Who will win the 2024 Gravel World Championships? Analysing the favorites

The third version of the UCI Gravel World Championships, held October 5-6 within the Flemish area of Belgium, brings a contemporary ethos to the burgeoning battle for rainbow stripes, with a brand new organiser, new geography and new rivals. Not the entire modifications have created a full metamorphosis within the self-discipline, however the groundwork is in place to present gravel a strong basis on the worldwide stage.

The qualification course of by way of the year-long Trek UCI Gravel World Collection has helped deepen the fields. The collection went from 16 world occasions in 2023 to 25 occasions on the calendar this yr, the place the highest 25% of every race made the minimize of their class. Golazo Sports activities, which manages the Gravel World Collection, can be overseeing the Worlds this yr and with much more advance discover on the course and qualification because the UCI incarnation of the self-discipline hits its stride, the novice and elite fields are brimming with these desirous to race, particularly from the highest tier of the skilled street biking ranks.

Not like the UCI Gravel World Collection occasions, the elite ladies have their very own day for the beginning on a route that’s shorter than the elite males. On Saturday, October 5, Kasia Niewiadoma (Poland) will defend her 2023 title on a 133km course between Halle and Leuven. On Sunday, October 6, elite males’s defending champion Matej Mohorič (Slovenia) will begin on the entrance of the grid on an 182km course, the distinction being additional native laps for the boys.

The course has a lot in widespread with the one used final yr for the European Gravel Championships and is ready up like a one-day Belgian Traditional with a lot of flat, quick sections and quick, punchy hills. The mix of the shorter distances than typically discovered within the huge US gravel occasions together with the proportion of filth paths and cobblestones to paved sections are more likely to lean in favour of the street specialists.

All programs begin on the Possozplein in Halle, with a 12.5km loop, then traverse by way of the nationwide park Brabantse Woods, to achieve Leuven. The ladies will full a 47.7km end circuit as soon as, the boys making the lap twice, to finish the race within the metropolis centre of Leuven. To achieve the end line, a brief however steep Ramberg cobblestone climb of 1.8km should be crossed, adopted by the Donatuspark “gravel” part for the ultimate kilometre.

The UCI recognises that the booming off-road different self-discipline started blossoming “within the US Midwest some 15 years in the past”, nonetheless most of the notable names of the gravel racers from North and South America won’t be in Belgium. Followers will not see Keegan Swenson, Peter Stetina, Sofia Gomez Villafañe, Haley Smith or Lauren De Crescenzo, as they continue to be within the US for different gravel pursuits. A number of different names lacking are Alejandro Valverde (Spain) and an injured Wout van Aert (Belgium) however there’s nonetheless a bounty of massive names on elite begin lists.

The drought broke and Niewiadoma then additionally swept up two of the largest victories of her greater than a decade-long skilled street profession in 2024. The 30-year-old first received La Flèche Wallonne after which went on to upset the clear-cut Tour de France Femmes favorite Demi Vollering, securing yellow in an thrilling competitors that ended with a tenacious battle up Alpe d’Huez and a profitable margin of simply 4 seconds. It was a contest of nerves and grit, two traits that would simply assist put Niewiadoma in with a shot of defending her gravel title in opposition to a packed Dutch staff.

Will probably be Niewiadoma’s second race again since her Tour de France triumph, with COVID-19 altering her Tour de Romandie race plans. Her first race again was the chilly and moist World Championships street race in Zurich and whereas seventeenth maybe wasn’t the consequence she was searching for it ought to have helped set up the race rhythm forward of her gravel defence. No matter what occurs on Saturday, it has been an unforgettable yr for Niewiadoma and a nothing-to-lose angle might simply work in her favour on the punchy terrain. (SG)

Kopecky, who can be a six-time world champion and Olympic medallist on the monitor, excels as a multi-discipline racer. She may not have raced within the gravel self-discipline earlier than, however she has received cobbled Monuments; Tour of Flanders twice and Paris-Roubaix. She has additionally proven no issue on the white gravel roads of Strade Bianche, profitable the one-day race two occasions.

Already on the two UCI Gravel World Championships she has taken half in, Cromwell has delivered a tenth and sixth place however this yr is one the place she has each cause to hope for much more because the punchy course, with no huge climb proper at first, works to her strengths. The proof of that was clear when she received the European Continental Championships race in 2023 – the title nonetheless went to second-placed Lorena Wiebes as an alternative given Cromwell’s nationality.

