{"id":2113009,"date":"2026-08-26T08:22:14","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T05:22:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2113009"},"modified":"2026-08-26T08:22:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T05:22:14","slug":"worldtour-and-the-wild-west-are-gravel-and-road-cycling-pros-one-and-the-same-or-two-completely-different-athletes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2113009","title":{"rendered":"WorldTour and the &#8216;Wild West&#8217; \u2013 Are gravel and road cycling pros one and the same, or two completely different athletes?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-2000-80.png&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><article class=\"page-content-onecol flex-1\nnews-article article\n\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"widget-area-group widget-area-group-2col flex flex-wrap box-border\">\n<div id=\"widgetArea16\" class=\"widget-area basis-full md:basis-2\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-2-3 page-widget-area-16\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"hero\" id=\"hero\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-hero widget-hero widget-hero-hero widget-hero widget-hero-fter-news\">\n<div class=\"news-article\">\n<header data-component-name=\"Article:Hero\">\n<nav class=\"breadcrumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\">\n<ol>\n<li>\nPro Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRacing\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>WorldTour and the &#8216;Wild West&#8217; \u2013 Are gravel and road cycling pros one and the same, or two completely different athletes?<\/h1>\n<div class=\"kiosq-member-label\" data-component-name=\"Article:Hero:KiosqPaywallLabels\"><span class=\"kiosq-member-label-text\"><br \/>\nMEMBER EXCLUSIVE<br \/>\n<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"vds-byline-block flex flex-row flex-nowrap my-1.5 gap-2 text-left items-start justify-center mx-auto max-sm:text-center max-sm:items-center\" data-component-name=\"Article:BylineBlock\">\n<p>Features<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-auto vds-simple-byline\"><span class=\"inline-block vds-author\"><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nZach Nehr <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta max-sm:justify-center\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-08-26T08:22:14Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n26 August 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">The two disciplines are crossing over more frequently than ever before, but how easy is it for professional cyclists to actually make the transition between gravel and road?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-center text-center\" id=\"affiliate-disclaimer\" data-component-name=\"AffiliateDisclaimer\" data-hawk-message=\"Affiliate disclaimer removed because hawk deemed there are no affiliate links on this page\">\n<p class=\"text-[color:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--text-color,inherit)] mb-2 text-[length:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--font-size,0.75rem)] leading-[18px] md:text-[13px] [&amp;&gt;a]:text-inherit [&amp;&gt;a]:underline\">\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here\u2019s how it works.\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-widget-type=\"contentparsed\" id=\"content\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-contentparsed widget-content widget-contentparsed-content widget-content-parsed widget-content-parsed-content_document \">\n<div class=\"wcp-item-content\">\n<section class=\"content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"box less-space hero-image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"mb-0\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-2000-80.png.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-1920-80.png.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-1600-80.png.webp 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-1440-80.png.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-1280-80.png.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-1200-80.png.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-1024-80.png.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-970-80.png.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-750-80.png.webp 750w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-480-80.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"font-article-copy text-(--image--text--color) font-article-copy mt-2\"><span class=\"caption-text font-article-copy\">Since gravel racing&#8217;s rapid rise, riders crossing between the two has become more and more common &#8211; but how easy is it?<\/span><span class=\"credit font-article-copy\">(Image credit: Getty Images &amp; LTGP)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"text-copy bodyCopy auto paywall-locker\">\n<div data-analytics-id=\"utility-bar\" id=\"utility-bar\" class=\"font-ui-heading flex justify-between items-center py-2 border-t border-b border-gray-300 border-solid mb-5 mx-auto\" data-component-name=\"UtilityBar\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"utility-bar\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div data-component-name=\"Social:Dropdown\" role=\"menu\" id=\"utilitybar__dropdown--share\" aria-labelledby=\"utilitybar__button--share\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-full w-44 bg-white rounded-md shadow-md border border-neutral-200 z-[9996] list-none m-0 py-2 px-3 border-solid\">\n<ul class=\"m-0!\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>X<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Email<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-share-this-article\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nShare this article\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\"><span class=\"ml-1 inline-flex h-5 px-2 shrink-0 items-center justify-center self-center overflow-hidden whitespace-nowrap rounded-[10px] bg-primary-500 text-[11px] leading-none font-ui-heading font-semibold text-white\">0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-join-the-conversation\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nJoin the conversation\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<p>Follow us<\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-add-us-as-a-preferred-source-on-google\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nAdd us as a preferred source on Google\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-subscribe-to-our-newsletter\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc2df0-9bbf-11f1-bf89-29bd6f8d9299\">At the 2022 inaugural UCI Gravel World Championships, nine of the top ten finishers were professional road cyclists. Among them were Mathieu van der Poel, Magnus Cort, and winner Gianni Vermeersch, riders who likely spent more time on the massage table than their gravel bike that season. The gravel community was confused, and many were frustrated because the UCI&#8217;s new discipline, marketed as an alternative to traditional road racing, had been immediately colonised by the very athletes it was meant to offer an escape from.