UCI Gravel World Series is the qualification pathway into the UCI Gravel World Championships — the only genuinely global, UCI-sanctioned gravel qualification system. It expanded to 45 qualifying events across 32 countries for 2026 (up from 33 the year before, and just 12 when the series launched in 2022), spanning Europe, North and South America, Africa, and Asia-Pacific.
Finishing in the top 25% of your age category at any qualifying event earns you a start at that year's World Championships, with automatic qualification for the top three finishers in smaller categories regardless of field size. Riders also accumulate UCI points at these events, which affect starting-grid position at Worlds itself — meaningful, since the front rows at Worlds are often stacked with WorldTour riders.
The global footprint of these races is massive, but whether these UCI races can rival the energy and participation of the hallmark races like Unbound remains to be seen. What is clear is that the allure of a true world championship, complete with the UCI rainbow jersey, has a strong appeal for both age-group athletes and elite racers alike.
Highlands Gravel Classic (Fayetteville / Goshen, AR) and Mammoth Tuff (Mammoth Lakes, CA) are the confirmed U.S. stops for 2026.
Top 25% of finishers in each age category qualify for Worlds; the top three finishers in any category qualify automatically regardless of field size. UCI points earned at qualifying events determine starting-grid position at the World Championships.
The 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships will be held October 10–11 in Nannup, Western Australia — the first time the event has been held outside Europe. 2025's champions were Florian Vermeersch (Belgium) and Lorena Wiebes (Netherlands).