(Reuters) – A new Gravel World Series spanning 12 events will begin next month in the Philippines and lead up to the inaugural Gravel World Championships at the end of the season, cycling’s governing body (UCI) said on Friday.
The top 25% of men and women from each age group at each of the 12 events will qualify for the world championships, with details of the date and venue yet to be confirmed.
“I am thrilled that we now have an exciting and rich calendar of gravel events for riders with an adventurous spirit who enjoy cycling on unsealed roads and paths,” UCI president David Lappartient said.
“The UCI Gran Fondo World Series is incredibly popular, and I am convinced that this concept will be equally successful for the gravel format.”
Organisers said regulations for the series would be relaxed for the first two years to allow participants to compete on any type of bike without electrical assistance but added that they would reassess the rules “in upcoming years”.
UCI Gravel Philippines in Bongabon will host the opening event on April 3. Events in France, Italy, Netherlands, Australia and the United States are also on the calendar, with the series concluding on Sept. 18 in Spain.
(Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Bengaluru; editing by Clare Fallon)
