The expected calendar of the 2022 UCI Gravel World Series has been leaked, with 14 qualifying events leading up to the inaugural UCI Gravel World Championships at the of the season.
Described as 'preliminary' by Gran Fondo Daily News, the UCI Gravel World Series will apparently be sponsored by Trek and begins on April 3, 2022 in the Philippines.
Gravel Filippine Bongabon in Vega Grande is expected to be the UCI as the opening round of the off-road series, with two courses offered - 85km (qualifier distance for 19 to 49) and 62km course (qualifier distance for 50 and above).
No major events from established gravel rides or races in the USA were named for the inaugural year of the UCI World Series, including Garmin Gravel Worlds in Nebraska.
That grassroots gravel challenge, which owns a trademark for the name “Gravel Worlds”, will hold its 12th edition in Lincoln on August 20.
Among the five events expected in North America, three events will be strung together between June 18 to July 8, beginning with the Blue Mountains Gravel Fondo in Ontario, Canada, then the newly-launched Highlands Gravel Classic in Fayetteville, Arkansas and the Gravel Ensenada in the Baja California region of Mexico.
After a two-year hiatus because of COVID-19 restrictions, the Kettle Mettle Gravel Fondo is set to host a round in British Columbia, Canada in mid-September, and Jingle GX Gravel Race is set to close out the regular series on September 24 in Iowa City, Iowa.
The UCI announced last September it would oversee the creation of a gravel series and a Gravel World Championships, the 10th discipline for which the international governing body will award rainbow jerseys to top male and female riders.
Golazo also organises the Gran Fondo World Series and World Championships as part of the UCI Cycling For All initiative.
Several news outlet reported that course and equipment regulations for the Gravel World Series will be the same as used for the already-established Gravel Gran Fondo series, which caters to amateur riders.
In order to qualify for the Gravel World Championships, participants needed a UCI racing licence and must “finish in the top 25% group per gender and age group, with each age group ranging five years between 19 and 79,” according to the Daily Guardian.
Because there were three weekends when multiple events were being held in different countries, early reports were that participants need only place in the top 25 per cent of a single event to qualify for the championships.
Preliminary Gravel World Series calendar 2022
- April 3 - Gravel Filippine Bongabon, Philippines
- June 5 - Wish One Gravel Race, France
- June 18 - Gravel Adventure, Poland
- June 18 - Blue Mountains Gravel Fondo, Canada
- June 25 - Highlands Gravel Classic, USA
- July 8 - Gravel Ensenada, Mexico
- August 20 - Gravel Grit n Grind, Sweden
- August 28 - Houffa Gravel, Belgium
- September 3 - La Monsterrato, Italy
- September 4 - Gravelista, Australia
- September 17 - Kettle Mettle, Canada
- September 17 - Gravel One Fifty, Netherlands
- September 18 - Ranxu, Spain
- September 24 - Jingle GX Gravel Race, USA
