UCI Gravel World Championships 2022, October 8-9, Italy

[DNP-Old]

Should also note Keegan Swenson is literally a pro MTB rider.

I know that, but he is also the most prolific rider from the gravel scene. Could he beat Mathieu and Wout? Absolutely not, but the list of riders capable of doing so is small regardless of their discipline. He'd be a very decent WorldTour pro me thinks. Seeing how well he did in Wollongong with road experience barely exceeding Valley of the Sun and the Utah State Championships gives a good indication.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Ivar Slik doesn't count..?

He came in in a small group alongside Sieben Devalckeneer, who three years ago came 16th in the Tour du Faso (which has a lot of gravel and dirt roads, actually, so isn't as bad a comparison as it may seem); Alberto Losada, a 40yo former road pro who retired five years ago, and Riccardo Chiarini, who used to ride for Androni until 2013, got busted for EPO in 2014 and hasn't raced pro since.

Oh, and Davide Rebellin.

 

[King Boonen]

He came in in a small group alongside Sieben Devalckeneer, who three years ago came 16th in the Tour du Faso (which has a lot of gravel and dirt roads, actually, so isn't as bad a comparison as it may seem); Alberto Losada, a 40yo former road pro who retired five years ago, and Riccardo Chiarini, who used to ride for Androni until 2013, got busted for EPO in 2014 and hasn't raced pro since.

Oh, and Davide Rebellin.

It's more because he won Unbound 2022, beating Keegan Swenson, so he's arguably the best repesentitive of the non-UCI gravel scene avaiable.

 

[King Boonen]

I know that, but he is also the most prolific rider from the gravel scene. Could he beat Mathieu and Wout? Absolutely not, but the list of riders capable of doing so is small regardless of their discipline. He'd be a very decent WorldTour pro me thinks. Seeing how well he did in Wollongong with road experience barely exceeding Valley of the Sun and the Utah State Championships gives a good indication.

I didn't watch the WC, but he came in with mainly a load of younger PRT riders and some older-washed WT riders. I think he'd be a decent domestique, but that's about it, although I'd be interested to see him try.

But to the point, Slik came in 37th. I'm not going to argue what might have been for a guy who didn't race, but I think it's a pretty fair comp, at least this year and absolutely lets us make a judgement about the current level of elite gravel racers.

 

[VO2 Max]

Interesting. Don't know much about this stuff but looking at the maps, I'm surprised by the variation of surface compared to the local routes I see people posting on strava (and especially that not far off half seems to be on solid roads of one sort or another.) Of course still a bigger range of off-road challenges than Roubaix or Strade Bianchi, or even Tro Bro Léon for sure.

How much does this get decided by the fights to be first onto the farm tracks or the narrow bike paths, or are the secteurs just too long and tough for that to even be a factor? Once MvdP leads us onto the first off-road bit do we still have a race?

Ok, that was a fun little curio. And Gianni Vermeersch becomes a future pub quiz answer. But, unless anyone was under the impression that WT riders aren't about a million times better at cycling than anyone else, still more questions than answers. (The only real answer being that the OP definitely put this thread in the right subforum.)

Where can an event like this realistically sit? Probably no one would have cared without the big road names, but that means a world champion that will likely never wear his rainbow jersey, is that sustainable? Sponsors need people watching, but they also want to flog gravel bikes not just slightly wider tyres for road bikes. Is there any point trying to placate the hard-core gravelists, is there any level of technical difficulty where it gets close to a fair fight? Presumably you at least need the tarmac to be the 'secteurs' between significantly longer and tougher off-road sections, but then most WT riders have some CX experience (even if only as kids/juniors) and clearly much higher fitness levels, so it may just be irreconcilable.

And obviously, who signed off on that finishing circuit with the elites having to overtake bunches of choppers on narrow tracks?? And is it feasible to get decent TV coverage of races like this???

 

[King Boonen]

Ok, that was a fun little curio. And Gianni Vermeersch becomes a future pub quiz answer. But, unless anyone was under the impression that WT riders aren't about a million times better at cycling than anyone else, still more questions than answers. (The only real answer being that the OP definitely put this thread in the right subforum.)

