2024 GRAVEL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (BE)

[Barkintheeye]

UCI Gravel World Championships 2024

5 - 6 October 2024

gravelchampionshipsflanders.com

What's the verdict. Good course? An event that will draw international and top pro riders? A coming success? Some 134 - 180K for masters and elite on a seemingly quite tough course.

Personally I enjoyed the 2022 Gravel WC in Vicenza and the 2023 Gravel European Championships in Leuven. Both great events!

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

UCI Gravel World Championships 2024

5 - 6 October 2024

gravelchampionshipsflanders.com

What's the verdict. Good course? An event that will draw international and top pro riders? A coming success? Some 134 - 180K for masters and elite on a seemingly quite tough course.

Personally I enjoyed the 2022 Gravel WC in Vicenza and the 2023 Gravel European Championships in Leuven. Both great events!

I hope someone posts a video of the course on youtube. From the pictures, it looks like more groomed gravel, which still has its challenges, but I hope there are some more chunky sections.

 

[Barkintheeye]

I hope someone posts a video of the course on youtube. From the pictures, it looks like more groomed gravel, which still has its challenges, but I hope there are some more chunky sections.

The UEC course last year could've been grueling with some rain. Now it was almost completely dry so even the technical sections were easy and fast. There will be some overlapping sections with this year's course at the end and the UEC course.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

My issue with a lot of gravel racing is it's basically 'road racing' but on gravel. I'd like to see more technical sections, and a bit of singletrack.......
Last year's Worlds course was far better than the year earlier - which was hardly gravel; and lots were on road bikes.....

 

[Barkintheeye]

My issue with a lot of gravel racing is it's basically 'road racing' but on gravel. I'd like to see more technical sections, and a bit of singletrack.......
Last year's Worlds course was far better than the year earlier - which was hardly gravel; and lots were on road bikes.....

That's a valid point and I would agree that the WC course in Vicenza 2022 was too easy, particularly for the pro riders. There were some patches of single trail but since the weather was hot and sunny it was all dry and quite easy to pass. Yet I liked the course and it's fun with quick gravel roads and high speeds and the start with the Monte Berico-climb was really nice.

The perfect gravel course to me is one with lots of smaller hills and many technical curves on. The course doesn't need to be narrow and I do not particularly like single trail. They easily get jammed if a few riders at the front slows down and there will often be complete stand-stills and running which isn't that fun.

Neither would I want a gravel race to turn into a mountain bike race where it's actually better to ride a MTB and where road tactics just won't make any difference. It's the combination of high speed, drafting AND technical sections that make gravel fun. Lots of hilly sections and curves will put less technical riders under pressure and long stretches of gravel roads where you go fast in groups taking turns are simply fun.

I didn't race the WC 2023 in Treviso but the course looked good at the television coverage. The UEC course in Leuven last year was tough despite being almost all dry. I also enjoyed the course in Limburg this spring which had it all.

 

[byrnec]

I'm racing this race and travelling from Dublin solo. I have issues with the logistics, the start and finish not being in the same location.

My question is, if it starts in Halle and finish in Leuven, how do I get to the Start Line if I’m staying in Leuven?

And where can I store my gear bag at the start line. The organizers are not making this easy.

There is public trains yes but it’s not practical after a race, covered in mud and in lycra, to get a train 60+ kms.

Any ideas?

 

[Barkintheeye]

I'm racing this race and travelling from Dublin solo. I have issues with the logistics, the start and finish not being in the same location.

My question is, if it starts in Halle and finish in Leuven, how do I get to the Start Line if I’m staying in Leuven?

And where can I store my gear bag at the start line. The organizers are not making this easy.

There is public trains yes but it’s not practical after a race, covered in mud and in lycra, to get a train 60+ kms.

Any ideas?

Agree, always complicated with start and finish at different places. It also makes support almost impossible so quite a disadvantage to riders from abroad. Traveling on your own will not make it easier unfortunately.

 

[Captain Sensible]

Last years 3rd place rider Connor Swift won the British Gravel champions race yesterday ,and for those old enough to remember Adrian Timmis (Paris Nice stage winner ,TDF finisher.) he won his age category .

 

[Wyndbrook]

Last years 3rd place rider Connor Swift won the British Gravel champions race yesterday ,and for those old enough to remember Adrian Timmis (Paris Nice stage winner ,TDF finisher.) he won his age category .

I've been lapped by Adrian a few times in the past, I'm too slow now to even make the start line.

 

[carlomazzaferro]

I'm racing this race and travelling from Dublin solo. I have issues with the logistics, the start and finish not being in the same location.

My question is, if it starts in Halle and finish in Leuven, how do I get to the Start Line if I’m staying in Leuven?

And where can I store my gear bag at the start line. The organizers are not making this easy.

There is public trains yes but it’s not practical after a race, covered in mud and in lycra, to get a train 60+ kms.

Any ideas?

I have opted for accommodation in Lueven, and buying the official bus transportation option for Sunday morning that will take you from Lueven to Halle. Loading of bikes at 6:45AM so terrible in terms of logistics, but in Halle there's pretty much no available accommodation.

Shuttle: https://gravelchampionshipsflanders.com/en/shuttle-service/

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Really need to hear the story about why Keegan Swenson is not on the US team.

