The 2024 UCI Gravel World Championships, held this weekend in the Forests of Brabant between Halle and Leuven, is poised to be a record-breaking event. With a staggering 2613 riders from 49 countries lining up at the start line, this year’s edition has doubled again in participation compared to the previous two years (556 in 2022 and 1268 in 2023).
Women’s Elite: Fresh off her UCI World Championship victory, Lotte Kopecky will aim for another rainbow jersey in the gravel discipline. However, she faces stiff competition from a powerhouse Dutch contingent: cyclocross World Champion Fem van Empel, MTB World Champion Puck Pieterse, and multi-discipline World Champion Marianne Vos. European Gravel Champion Lorena Wiebes also joins the fray, alongside 2023 silver medalist Silvia Persico and gravel specialist Carolin Schiff. And what about the 2022 Gravel World Champion Pauline Ferrand Prevot?
The women’s race starts in Halle before traversing the scenic national park of the Forest of Brabant towards Leuven. The course finishes with one local lap, totalling 136km.
Men’s Elite: Defending champion Matej Mohoric will face a fierce battle on Sunday. Among his challengers are Mathieu van der Poel, European road champion Tim Merlier, and the European gravel champion and local hero, Jasper Stuyven. The 2022 Gravel World Champion Gianni Vermeersch, alongside 2023 silver and bronze medallists Florian Vermeersch and Conor Swift, will also be vying for the title. Also the pure gravel specialists like Peter Vakoc will be keen on a good result.
The men’s race adds two local laps of 47km to the starting loop, for a total distance of 182km, with the finish line situated in the heart of Leuven.
Another 2184 Age groups riders will battle for 21 world titles in their category spread over two days.