Where can an event like this realistically sit? Probably no one would have cared without the big road names, but that means a world champion that will likely never wear his rainbow jersey, is that sustainable? Sponsors need people watching, but they also want to flog gravel bikes not just slightly wider tyres for road bikes. Is there any point trying to placate the hard-core gravelists, is there any level of technical difficulty where it gets close to a fair fight? Presumably you at least need the tarmac to be the 'secteurs' between significantly longer and tougher off-road sections, but then most WT riders have some CX experience (even if only as kids/juniors) and clearly much higher fitness levels, so it may just be irreconcilable.

And obviously, who signed off on that finishing circuit with the elites having to overtake bunches of choppers on narrow tracks?? And is it feasible to get decent TV coverage of races like this???

It's worth noting that, at least on my local/national scene, road races are struggling to get enough riders to sign up so the race can even go ahead, yet gravel events sell out sometimes in the first morning/day and the race to get tickets starts to become a bit like a music festival. There most definitely is an appetite for this kind of thing, and that's why sponsors and the UCI want in, but I do think there's a very valid discussion around whether that interest in participating will stretch to viewers. We could note that the most anticipated new race of the past few years is SB, and for many this has fast become a favourite on the calendar, so it'd suggest this kind of thing can pull viewers.

Where does it sit? That's always going to be difficult, but I'd guess if the UCI end up with a series it'll sit as it's own thing, as much as MTB and CX do, with some pros opting to race it and some not. That'll sort out the arguments about points, and you then end up with a subset of pros who'll fight for this title (Pidcock, MVdP, WvA, Pog and riders like them by the sounds of it). The worry with that is it waters down road racing. There's not enough money in cycling as it is, stretching the talent people want to see across even more events doesn't seem like a great plan.

On routes, a lot of the big races happen on wide gravel roads anyway. Can't say I've done much recon on the courses out there, but from soical media photos I've seen selections seem to come from people riding away from others rather than showing superior handling. They were arguing about TT extensions recently, that gives a good indication of the technical difficulty involved.

Also, will we see a rebellion from the current ranks, refusing to have their races be part of the UCI calendar?

 

[memyselfandI]

is there any level of technical difficulty where it gets close to a fair fight?

This gravel worlds vs. cx worlds in USA nice fast flat Fayetteville park roads, no mud, no deep sand and still some tiny Mickey Mouse or whatever Superman by the looks of things rocketed away.

Sounds some sort of Disney stuff lately, creating even more equal than equal playground for all? Cycling enthusiasm side of things is one thing and professional athletes racing is another. Not much things changing if we make 650 wheels and 45 rubber and sweeped flared handlebars and moustaches mandatory. WT athletes are very different game.

Ivar Slik for example, very good road cyclist backround from top european MJ level (happened to watch him quite a bit that time) he was beating all the best those days often: Senechal, Mohoric, Cort Nielsen, Kragh Andersen, Bettiol aso. but did not made WT career. European level is very high from cadets up to pro tour.

Prolly quite different race right away, if it was just day-two-three of raining, but no. Sure Aussies make completely different track next year I'm almost sure.

 

[Red Rick]

It's worth noting that, at least on my local/national scene, road races are struggling to get enough riders to sign up so the race can even go ahead, yet gravel events sell out sometimes in the first morning/day and the race to get tickets starts to become a bit like a music festival. There most definitely is an appetite for this kind of thing, and that's why sponsors and the UCI want in, but I do think there's a very valid discussion around whether that interest in participating will stretch to viewers. We could note that the most anticipated new race of the past few years is SB, and for many this has fast become a favourite on the calendar, so it'd suggest this kind of thing can pull viewers.

Where does it sit? That's always going to be difficult, but I'd guess if the UCI end up with a series it'll sit as it's own thing, as much as MTB and CX do, with some pros opting to race it and some not. That'll sort out the arguments about points, and you then end up with a subset of pros who'll fight for this title (Pidcock, MVdP, WvA, Pog and riders like them by the sounds of it). The worry with that is it waters down road racing. There's not enough money in cycling as it is, stretching the talent people want to see across even more events doesn't seem like a great plan.

