravel, where he qualified in the M19-34 category. He went on to compete at the World Championships in Leuven as an age group athlete, despite racing the majority of his events in the elite category.
The rules seem to be saying that you canât start the race in the elite category and later claim that your time is in the top 25% of your age group to secure qualification. In short, you can only qualify in the category you officially start in.
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50T chainring masterrace
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Not at all. Itâs a lumpy part of the Netherlands with the Valkenburg. Not long climbs, but punchy.
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Actually, thatâs the Amstel Gold Race region, so it wonât be completly flat.
Itâs the same region as the âMarly Gravâ (previously Limburg Gravel) qualifier event.
For reference, that course has 1577 meter of elevation in 155km (96.3 miles with 5173 feet of climbing). But there is no climb longer then a couple of minutes.
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Here I am with my 2x Ultegra cranksetâŚ
For those in the US, Highlands is in 2 weeks. Currently 40 people in my AG. The elites go off 15 minutes earlier than the age groupersâŚguess Iâll just line upon the front and hope to hang.