<\/p>\n<p>What happened next was a divergence of sorts. Gravel racing moving in this direction, road racing going in the other direction. The road pros who showed up to win gravel races discovered, sometimes painfully, that winning gravel was not the same thing as surviving it. And the gravel pros with world-class engines learned there was a lot more to road racing than pushing 300w for eight hours.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc2df0-9bbf-11f1-bf89-29bd6f8d9299-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When discussing the differences between road and gravel pros, we\u2019re talking about a lot more than pure physiology. We\u2019re talking about differing lifestyles, race schedules, financial benefits, and stability. Gravel racing offers freedom, but freedom is not always desirable when it means you become the athlete, manager, negotiator, and mechanic all wrapped into one.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Both gravel and road pros are some of the strongest athletes on the planet. We\u2019ve seen more than a few cross over from one discipline to the other, often with great success. But how easy is that transition? The path from WorldTour road racing to gravel is heavily trodden, sometimes a bit stale. Yet so many riders continue to attempt it. It works out beautifully for some, and ends in less than 12 months for others. That failure rate says a lot about how the two disciplines relate to each other, and what it actually takes to move between them.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-is-a-professional-gravel-racer-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">What is a professional gravel racer?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc3106-9bbf-11f1-bad5-cb710a7208ac\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The modern-day professional gravel racer is someone who creates their own lifestyle. They live wherever they want to and line up at the races they want to compete in. They aren\u2019t tied down to a specific team or country. In fact, many of them live on the road, spending a few months here and there while travelling between races.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Pro gravel racers tend to be privateers, meaning they have their own cluster of individual sponsors rather than being part of a fully-sponsored team. While there are some professional teams in gravel, such as the Specialized Off-Road Team, the majority of riders do their own thing.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-8aec062e-a075-11f1-b913-29824329f593\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-2000-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Keegan Swenson celebrates as he scores a record-equalling sixth Leadville 100 title <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Dan Hughes\/LTGP)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-8aec06b0-a075-11f1-90e0-2d2d57a8ab0e\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That creates an immense amount of freedom for the professional gravel racer, but also an equal amount of instability. Instead of being signed to a multi-year contract with a significant annual salary, gravel racers often combine income from a variety of smaller sponsors to fund their lifestyle. Some sponsors pay cash, others provide products. Few sponsors offer support at races, and even then, it might only be for a handful of events each year. Only the wealthiest of gravel racers have the funds to hire mechanics and soigneurs to travel with them.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When a WorldTour team rolls into town, they have to find a big enough parking spot for their team bus, caravan cars, and mechanic\u2019s truck. When a gravel racer flies into Kansas for Unbound, they are probably picking up a rental car, buying their own groceries, and building their own bike in a small hotel room.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-is-a-professional-road-racer-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">What is a professional road racer?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc32a0-9bbf-11f1-9390-37cc846b7045\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">In contrast to the \u2018Wild West\u2019 lifestyle of a pro gravel racer, professional road racers don\u2019t do much other than ride their bike. That is what they are paid to do, so their focus becomes on-the-bike performance over everything else.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fancy-box kiosq-b\" id=\"elk-cd3f651e-a126-11f1-8de4-9d2fc33cfffe\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"fancy_box-title\">More premium features you should read<\/div>\n<div class=\"fancy_box_body\">\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure \">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Giorgio de Negri \/ GWS Grand Tour 3 Cime Lavaredo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>&#8216;Riders making six figures race against some who aren&#8217;t making a cent&#8217; &#8211; Are pro gravel teams about to be the end of the privateer?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>&#8216;AI could reverse cycling 2.0&#8217;s gains&#8217; \u2013 Why artificial intelligence could become an anti-doping scientist&#8217;s worst nightmare<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>&#8216;Fantastic entertainment&#8217; or &#8216;slapstick comedy&#8217;? How gravel has infiltrated WorldTour racing, and what the pros really think of it<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-cd3f65aa-a126-11f1-a8c8-4589cde8bdca\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Professional road racers need not waste energy on cooking, cleaning, or organising logistics. When they\u2019re not out on a five-hour training ride, they are probably lying in their hotel room or plopped on the massage table. The team\u2019s chef is cooking dinner, the soigneurs are preparing the bottles, and the mechanics are fine-tuning their shifting for tomorrow\u2019s race.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">It sounds like a wonderful life, but the WorldTour lifestyle has burnt out countless riders. Being a professional road cyclist means that you show up and race your bike when and where your team tells you to. They are paying your bills, so you have to do what they say. Of course, superstar riders make their own schedules, but the majority of professional road cyclists are not this way.