This weekend, a UCI Gravel World Series event is scheduled to take place in Szklarska Poreba – Jakuszyce, Poland. This location, a ski resort situated in the Izerski mountains, is positioned near the borders of the Czech Republic and Germany.
Approximately 600 riders from 30 different countries have registered to participate. The course for this year has been updated from previous editions and now features a longer route covering 120 kilometers as official qualifier distance for the younger categories.
The 120km route begins with a 10km start loop. Riders will then commence an 6.5km ascent, leading to the highest point of the course. The initial half of this climb is paved, while the remainder of this section is on gravel surfaces. A notable long climb also begins after the 80km mark, which is 8km in length, 5.7% average and entirely paved. The majority of the remaining course, roughly 80%, consists of wide-open forest tracks within the Izerski Mountains, primarily on gravel. The total elevation gain for the longer course is 2283 meters.
For men over 60 and women over 50, qualifying in the shorter distance, a 66km option is also available. This shorter route bypasses the eastern section of the main course but still includes a significant amount of climbing, with a total elevation of 1257 meters.
