What in the World is Gravel : The CDC GT at the UCI Worlds

Will the question ‘what is Gravel?’ have been answered in the aftermath of the first ever UCI World Championship Gravel race? Many racing at this inaugural event may have glimpsed what Gravel is for a split second; like that fleeting ‘moment of clarity’ alcoholics often experience. Or perhaps it has just thickened the plot even more. Don’t drink and ride though, especially when representing your home nation.

The victories of Pauline Ferrand Prévot and Gianni Vermeersch gave Gravel the air of nobility needed to establish the discipline in its own right on Planet Cycling. On-off-road racing might be the new black with rainbow stripes for professional (and amateur) cyclists.

After this first World Championship, Gravel will have shown its dirt-splattered face to the general public, a far cry from the good old days of riding 25mm tires on fire roads. Gravel bikes, apparel, teams and more now exist in the Planet Cycling.

In its UCI form, Gravel appears to be more of a rolling route with somewhat crunchy roads, without any major technical difficulty. But is sport ever a level playing field? Not in bike racing.

Shorter in length than your average grinder, this UCI-mapped course was more of a Sunday country glide for all the family. Far from the format of the great adventure races which forged the reputation of Gravel, far even from the qualifying heats of these same World Championships. Perhaps it was to attract the pro riders, those who for the most part this Sunday were riding road bikes fitted with tires barely bigger than usual. Perhaps it was simply because everyone deserved a nice easy finish to the season. Certainly it was the price the general public paid for the TV motos being able to ride easily on the course and film the action.

For the Café du Cycliste Gravel Team this World Championship marked the culmination of a first season of excellence. Our warriors have all qualified with art, heart and humility. They descended into the arena during the selection rounds, fought with all the commitment and bravery that we know of them to obtain the key to unlock this Venetian final.

Racing for a good part of the course alongside the Frenchwoman who will be crowned the first champion of the world in the discipline, Annabel Fisher abandons due to a puncture at the 101st kilometer. Danielle Larson, Lydia Iglesias Bares, Maria Ögn Guðmundsdóttir will give the best of themselves in their respective categories, and the podium passes just under the nose of Lydia, the Spanish rider of Team Café du Cycliste.

At the same time as this race in Veneto was officially occuring, in other places, far from spotlights and televisions, other Gravel rides were taking place. Bands of friends were making sudden diverions of the tarmac and racing each other on bumpy roads, laughing, hurting and feeling free. Others in search of adventure loaded their bikes to cross passes and borders for days on end.

More than ever, Gravel is taking on new further dimensions beyond rules and regulation tyres. Having a World Championship race will not change anything. And the question therefore remains: ‘what is Gravel?’

What in the World is Gravel : The CDC GT at the UCI Worlds

Team Spirit in Montserrato

Gravel, more so than other cycling disciplines, prides itself on its pioneering spirit. It is apt, therefore, that it puts both genders on equal footing. Women compete with men over equal distances, from the same start line.

The Rift

The Rift is an unmissable event on the Gravel calendar with a course offering volcanic landscapes, and a highly unique terrain. There’s nothing else in the universe quite like it, especially not for Annabel Fisher who rode to victory in the 200km.

Traka

Girona’s location and laidback atmosphere make it irresistible to Gravel enthusiasts. The surrounding countryside is riddled with trails as far as the eye can see and, unsurprisingly, The Traka has established itself here as the benchmark European Gravel race.

Unbound

In terms of Gravel racing there is Unbound, and then there is the rest. For Gravel enthusiasts, Unbound is more than a race, it's a pilgrimage, a baptism of dirt and fire that every follower dreams of one day living.