Are the long-range gravel races like Unbound Gravel in the US your thing, or perhaps it’s the shorter UCI Gravel World Series rounds sweeping the globe? Maybe it's not about the racing at all but the gear you need for those long exploration-laden Sunday rides?
Either way, we've got you covered, as at the same time the momentum has been building behind the discipline so has our coverage and there is a way you can help that growth keep rolling.
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Cyclingnews and gravel
Since Cyclingnews' inception in 1995, our publication has been committed to offering our audience a full range of comprehensive coverage from the world of cycling, which means we’ve got a long history in disciplines like road and cyclocross but for years gravel has also been part of that mix.
There may be room for plenty of debate over what 'real' gravel racing should look like, both inside the team and beyond, but the crew at Cyclingnews is unequivocally united when it comes to being determined to provide the most in-depth global gravel coverage possible.
The tech team brings you all the details of what the top riders are racing on, as well as industry trends and the best gear and equipment. Then our race and news coverage team delivers reports and results on the key gravel events, including Unbound and the Life Time Grand Prix Series, the UCI Gravel World Series as well as Gravel Worlds and the UCI Gravel World Championships – and if you don't know the difference we’ve also got you covered with our handy guide to the various Gravel Worlds.
On top of that, there is the news, interviews, features, previews and analysis of the riders to watch at major races, plus insight from within the peloton with our regular gravel blogger, Nathan Haas.
Throughout the year you can easily find all this content on our gravel hub page but let's take a closer look at just what you can expect, how to find the widest range of coverage at some key events and the best way to find it.
Unbound Gravel 2023 – June 3
The 205-mile (330km) test of the Unbound 200 on the gravel of the Flint Hills in Kansas has carved out a place at the pinnacle of gravel racing that is undisputed. The race with 4,000 racers across the varied distances, and a who's who of gravel plus an array of riders from other disciplines the race, may have started as a small local event with less than 40 riders in 2006 but now draws the gaze of the world.
Cyclingnews delivered an extensive spread of interviews and analysis before the race and then was on the ground at Emporia to bring you news, tech, photo galleries, more interviews and, of course, quickly deliver the all-important race results. Then the coverage rolled on with reactions to the 'peanut-butter mud' and we heard from both the riders who were overjoyed with the day and those who were shattered with disappointment after the mud and mechanicals, and even barbed wire, blew their chances.
To catch up on anything you may have missed see the Unbound 2023 race hub.
Life Time Grand Prix Series – April 22 to October 21
The Life Time Grand Prix series, in its second year, has expanded to include seven races and 70 riders who will be battling for a piece of a $250,000 prize pool. There are four gravel events and three mountain bike races in the US-based series, with Fuego XL100k opening the series before the gravel block begins with Unbound and Crusher in the Tushar while it's back to the mountain bike at Leadville Trail 100 and Chequamegon before the series closes on the gravel with Rad Dirt Fest and Big Sugar Gravel.
Cyclingnews will be delivering reports and results from every round, along with news, interviews and features across the series.
Life Time Grand Prix Series calendar
April 22 – Fuego XL 100K cross-country MTB, Life Time Sea Otter Classic presented by Continental in Monterey, California
June 3 – Garmin Unbound Gravel presented by Craft Sportswear in Emporia, Kansas
July 8 – Life Time Crusher in the Tushar presented by The Creamery in Beaver, Utah
August 12 – Stages Cycling Leadville Trail 100 MTB in Leadville, Colorado
September 16 – Life Time Chequamegon MTB presented by Trek in Cable, Wisconsin
September 30 – Rad Dirt Fest in Trinidad, Colorado
October 21 – Life Time Big Sugar Gravel presented by Mazda in Bentonville, Arkansas
2023 Life Time Grand Prix series hub
UCI Gravel World Series – April 23 to October 28
The first year of the UCI Gravel World Series in 2022 was something of a testing of the waters, culminating in the UCI Gravel World Championships in Italy, though in 2023 it has clearly taken hold. Fields are picking up and the number of races on the calendar has expanded to 17, while there is a growing contingent of gravel specialists shaping their season around the event.
As a series, it has heightened the profile of gravel racing outside its US stronghold and fanned the flames of global gravel racing growth. Rounds are located far and wide, from a remote corner of Australia, to South Africa, Europe and North America, delivering the opportunity for a whole new set of riders to make their mark in a UCI event. The races also act as a qualifier for the UCI Gravel World Championships.
At Cyclingnews we've been providing regular race reports, results and news on the series since it started and that continues in 2023. There will be coverage of every single round in 2023, so keep our UCI Gravel World Series hub page bookmarked as here you can catch up on the rounds which have already run and then check back after each event to catch up on the latest winners and news.
UCI Gravel World Series Calendar 2023
April 23 – La Indomable in Berja, Spain
April 29 – Swartberg100 in Prince Albert, South Africa
April 30 – Gravel Fondo Limburg in Valkenburg, Netherlands
May 6 – Gravel Challenge Blaavands Huk in Blavands, Denmark
May 13 – Seven in Nannup, Western Australia, Australia
May 13 – 3RIDES Gravel Race in Aachen, Germany
May 20 – The Gralloch in Gatehouse of Fleet (Scotland), Great Britain
June 4 – Hutchinson Ranxo Gravel in Ponts, Spain
June 11 – Blue Mountains Gravel Fondo in Thornbury, Ontario, Canada
June 18 – Wish One Millau Grands Causses in Millau, France
June 24 – Highlands Gravel Classic in Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
July 15 – Gravel One Fifty in Veenhuizen, Netherlands
July 22 – Gravel Adventure in Świeradów-Zdrój, Poland
August 19 – Gravel Grit 'n Grind in Halmstad, Sweden
August 26 – Houffa Gravel in Houffalize, Belgium
September 2 – La Monsterrato in Quattordio, Italy
October 28* – Gravelista in Beechworth, Victoria, Australia (serves as qualifier for 2024 UCI Gravel World Championships)
2023 UCI Gravel World Series hub
UCI Gravel World Championships – October 7
The UCI Gravel World Championships was first held in Veneto, Italy drawing the gravel specialists, road professionals, cyclocross and mountain bikers alike. As Gianni Vermeersch (Belgium) and Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (France) swept up the first gravel rainbow jerseys, Cyclingnews was on the ground to cover it, and just as the race is returning to Italy, so will we.
So stay tuned, because as October and the 2023 event approaches we will be bringing you all the news, interviews, analysis and results from the second running of the UCI Gravel World Championships.
2023 UCI Gravel World Championships race hub
These are just some of the highlights of our gravel coverage, but there is also plenty more.
To keep up with all our coverage throughout the year head to our gravel hub, and subscribe to Cyclingnews to enjoy unlimited access to all of our content.
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