It’s also a strength of field thing.
There’s 250 men in that World Champs field, you could say there’s 10 times as many athletes fighting for the front compared to the US stuff.
They could put it longer to the first Singletrack, but there will still be a big fight with that many people each thinking they can make the cut if they can just make it to the front.
You are not familiar with U.S. gravel.
Familiar enough.
I’m talking in generalities. I know there is more than 25 athletes in the front group, but they aren’t on the same level.
IMO the beginning of BR is like the start of a CX race, its all out to be the first to the 3-sisters and roll them as hard as you can. Then its a slight recovery/hard tempo to about mile-15 where everyone then hits warp speed to about mile-18 when Sager road starts and that’s usually the selective part of the race. The rest is just gritting it out if you can.
Good behind-the-scenes podcasts re: UCI Gravel Worlds (mostly from the US a team perspective)
Good insights and details I had not read about yet……
Payson McElween mentions exactly this in his worlds recap. There were just so many more high end racers fighting for positioning compared to US gravel races.
Just listening to the Bonk Bro Podcast, haven’t got to Payson’s yet.
Do we suppose Keegan paid the way (or at least part of) for the rest of the team outside the top three that were paid for?
ETA: I assumed this was the case as it seemed likely the biggest hurdle to having an all-in for one athlete set up. I know for New Zealand at Road World’s etc there has always been the issue of not having one specific leader when the athletes are paying their own way. George Bennett being head and shoulders our strongest option at the last few road championships for example, but feeling guilty asking athletes who have had to fund their own campaign to commit to working for him.
Sam Gaze would like a word with you 
Sam Gaze is amazing, but is not our best shot at a road World Champs win 
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Cameron Rooney posted his recap video…mostly him talking to the camera, but a few good clips and good insights.
Dumb question here. Do you need to qualify in your home country or can you quality in any of the qualifiers?
You can qualify in any race in any country….