 

[stonerider]

He didn't participate in the XCM World Championships either which was surprising since it was held in the USA and his partner, Sophia, raced. Seems strange not to target World Championships in your sport when you seem to be in good shape.

 

[jmdirt]

He didn't participate in the XCM World Championships either which was surprising since it was held in the USA and his partner, Sophia, raced. Seems strange not to target World Championships in your sport when you seem to be in good shape.

I wonder if something is up, but then why not say, "I injured my______________". "I am waay overcooked." " I had__________ and my body is not recovering."

 

[Bolder]

Really need to hear the story about why Keegan Swenson is not on the US team.

Indeed.

 

[ManicJack]

I don't believe that Swenson attend any of the qualifying races for gravel worlds.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

I don't believe that Swenson attend any of the qualifying races for gravel worlds.

Looks like no prize money from the UCI (I am guessing they can afford it...), and no support from USA Cycling for any expenses (they have to buy their stars and stripes kit???!!!). I'd tell them to f**k off too. Looks like Unbound will continue to be the real WC's. https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/on...rn-a-living-and-support-life-time-grand-prix/

 

[Bolder]

Looks like no prize money from the UCI (I am guessing they can afford it...), and no support from USA Cycling for any expenses (they have to buy their stars and stripes kit???!!!). I'd tell them to f**k off too. Looks like Unbound will continue to be the real WC's. https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/on...rn-a-living-and-support-life-time-grand-prix/

Yeah, hard to blame them.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Yeah, you expect them to go over to Europe off their own backs, buy their kit, and get gridded at the back - or stay in the US and keep earning money from LifetimeGP.....

It's not a hard decision.

 

[Bolder]

Just to elaborate a little on this: I don't think that UCI prize money should be blamed here, but it's crazy that there's zero, if true. (prize money is mostly incidental for riders at the WT level at any rate).

But but but -- to speak to the issue at hand -- the US is the birthplace of gravel, as it was for MTB, and surely the US national team can figure out that if you support your riders on the international level it would be a positive thing for US cycling in general. I know the initial reaction to the UCI hosting a GWC was a bunch of snickering, but like it or not, the UCI is the only global sanctioning body, and the race has the potential to be more and more prestigious. Of course, it might just muddle along but there's also a distinct possibility that riders like MvdP and WvA or even Pog (who has dabbled in cross) will be mixing it up in a new discipline eventually.

 

[carlomazzaferro]

What tyres are people running for this btw? 40% of the route is on paved surfaces, but I assume there might be quite some mud. Is running 45mm semi-slicks a total no-go?

 

[jono]

Looks like no prize money from the UCI (I am guessing they can afford it...), and no support from USA Cycling for any expenses (they have to buy their stars and stripes kit???!!!). I'd tell them to f**k off too. Looks like Unbound will continue to be the real WC's. https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/on...rn-a-living-and-support-life-time-grand-prix/

Unbound also has no prize money.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Unbound also has no prize money.

Incorrect. It is part of the Lifetime Grand Prix, which has prize money.

 

[jono]

Incorrect. It is part of the Lifetime Grand Prix, which has prize money.

Let me put it this way: Winning Unbound will not have contributed at all to any prize money, on the day or at the end of the season, for 3 of 6 winners during the Lifetime GP era.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Just to elaborate a little on this: I don't think that UCI prize money should be blamed here, but it's crazy that there's zero, if true. (prize money is mostly incidental for riders at the WT level at any rate).

But but but -- to speak to the issue at hand -- the US is the birthplace of gravel, as it was for MTB, and surely the US national team can figure out that if you support your riders on the international level it would be a positive thing for US cycling in general. I know the initial reaction to the UCI hosting a GWC was a bunch of snickering, but like it or not, the UCI is the only global sanctioning body, and the race has the potential to be more and more prestigious. Of course, it might just muddle along but there's also a distinct possibility that riders like MvdP and WvA or even Pog (who has dabbled in cross) will be mixing it up in a new discipline eventually.

Wout would have been there again this year, absent his fall.

I agree completely with your assessment. I have no issue with the UCI putting on the race (it would be nice to have one in the US, on a US style course - ie. let them taste Colorado - ), I still think no prize money is stupid, especially considering the progression of the discipline, and the number of people everywhere now either dabling or riding almost exclusively on mixed surface rides (that's me). While there are still the "Gravel bikes are a marketing gimic" - 2019 called and they want their narrative back - more and more people are leaving paved roads for the relative safety and fun of dirt roads and lighter singletrack. There is money to be made for the UCI in promoting gravel, and they need to pay riders accordingly

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Let me put it this way: Winning Unbound will not have contributed at all to any prize money, on the day or at the end of the season, for 3 of 6 winners during the Lifetime GP era.

That's just not correct, though I understand the point you're making. There is a $300,000 purse for the GP, and it pays 10 deep, so most of those riders will have almost certainly gained their final position as a result of how they placed in Unbound. Sure, they can drop 2, and there may well be riders who drop Unbound as one of them, but those that didn't drop will have Unbound points that those who drop have to overcome somewhere else. Sure, it isn't like they are getting paid a massive amount of their income from the GP, but the prestige of being in the GP is clearly also making money for the US riders, several of whom have six figure incomes. Unbound is the most prestegiousl of the races in the GP, and I would argue that it is the most prestigeous gravel race in the world. It's also far harder than the gravel WC last year, just ask Mohorič.