On routes, a lot of the big races happen on wide gravel roads anyway. Can't say I've done much recon on the courses out there, but from soical media photos I've seen selections seem to come from people riding away from others rather than showing superior handling. They were arguing about TT extensions recently, that gives a good indication of the technical difficulty involved.

Also, will we see a rebellion from the current ranks, refusing to have their races be part of the UCI calendar?

I think it largely depends on what type of road riders would do gravel the most. In my opinion pure Flandriens have very little on the calendar for a decent part of it, so I think there's room for a series that overlaps the Vuelta.

That is if you want to involve road pros. And it's hard to create a TV audience I think for gravel if you know road pros are much better.

Production would obviously need to be fixed though.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

It's worth noting that, at least on my local/national scene, road races are struggling to get enough riders to sign up so the race can even go ahead, yet gravel events sell out sometimes in the first morning/day and the race to get tickets starts to become a bit like a music festival. There most definitely is an appetite for this kind of thing, and that's why sponsors and the UCI want in, but I do think there's a very valid discussion around whether that interest in participating will stretch to viewers. We could note that the most anticipated new race of the past few years is SB, and for many this has fast become a favourite on the calendar, so it'd suggest this kind of thing can pull viewers.

Where does it sit? That's always going to be difficult, but I'd guess if the UCI end up with a series it'll sit as it's own thing, as much as MTB and CX do, with some pros opting to race it and some not. That'll sort out the arguments about points, and you then end up with a subset of pros who'll fight for this title (Pidcock, MVdP, WvA, Pog and riders like them by the sounds of it). The worry with that is it waters down road racing. There's not enough money in cycling as it is, stretching the talent people want to see across even more events doesn't seem like a great plan.

On routes, a lot of the big races happen on wide gravel roads anyway. Can't say I've done much recon on the courses out there, but from soical media photos I've seen selections seem to come from people riding away from others rather than showing superior handling. They were arguing about TT extensions recently, that gives a good indication of the technical difficulty involved.

Also, will we see a rebellion from the current ranks, refusing to have their races be part of the UCI calendar?

Definitely there is the chance to make it appeal visually based on the precedent of things like Strade Bianche, but the problem is that using that as a precedent neglects that it would still be contingent on the calibre of names taking part to a casual audience, and that means the need for that crossover audience. SB is an extremely popular race, but Tro Bro Léon is only really a cult favourite with the hardcore cycling fans, and other minor races including dirt roads, gravel and similar, such as GP Herning, Slag om Norg and the Rutland-Melton Classic, contested only by Continental teams and amateur squads in their home countries, merit (or merited, where applicable) little attention paid even among the more dedicated fans like us on the boards.

A lot of the appeal is the self-fulfilling prophecy of being the event that people are all doing, so in order to be seen and to meet all the people you want to for the scene you have to be there, because it's the event to be seen at, and so on. And part of it is that it's safer to do these races on wide open gravel and tracks and similar in an organised race than to be doing open road TTs and similar where you have to deal with traffic; it fits in with the freedom to go anywhere of MTB but doesn't tax riders' technical skills so much, so the barrier to entry is lower, and it can attract MTBers wanting to work on their endurance just as much as roadies wanting to work on their technique or just get away from traffic.

Of course the other problem is that at the moment, selections coming the way they are may not actually be the product of the type of racing but just due to the difference in calibre between the best and worst riders in groups and races while it's relatively unregulated. You have everything from relatively low category riders up to people with WT experience like Ian Boswell and Lachlan Morton competing in it, and while there is some truth to the suggestion that the pros who have moved into gravel being largely riders who didn't find a niche in a particular type of racing or didn't make the cut at the highest level and preferred to do this than scrabble around for lesser rides or leave the sport entirely, those guys do still come with a pretty solid pedigree compared to the field they will face in the average gravel race. The real question was, are the top gravel guys the top gravel guys because this is genuinely a new and different discipline that they are the best at, or because everybody who is stronger is already focused on a more established cycling discipline that they can earn from? The answer, it seems, is resoundingly the latter at this point in time.