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">If your team needs you at a race in France tomorrow, you pack up your bags and go. If they send you to a flat race in Belgium because one of your teammates got sick, you go \u2013 never mind the fact that you might be a diminutive climber.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-8aec073c-a075-11f1-beef-9be4f0fddbbb\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Jayco-AlUla&#8217;s Paul Double on the attack during Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa 2026 <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Antonio Baixauli\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-8aec07b4-a075-11f1-aabc-67b906071d64\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">No matter where you\u2019re from, you will spend the majority of your years living on the road if you\u2019re a professional road cyclist. A small calendar might be 40-50 race days per year, while a heavy calendar may have upwards of 70 race days. A calendar year has 365 days, so that doesn\u2019t sound like a lot. But when you factor in travel time, training camps, media obligations, and sponsor events, most professional road cyclists spend 50\u201370% of their year away from home. It comes as no surprise, then, that some pro cyclists bring their families to a training camp, or meet them at a big race. Chances are, they haven\u2019t seen them in weeks.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">A professional gravel racer, on the other hand, might race 15\u201325 times per year. If you\u2019re a Life Time Grand Prix athlete going after the biggest annual prize purse in off-road cycling, then you have six goal races a year. Add in the National Championships, maybe the World Championships, and a few other key races, and you are looking at 10 key events per year.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Each race is so long and hard that you will probably need a week or two to recover before your next event. While a WorldTour team might force you to race when you\u2019d rather be at home on the couch, the gravel lifestyle allows you to recover between 200km races.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">There are many aspects of the pro road and pro gravel lifestyles that are different, but there are just as many similarities. At the end of the day, you are a professional cyclist, so your goal is to be fast on the bike. You know what to make for breakfast in the morning, how to get through a tough training session, and how to travel to a new city and still perform at your best the following day. When it comes to physiological performance, road and gravel cyclists are not as different as you might think.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"are-pro-gravel-and-road-racers-the-same-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Are pro gravel and road racers the same?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc3408-9bbf-11f1-b746-fd9bc88db34a\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Read through the start list of any professional gravel race, and it won\u2019t be long before you recognise 10 or 15 names from the WorldTour. Riders like Mads W\u00fcrtz Schmidt, Romain Bardet, Lachlan Morton, and Petr Vako\u010d have all made their way from the top echelon of road cycling to professional gravel racing.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The switch is easy for some, such as Bardet, who won his first pro gravel race in August 2025 after retiring from professional road racing just two months prior. They say the engine is the biggest physiological piece of gravel performance. Those who succeed need to ride hard all day. Not for three, four, or even five hours, but upwards of eight hours in some of the world\u2019s toughest gravel events.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Rosa Kl\u00f6ser won The Traka 360, finished 5th at Unbound, and raced the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift in the span of three months this season. The German didn\u2019t just ride the Tour as a stand-in, either. She finished in the main peloton more often than not, and crossed the line in Nice in 43rd overall.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-8aec0836-a075-11f1-bbd4-cf2b057f0895\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Kl\u00f6ser leading the peloton during the Tour de France Femmes 2026 <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-8aec08ae-a075-11f1-b435-d1ff2689be28\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When it comes to the physical demands of road and gravel racing, they are not so dissimilar in the damage they do to your legs. Many of the hardest road races in the world are 4\u20136 hours long. The toughest gravel races in the world are a bit longer, more like the 5\u20138 hour range. But gravel races are almost always one-day events, meaning that riders arrive fresh and ready for one massive day of racing.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Professional road racers often compete in stage races, lining up day after day, smashing themselves for hours on end. In terms of the overall load on the body, you could argue that road racing is tougher than gravel racing if you\u2019re referring to stage races. Riding six hours on Stage 18 of the Tour de France is a lot different than riding six hours at Unbound when you have been training and resting for the past three weeks.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But there is a glaring difference between gravel and road racing that also relates to the differences we see in rider size: bumpy terrain.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Gravel racing terrain can mean almost anything. Some races have creek crossings, others have miles of single track, some have 4,000m of climbing, and others are flat as a pancake. But the one thing that every gravel race has is, obviously, gravel. In contrast to the smooth, high-speed tarmac of road racing, gravel roads can wreak havoc on the body. Many gravel roads are chunky, bumpy and sandy. Some have small rock gardens, thick tree roots, and slippery sand pits.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Gravel racers are typically larger than road racers, and that\u2019s because their entire body needs to be equipped for handling off-road terrain. Not just for an hour, but all day. Some gravel racers spend more time in the gym building their core and upper body muscles; others simply develop these muscles by riding off-road all the time.