USA Cycling will launch a five-race Junior Gravel National Series in 2025 in partnership with Life Time, SBT GRVL presented by Wahoo, and Valley of Tears, exclusively for riders ages 15 to 18.
Riders must start in three of the five events for series scoring in four categories - men and women competing separately in 15-16 and 17-18 age groups. Four riders will then be crowned as overall winners, in their respective age category, and receive invitations to a USA Cycling Junior Talent Identification Camp in October 2025.
"We are working closely with event organizers and industry partners to build a foundation for the future. This series is just the beginning of a broader initiative to expand opportunities for junior riders across multiple cycling disciplines," said Kyle Knott, USA Cycling’s director of national events.
"The USA Cycling Junior Gravel National Series represents a bold step forward in our efforts to expand youth participation in gravel, a discipline that offers a unique bridge between road and off-road cycling."
That bridge is considered to be a way for the governing body to discover new talent for not just elite-level road racing, but also other cycling disciplines that are part of the Olympic Games, with the next Olympiad taking place in Los Angeles, California in 2028.
Valley of Tears Gravel in Turkey, Texas will lead off the series on March 8 with the juniors taking part in a 48-mile medium course. Sea Otter Classic Gravel Race's 60-mile course and Unbound Gravel 50, both owned by Life Time, will be the next two events set for April 11 in Monterey, California and May 31 in Emporia, Kansas, respectively.
The fourth stop is GRVL Race Circuit, held on June 29 as part of SBT GRVL weekend in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, with the junior races covering 76 miles. The series closes out at USA Cycling Gravel National Championships on September 20 at the new venue from La Crescent, Minnesota. The national championship races will also be used as tiebreakers if needed.
National Events Manager Justin Evans explained that scoring was created to be 'straightforward', with each athlete receiving a score equivalent to the placement from each series event.
"The Junior Series scoring system is designed to be straightforward: the lowest score across a rider’s best three out of five events determines the final ranking. Placement in each race is the score, so a first-place finish equals one point," Evans told Cyclingnews.
"This approach rewards consistency and encourages riders to participate in multiple events. To keep everyone up to date, the USA Cycling website will feature articles with event highlights and updated standings after each race, helping riders and fans track progress throughout the season."
According to a USA Cycling press release, all series participants will have exclusive access to a special discounted registration rate for the 2025 USA Cycling Gravel National Championships. Additionally, the top three finishers in each series event leading up to nationals will earn a $50 credit toward their registration fee. In addition to category winners, other top finishers will be eligible for the talent camp selections.
“Valley of Tears is thrilled to host the first race of the 2025 Junior Gravel National Series. At the heart of our race is a commitment to fostering community, resilience, and a passion for the sport,” said Christian Fairly of the Fairly Family, which launched Valley of Tears this year.
“By partnering with USA Cycling, we have the opportunity to help support aspiring young American cyclists - something USA Cycling did 20 years ago for my brother Caleb - by providing young athletes a platform to challenge themselves and develop their skills. We look forward to seeing these talented juniors find their limits and carry the spirit of gravel cycling forward.”
Participants need to register for each individual event, using links provided on the USA Cycling's series information page. November 1 is the opening day to register for Valley of Tears and enter the lottery for Unbound Gravel.
A USA Cycling racing license is not required to participate in the series as a whole, but a domestic or international license is required to compete in the USA Cycling Gravel National Championships.
Junior Gravel National Series 2025 calendar
- March 8 - Valley of Tears Gravel in Turkey, Texas
- April 11 - Life Time Sea Otter Classic presented by Continental in Monterey, California
- May 31 - Life Time UNBOUND Gravel in Emporia, Kansas
- June 29 - SBT GRVL presented by Wahoo in Steamboat Springs, Colorado
- September 20 - USA Cycling Gravel National Championships in La Crescent, Minnesota