 

[King Boonen]

I think it largely depends on what type of road riders would do gravel the most. In my opinion pure Flandriens have very little on the calendar for a decent part of it, so I think there's room for a series that overlaps the Vuelta.

That is if you want to involve road pros. And it's hard to create a TV audience I think for gravel if you know road pros are much better.

Production would obviously need to be fixed though.

Ideally the races would sit in a window where you can attract riders from all disciplines, an MMA of cycling races for want of a better comparison. This already happens with some of the big names jumping between disciplines, so it should work fine, and I think that it needs those big names at first to draw casual viewers. Would anyone posting in this thread have been posting here without the well-known names? Without them I can't see it being anything more than a niche thing and, maybe, having those top pros will raise the level of the gravel only racers. I don't really think that'll be the case, the only discipline where I think pros might struggle are the ultra endurance races, because these are basically decided by who can go with the least sleep and rest and pros are definitely not used to that.

Production will be a huge part of it, which is going to limit routes, probably for quite a long time. The usual motos could have a huge influnce on the race, which I think probably had a big influence in the course design, and I'm not sure they're willing to drop helicopter money on a series of races people may not even watch.

Definitely there is the chance to make it appeal visually based on the precedent of things like Strade Bianche, but the problem is that using that as a precedent neglects that it would still be contingent on the calibre of names taking part to a casual audience, and that means the need for that crossover audience. SB is an extremely popular race, but Tro Bro Léon is only really a cult favourite with the hardcore cycling fans, and other minor races including dirt roads, gravel and similar, such as GP Herning, Slag om Norg and the Rutland-Melton Classic, contested only by Continental teams and amateur squads in their home countries, merit (or merited, where applicable) little attention paid even among the more dedicated fans like us on the boards.

A lot of the appeal is the self-fulfilling prophecy of being the event that people are all doing, so in order to be seen and to meet all the people you want to for the scene you have to be there, because it's the event to be seen at, and so on. And part of it is that it's safer to do these races on wide open gravel and tracks and similar in an organised race than to be doing open road TTs and similar where you have to deal with traffic; it fits in with the freedom to go anywhere of MTB but doesn't tax riders' technical skills so much, so the barrier to entry is lower, and it can attract MTBers wanting to work on their endurance just as much as roadies wanting to work on their technique or just get away from traffic.

Of course the other problem is that at the moment, selections coming the way they are may not actually be the product of the type of racing but just due to the difference in calibre between the best and worst riders in groups and races while it's relatively unregulated. You have everything from relatively low category riders up to people with WT experience like Ian Boswell and Lachlan Morton competing in it, and while there is some truth to the suggestion that the pros who have moved into gravel being largely riders who didn't find a niche in a particular type of racing or didn't make the cut at the highest level and preferred to do this than scrabble around for lesser rides or leave the sport entirely, those guys do still come with a pretty solid pedigree compared to the field they will face in the average gravel race. The real question was, are the top gravel guys the top gravel guys because this is genuinely a new and different discipline that they are the best at, or because everybody who is stronger is already focused on a more established cycling discipline that they can earn from? The answer, it seems, is resoundingly the latter at this point in time.

Yep, they'll need the names competing for it to be successful, and that also may be the death of it if they don't get consistent turnout and it's basically whichever decent WT pro turns up wins it.

I think the biggest appeal of gravel racing you've hit on the head with the safer part. I've always described gravel riding to friends as road riding the way you wish you could ride on the roads. You can kick up hills, rail corners, weave around, spread out and chat etc. without having to worry about other vehicles. Everyone I know who races/rides it feels the same way.

And yeah, as I said to Rick above, I don't think gravel racing is anywhere near a different enough discipline for unknown riders to come out and beat the pros (and that's likely clear from everything else I've posted here). The only discipline I think that might happen in is ultra distance stuff, like the Transcontinental, and even in that I think the pros who can cope with the lack of sleep and rest will still win comfortably, they'll just likely have to learn to deal with it. I think that because everyone who gets into ultra riding/gravel riding came up through the same system the pros did, they just weren't good enough/dedicated enough to make it in the traditional racing scene and now they've found a niche they can be King/Queen of. I'm also pretty sure they all know this, which is why there's a lot of noise made when pros start to turn up. Colin Strickland is a great example of that. Ok road cyclist/TTer, king of Red Hook for a little while, then big man on gravel campus but he gets beat when the pro MTBers etc. start to turn up and take it seriously.

