The Gravelking UCI Gravel World Series heads to Northern Europe this weekend for a busy double race weekend with qualifying events in both Wales and Denmark. Together, the two races have attracted more than 1,000 riders from 34 countries, all aiming to secure their place at the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships in Nannup, Australia.
Unique Two-Day Format Awaits Riders in Wales
The Welsh qualifier, Graean Cymru, returns to the spectacular Llyn Brenig region in North Wales on 5 and 6 September. The event remains unique within the Gravelking UCI Gravel World Series calendar as the only qualifier to organise separate race days for women and men, a format otherwise only seen at the UCI Gravel World Championships. The race takes place around the Brenig Reservoir and through the extensive Clocaenog Forest near Ruthin. Riders will tackle two laps of a demanding 57 km circuit, resulting in a total race distance of approximately 113 km. The event has attracted 700 participants from 26 different nations.
New Danish Qualifier Debuts in North Jutland
On Saturday, attention will also turn to Denmark where The Wolf makes its debut in the Gravelking UCI Gravel World Series. Based in Dronninglund in the North Jutland region, the event introduces a completely new qualifying opportunity for gravel riders in Scandinavia.
A total of 322 riders from 19 countries have registered for the inaugural edition. Riders will face a surprisingly demanding course consisting of two or three laps of a 52 km circuit. While Denmark is often associated with flat terrain, the North Jutland landscape offers a very different challenge. Each lap includes 466 metres of elevation gain over rolling gravel roads, forest sections and fast open stretches through the Danish countryside.
The elite riders and younger age groups will complete three laps for a race distance exceeding 150 km, while older age categories will contest a shorter qualifying distance over two laps.
This weekend’s combination of the rugged forests of North Wales and the rolling gravel roads of North Jutland highlights the diversity of the Gravelking UCI Gravel World Series calendar. With more than 1,000 riders lining up across both events, the battles for qualification are expected to be intense as the road to Nannup continues.
