The UCI Gravel World Championships are around the corner, and the excitement is bigger than ever because we know the course like the back of our hand. We are eager to see riders from all over the world ripping the gravel paths around Leuven, Belgium, and discover what the region has to offer.
Qualification system
Over the year, 25 different UCI Gravel World Series events granted spots to those wanting to get a place in the age group category, while elite riders got a direct qualification. In every race, all riders finishing in the top 25% of each age bracket became eligible. Then they had to confirm their participation in the World Championships by paying the necessary fee.
Some qualified early in the year while others kept trying until the last qualifier, the Sea Otter Europe race in Girona on September 22nd. On top of the age-groupers, every national federation got 20 places to give to their best riders. The final startlist will be released on Wednesday, but the figures are already known, and a total of 2,100 riders will take part in the World Championships on October 5th-6th.
We are among those taking part in the race, as we qualified this summer through the Safari Gravel race in Kenya. Racing the World Championships is the perfect reason to spend some days in Leiven, a place that until recently we called home, and check first-hand the magnitude of the event. Given that our personal ambitions are low, there is no point in keeping any secret about the course, so we are willing to disclose the most decisive points, describe the characteristics of the surface in the area, and discuss the potential race scenarios.
Few people have done more kilometers in the forests that the course passes by than Wesley Goossens, a local cyclist and talented photographer. Thanks to him we discovered some of the paths before the official route was unveiled, and his photos, taken while riding with other members of the Syndicate Cycling Club, depict the essence of this beautiful gravel course.
Course preview
Leuven is set to host another major cycling event just three years after the 2021 Road World Championships in which Elisa Balsamo and Julian Alaphilippe were awarded the rainbow jersey. The 2024 Gravel World Championships start in Halle before finishing in the student Flemish city, crossing three forests in between.
The first kilometers around Halle are mainly on farm tracks in between meadows with some paved roads in between. After passing again through the city center, riders will head east and enter the Brabantse Wouden, which has recently been recognized as a National Park. This green belt is a concatenate of multiple forests with more than 10,000 hectares of valuable nature, as we checked first-hand during the Flanders Divide. For example, the Hallerbos is well known for the bluebell flowers that bloom in April, and the Zoniënwoud is the place where many Brussels inhabitants go to disconnect from the chaos of the city. Last but not least, the Meerdaalwoud and its rich network of beautiful and intertwined gravel paths will decide who gets crowned as World Champion.
On their way to Leuven, participants will ride mainly on wide, fast gravel paths covered by oak trees. This, together with a lack of proper climbs, means that race tactics will play a crucial role, as an organized national team can keep a strong but lone rider under control.
Once they leave behind Tervuren Park, around the 65-kilometre mark, the surface gets rougher. Over the following 15 km long stretch, riders will tackle some paths that are not well preserved and are impacted by the weather conditions, as water gets accumulated very easily. Even in summer, the surface was very uneven and there was not a clear good line.
After some double-tracks, a rocky hill and a short but tricky descent, riders will head to Leuven through the narrow path along the Dijle river. The Arenberg castle will welcome participants to the student city, and after one last cobbled hill parallel to the spot where Alaphilippe made his decisive attack in 2021, riders will enter the finish area for the first time.
The Leuven loop, 47 km in length, is expected to be also very fast because the gravel paths in the Heverleebos and Meerdaalwoud are wide, like a gravel highway, and the surface is predominantly smooth. This loop is very similar to the 2023 Gravel European Championships, so the riders who already made the trip to Flanders last year know what to expect. There are no major climbs and only a 500 m straight hill 13 km from the finish seems suitable for a planned attack. Apart from that, it will be difficult to create a gap, but cornering skills can play an important role in deciding who remains in the lead group as the hours pass by.
However, the easternmost segment of the loop features some rougher and uneven parts that, if it rains in the days leading to the race, will present difficulties to the riders. We are talking about potholes and slippery stones taken at high speed.
The last kilometers will be familiar to everyone as they would have already done that last stretch at least once. After crossing Leuven from west to east one last time, the finish line in front of Martlarenplein, with the old city hall in the background, will decide who wears the rainbow jersey at the end of the day.
Other remarks
Tire width and tread pattern will be an important choice. Regardless of the weather, we expect the elite riders to race with 38 or 40 mm tires. If it doesn’t rain in the days leading to the race, most of the riders who can choose between tires will go for the ones with less rolling resistance, so it will be no surprise if we see some very slick tires at the start.
On Saturday, the racing program will kick off with the women elite, the women age groupers, and the male age groups above 50. The following day, it will be time for the men elite and the remaining age-groupers. Those racing on Saturday will race for 135 km, while on Sunday racers will do an extra lap of the Leuven circuit, bringing the total distance up to 182 km.