Cromwell is exhibiting sturdy kind, profitable the Sea Otter Europe UCI Gravel World Collection spherical in current weeks, pulling off a dramatic fightback after slipping nicely again within the discipline within the opening phases. Plus Cromwell was then a late call-up for the Australian staff on the Street World Championships, the place among the many riders she was supporting have been U23 silver medallist Neve Bradbury. The Canyon-SRAM teammates’ roles will flip this weekend, with Bradbury certain to be a priceless assist for Cromwell as an alternative, giving her a bonus she hasn’t had in earlier editions of the World Championships. Add in Sarah Gigante as a participant in each Street and Gravel World Championships and, if street staff ways leach into the gravel contest, the bonding in Zurich might nicely repay even additional in Belgium. (SG)

Different riders to observe embrace Italy’s Silvia Persico, who completed second final yr, and German Champion Carolin Schiff, who received Gravel World Collection occasions in Poland, Germany, and France, whereas additionally profitable Traka 200 and Utopia Gravel Fest. The SD Worx-ProTime gravel specialist Geerike Schreurs, who got here second at Unbound, might additionally profit from her street staff affiliation.

When cyclocross ramps up in a matter of weeks, Mathieu van der Poel will race within the rainbow stripes, however he misplaced his grip on the street world title in Zürich just some days in the past. The 29-year-old big of a number of disciplines might very nicely add the gravel rainbow jersey to his assortment subsequent Sunday. Nobody might catch Tadej Pogačar on his solo sortie at Street Worlds, however Van der Poel was third finest and one of many few riders to complete rather less than a minute behind the hovering Slovenia. Until Pogačar surprises the sector and exhibits up at first line in Halle, Van der Poel would be the high favorite.

Matej Mohorič is greater than motivated to retain the boys’s elite world title for gravel, as one other yr may give him a chance to put on it throughout a end line. He suffered a number of mechanicals at Unbound Gravel 200 and was a DNF. Then he suffered a hand damage on a preview trip the day earlier than Sea Otter Europe Girona which triggered him to drag out of that gravel tuneup. After that he didn’t line up for Slovenia on the Street World Championships to recuperate for his defence on gravel.

The Belgian males’s staff is stacked and lots of riders on the squad might simply be listed among the many favourites, however there may be one factor that units Jasper Stuyven aside, and that’s his confirmed means to win on the terrain. It was final yr in the identical territory that he slipped on the bands of a European champion along with his solo end forward of compatriot Tim Merlier. He additionally as soon as once more proved his gravel means within the gravel heavy stage 9 of the Tour de France, when for a second his win on the prestigious race had appeared inside attain as he countered an assault from the break to surge out the entrance solo at simply 11km to go. His hopes, nonetheless, have been dashed when the catch occurred in sight of the flamme rouge.

Nonetheless on the Gravel World Championships, the confirmed Classics energy of the Milan-San Remo, Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne and E3 Saxo Traditional winner combines with the familiarity of the roads and paths he grew up on, making him a formidable foe. So does the energy of the Belgian staff. Quotas might maintain a decent restrict on the variety of riders in a Street World Championships, however not so in gravel so the house nation staff is predicted to come back out in pressure to ensure one among their riders will get to rejoice in entrance of the house crowd. (SG)

Final yr’s winner of The Traka 200 has change into one of many veterans of gravel racing, his 11 years on the world stage of street racing put aside in 2016. Final weekend, Paul Voß completed second at Sea Otter Europe Girona, one of many closing qualifying races within the UCI Gravel World Collection, so he is obtained confidence coming into his third Gravel World Championships. In Girona, he outsprinted Petr Vakoc (Czechia) and distanced high contenders Alessandro De Marchi (Italy) and Hugo Drechou (France).

Final yr when WorldTour rider Connor Swift determined to “have a bash at some gravel racing” on the Gralloch he found a self-discipline the place he appeared proper at house, profitable on his first outing. He then stepped straight onto the rostrum at his UCI Gravel World Championships debut, coming third behind Matej Mohoric and Florian Vermeersch, and never surprisingly rapidly foreshadowing his dedication to returning to attempt once more in 2024.

A yr later the Ineos Grenadiers rider has a little bit extra gravel expertise, and is lining up on a course the place his Classics expertise ought to make him much more at house. Add to that the arrogance enhance of an ideal file within the self-discipline in 2024, having received each the British Gravel Championships and the UCI Gravel World Collection race, Graen Cymru. Swift now will probably be hoping he could make it three for 3. (SG)

We might have one Belgian rider listed among the many favourites above however there are loads extra that would simply as simply be placing the house colors on show on the entrance of the sector. Firstly there may be the winner of the inaugural version, Gianni Vermeersch or maybe final yr’s second-placed Florian Vermeersch. Then if Tim Merlier traces up he’s probably be one other main risk, having come second on the European Gravel Championships final yr, received on the mid-year Blaavands Huk UCI Gravel World Collection spherical and in addition being within the midst of a strong streak on the street, with three wins in September and a type of being the European Street Championships. Turning to different nations, former WorldTour rider turned gravel specialist Petr Vakoc (Czech Republic) is a critical risk, having come sixth on the European Gravel Championships final yr and infrequently having been off the rostrum this season, together with wins on the La Monsterrato UCI Gravel World Collection race and Traka 200. American Chad Haga could possibly be a protracted shot, having delivered a robust gravel run this yr, with second at Octopus Gravel and Unbound.

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