Don't get me wrong on that last point, there are some seriously good riders in the gravel and ultra scene, in gravel many are current mtb pros/ex pros as you noted or young pros mixing things up, and I don't think any washed up WT pro can just rock up and beat everyone. Ian Boswell was probably a better than average pro, same with Laurens Ten Dam. But neither of them were really high calibre, they were on the decline and they've pretty much walked into guaranteed poduim or there abouts finishes.

 

[Red Rick]

Ideally the races would sit in a window where you can attract riders from all disciplines, an MMA of cycling races for want of a better comparison. This already happens with some of the big names jumping between disciplines, so it should work fine, and I think that it needs those big names at first to draw casual viewers. Would anyone posting in this thread have been posting here without the well-known names? Without them I can't see it being anything more than a niche thing and, maybe, having those top pros will raise the level of the gravel only racers. I don't really think that'll be the case, the only discipline where I think pros might struggle are the ultra endurance races, because these are basically decided by who can go with the least sleep and rest and pros are definitely not used to that.

Production will be a huge part of it, which is going to limit routes, probably for quite a long time. The usual motos could have a huge influnce on the race, which I think probably had a big influence in the course design, and I'm not sure they're willing to drop helicopter money on a series of races people may not even watch.



Yep, they'll need the names competing for it to be successful, and that also may be the death of it if they don't get consistent turnout and it's basically whichever decent WT pro turns up wins it.

I think the biggest appeal of gravel racing you've hit on the head with the safer part. I've always described gravel riding to friends as road riding the way you wish you could ride on the roads. You can kick up hills, rail corners, weave around, spread out and chat etc. without having to worry about other vehicles. Everyone I know who races/rides it feels the same way.

And yeah, as I said to Rick above, I don't think gravel racing is anywhere near a different enough discipline for unknown riders to come out and beat the pros (and that's likely clear from everything else I've posted here). The only discipline I think that might happen in is ultra distance stuff, like the Transcontinental, and even in that I think the pros who can cope with the lack of sleep and rest will still win comfortably, they'll just likely have to learn to deal with it. I think that because everyone who gets into ultra riding/gravel riding came up through the same system the pros did, they just weren't good enough/dedicated enough to make it in the traditional racing scene and now they've found a niche they can be King/Queen of. I'm also pretty sure they all know this, which is why there's a lot of noise made when pros start to turn up. Colin Strickland is a great example of that. Ok road cyclist/TTer, king of Red Hook for a little while, then big man on gravel campus but he gets beat when the pro MTBers etc. start to turn up and take it seriously.

Don't get me wrong on that last point, there are some seriously good riders in the gravel and ultra scene, in gravel many are current mtb pros/ex pros as you noted or young pros mixing things up, and I don't think any washed up WT pro can just rock up and beat everyone. Ian Boswell was probably a better than average pro, same with Laurens Ten Dam. But neither of them were really high calibre, they were on the decline and they've pretty much walked into guaranteed poduim or there abouts finishes.

Yeah I was also thinking of gravel as the big melting pot of different disciplins. I wonder if drones are a viable option for production, they were trying it at the 2020 Worlds I think.

I don't really follow the gravel scene, but I can see merit as an addition to the existing road calendar. Imagine some event where it's MTB vs CX vs Road teams. Gravel specialists should always have their ultra endurance events, and even those should benefit from increased gravel exposure of big names carrying.

 

[Sandisfan]

Just thinking out loud (please hold the tomato throwing )
I could see in the future a limited number of gravel events needed to be completed for eligibility not a high number but something like 3. With two or three rolling number for those who have been injured so something like 6 in a two year running average of 3. that would make it difficult but not impossible for Pro road Racers but they would have make an effort to compete in other Gravel races.
Also for a World event it needs to be closer to the endurance races that are key to top of the season of top riders. Also the tracks need to be more similar to those that the races that the pioneers(organizers) are using because this is more like an outsider redesigning how Gravel should be done and declaring that they are the pinnacle of the Gravel scene.

