The skills and backgrounds of professional gravel racers are just as diverse as the events themselves. This dynamic discipline now boasts a wide range of races, from the fast, mixed-terrain Belgian Waffle Ride California to gruelling 200-mile epics like Unbound Gravel in Kansas. These events attract athletes from every corner of cycling: mountain bikers, roadies, gravel specialists, and hybrids of all kinds.
Road cycling has well-established categories of riders. Sepp Kuss is a climber. Felippo Ganna is a time trialist. Jasper Philipsen is a sprinter. Gravel racing isn’t as neatly defined, but similar archetypes exist, albeit with more crossover.