 

[Amazinmets87]

Just thinking out loud (please hold the tomato throwing )
I could see in the future a limited number of gravel events needed to be completed for eligibility not a high number but something like 3. With two or three rolling number for those who have been injured so something like 6 in a two year running average of 3. that would make it difficult but not impossible for Pro road Racers but they would have make an effort to compete in other Gravel races.
Also for a World event it needs to be closer to the endurance races that are key to top of the season of top riders. Also the tracks need to be more similar to those that the races that the pioneers(organizers) are using because this is more like an outsider redesigning how Gravel should be done and declaring that they are the pinnacle of the Gravel scene.

Why would the organizers want to exclude the marquee names ? I'm perfectly fine with altering the track to make it more closely resemble your average gravel race.

 

[Bolder]

Many good points here. IMO the only way to level the playing field a bit is to have a circuit with asphalt, single track, double track and some off-road hills. You'd need a range of skills, and riders who excel at, say MTB would have an advantage in the single track etc. But it has to require a proper gravel bike (partly to draw sponsors but also because it's gravel...). If you had 10 laps of a 20 km circuit you could really create a fun race, that might not just favor road pros. If you don't want road "ringers" then require qualifying races, as noted above.

I'm not totally convinced this will work on a UCI level, because the appeal of gravel is that it's NOT a traditional discipline, with big money trade teams using team tactics to win. And the barrier to entry is much less than XC (you need the proper course) or even CX (which is painful). It's a fun way to ride outside, but maybe not something the UCI should be involved in...

 

[Ricco']

I think gravel is to cycling what trail running is to athletics.

And both of them are a challenge to produce well for a TV audience. Contrary to road events where the roads make possible for a motorbike to follow closely the groups, or to MTB/CX/Cross Country running where the circuits are short and sometimes they pass several times closer to a position and cameras can be fixed in strategic places, in gravel the best parts to captivate an audience are narrow, far from anywhere and sometimes under tree cover. As MTB marathon, it's not something easy to get a good watch with limited resources.

 

[King Boonen]

Just thinking out loud (please hold the tomato throwing )
I could see in the future a limited number of gravel events needed to be completed for eligibility not a high number but something like 3. With two or three rolling number for those who have been injured so something like 6 in a two year running average of 3. that would make it difficult but not impossible for Pro road Racers but they would have make an effort to compete in other Gravel races.
Also for a World event it needs to be closer to the endurance races that are key to top of the season of top riders. Also the tracks need to be more similar to those that the races that the pioneers(organizers) are using because this is more like an outsider redesigning how Gravel should be done and declaring that they are the pinnacle of the Gravel scene.

Thhey can do what they do for MTB, and grid based on UCI points accrued in that discipline for the WCs. The issue with that is you end up with top favourites like Pidcock at the back because riders are choosing where to compete. Or maybe it isn't an issue and riders just have to accept that? I don't think you should limit who can enter, but like other WCs you can allocate spots. Of course, this means bringing gravel under the national governing bodies, adding yet another layer of bureaucracy gravel was, supposedly, trying to avoid.

 

[King Boonen]

Yeah I was also thinking of gravel as the big melting pot of different disciplins. I wonder if drones are a viable option for production, they were trying it at the 2020 Worlds I think.

I don't really follow the gravel scene, but I can see merit as an addition to the existing road calendar. Imagine some event where it's MTB vs CX vs Road teams. Gravel specialists should always have their ultra endurance events, and even those should benefit from increased gravel exposure of big names carrying.

There's a fair bit of cross-over, but generally the gravel specialists not the same as the ultra specialists, and by ultra I mean 2-3000+ kms non-stop racing. It's those kind of races I think pros might struggle in, because it's actually very different to what they are used to. Gravel racing is just the return of XC MTB being a dirt crit for roadies, but on much longer courses.

Because of this, I think any sort of involvement from top pros will remove the chance of the current crop of people who call themselves gravel racers, from contention, and could ultimately kill it as a discipline if they only involve themselves for a couple of races when there's some stripes/a medal to be won.

Lachlan Morton probably had a negative effect on the events he entered. Certainly the GB race he did seems to have lost a lot of its interest, because people know there's no chance they're getting anywhere near what he did. It might even have stopped, not seen it discussed in a while, but COVID has also had an effect there.

 

[King Boonen]

I think gravel is to cycling what trail running is to athletics.

And both of them are a challenge to produce well for a TV audience. Contrary to road events where the roads make possible for a motorbike to follow closely the groups, or to MTB/CX/Cross Country running where the circuits are short and sometimes they pass several times closer to a position and cameras can be fixed in strategic places, in gravel the best parts to captivate an audience are narrow, far from anywhere and sometimes under tree cover. As MTB marathon, it's not something easy to get a good watch with limited resources.

100% and with that in mind creating an authentic but producable for TV gravel race may be impossible until they get to the point serious investment is possible. It also, supposedly, goes against what gravel racing is supposed to be about. One of the reasons I like the ultra stuff is it's like the old days of the TdF where you catch up in the evening on peoples social media, checking trackers etc. rather than the constant coverage you get with road racing. This kind of coverage doesn't drive money through TV deals though.

 

[Ricco']

100% and with that in mind creating an authentic but producable for TV gravel race may be impossible until they get to the point serious investment is possible. It also, supposedly, goes against what gravel racing is supposed to be about. One of the reasons I like the ultra stuff is it's like the old days of the TdF where you catch up in the evening on peoples social media, checking trackers etc. rather than the constant coverage you get with road racing. This kind of coverage doesn't drive money through TV deals though.

I think live decent coverage can be easier to achieve in Enduro and even there it's nowhere closer to be achieved.

For gravel I think it would be interesting to have a structured series with 1 hour or 2 produced for TV with race footage achieved from moto, drones and helis on selected parts of the course, fixed cameras in some key sections if possible and then complemented by GoPro footage, decent graphics and behind the scenes content. With no obligation to be live it can be cheaper as it eliminates the necessity for relay infrastructure for the live signal.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Some good points raised here.

I think there are a few different possibilities:

1. The current A - B 190km races which can be difficult for TV to cover if the route has lots of singletrack, etc Which is like the old XC races, which are now XC Marathon.
2. The US style Gravel races, which can be anything from 5-12+ hours; which just aren't TV friendly, but as already said you watch online as the dots move; with maybe an end of race report/ social media updates.
3. Easy to cover TV races with laps of approx 10km based around a host town; which almost goes against the spirit but probably brings in more money/sponsors/exposure.

 

[jmdirt]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1579119865344196609

View: https://twitter.com/daniellloyd1/status/1579119865344196609?t=p53OigF6ITkj36P14aLtpA&s=19


Sums it up really

Yes Dan, the prize was a rainbow jersey for the winner...the best guy at the race.

 

[jmdirt]

So in terms of the podium, ther were three relevant moments in the race away from the final sprint: Oss and Vermeersch make their break; Vermeersch shakes off Oss; and van Avermaet and van der Poel pull clear of the plainly falsely named 'chase' group. And of those three key events, we were shown none.

I saw them, what coverage were you watching?

 

[jmdirt]

Ofc current road / CX pros were going to win, but if you had a 200 mile Dirty Kanza with clay mud they would not...

I would not say 'not'.

 

[jmdirt]

A lot of this discussion reminds me of the late '80s-early '90s mountain bike scene in the USA. When I started racing 75% of the participants were still 'hippies' who liked getting out for a ride and a smoke. I had a ball sport, moto cross, running background, and many of the 25% were also from similar backgrounds. I'm sure that it messed it up for the guys and gals who just enjoyed riding through the woods and ripping down skid trails. I heard some stories about 'roadies' taking over the dirt world, but it was pretty few and far between, and most of us did a fair amount of road training and racing especially in the winter and spring.

Gravel racing in the USA still 'sells out', but I see it following other things that are the 'it' fun thing until people do it a few times and move on to something else.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

It's more because he won Unbound 2022, beating Keegan Swenson, so he's arguably the best repesentitive of the non-UCI gravel scene avaiable.

This.

Also Piotr Havik in 12th is also a full time gravel racer.