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Road racers are often lean, especially when their focus is climbing and hilly races. It\u2019s often worth shedding a kilo or two for the Tour de France, which includes more than 10,000m of climbing across three weeks of racing. Gravel typically rewards raw power and durable bodies. It\u2019s rare that an elite gravel race includes mountains, which would reward power-to-weight over raw power.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">We mentioned gym work and bigger muscles on gravel racers, but what about the rest of their training plan \u2013 do they differ from a professional road racer\u2019s plan?<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Both gravel and road racers train 15\u201320 hours per week, including VO2 Max intervals, tempo, threshold, and Zone 2. They both do heat training and gym work, as well as some sprints, especially in winter. But the further you dive into the details, the more their training plans start to diverge.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-8aec091c-a075-11f1-bcb0-81c132de6666\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Riders warming up in the dark ahead of Leadville 100 <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Justin Britton\/LTGP)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-8aec098a-a075-11f1-972c-032b7e1b14ef\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">A professional gravel racer has lots of time to train \u2013 this brings us back to the conversation about annual race days. If there are 1\u20134 weeks between every race, the pro gravel racer has time to rest, recover, and put together another training block in between races. The pro road racer, on the other hand, likely has 2\u20133 training camps a year, with the rest of their schedule being packed with races. Once the race season begins, pro road riders are often jetting from one race to the next. There is little to no time to train in between, let alone rest before building up again.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When it comes to specific training blocks and goals, the pro gravel racer is likely to focus on fatigue resistance more than anything else. An 8-hour race is never won in the first hour. It\u2019s after 5\u20137 hours of racing that the strongest riders finally come to the fore and make their winning move.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Road racers also focus on fatigue resistance, but they are more likely to emphasise short and sharp efforts in training. These are the 1-minute, 5-minute, and 20-minute efforts that you make in a road race. Whether it\u2019s to make the breakaway or win on the final climb, this type of explosive effort is crucial in road racing.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Gravel racing is more of a long grind. Gaps are typically made when riders slowly start to crack, not because Keegan Swenson did 600w for a minute on a climb. Often pro gravel races turn into fatigue resistance time trials. That means: race hard for six hours, get a tiny gap, and then time trial for an hour to the finish. No one is putting up impressive power numbers eight hours into Unbound. Sometimes, all it takes is 550w for a few seconds to open up a gap. Whereas in road racing, riders are putting out nearly fresh numbers at the finish line.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But there is a lot more to gravel and road racing than putting power into the pedals. The number of pro road racers who earned a mechanically induced DNF at Unbound must be in the hundreds. Gravel racing requires preparation and mechanical know-how. There are a million things that could go wrong, and there isn\u2019t a team car to save you. Most pro gravel races allow zero outside support, which means you need to bring all of the necessary tools with you. Feed zones are often 50 miles apart, which is why you\u2019ll see riders\u2019 pockets loaded to the brim on the start line.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Despite the challenges, riders continue to switch from road racing to gravel. A few have gotten offers to go the other way, but few gravel riders have fully transitioned into full-time road racers.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-easy-is-it-to-switch-from-road-to-gravel-or-vice-versa-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">How easy is it to switch from road to gravel, or vice versa?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc3548-9bbf-11f1-8f99-739989dd7775\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The standard take on gravel versus road is that &#8216;gravel is for riders who couldn&#8217;t make it in professional road racing&#8217;, or &#8216;who burned out on team dynamics and wanted independence&#8217;. That certainly could be true for some, but it is not the only force bringing road racers to gravel.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Professional road racing is like working at a big corporation. You sign a contract, you show up to work, and you do your job. Your boss has a boss, and their boss has a boss, and that person probably pays your bills. Whatever the team says goes (for the most part). You won\u2019t get to choose half your race schedule, and the majority of the time, you\u2019ll be trying to help one of your teammates win the race. You will be flown and bussed around the world, and there are probably a few destinations that you\u2019d rather not visit.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-8aec0a0c-a075-11f1-b19c-712c15204a62\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Team buses en route to the stage start at the Tour de France <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-8aec0a7a-a075-11f1-acb4-9f7692e3a6e3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Being a professional gravel racer is like running your own business. You get to call all the shots, but that also leaves you with all the responsibilities. If you\u2019re not able to delegate, you have to do everything on your own. That includes a lot more than pedalling your bike, which causes many riders to burn out after a single year attempting gravel racing. At the end of the day, you\u2019re not earning a paycheck to show up at the start line. You need to make money some other way. For many riders, that means appearing at the top of the results page and spraying champagne on the podium. For others, that means posting five Instagram stories every day and hosting a sponsor event the night before a big race.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The switch is easy for some, impossible for others. Freedom is wonderful for those who want it. Stability and structure are often the other end of the spectrum. Rosa Kl\u00f6ser currently does both, while Mads W\u00fcrtz Schmidt went from Israel-Premier Tech to Specialized Off-Road racing in just two years. Countless other road racers will take the leap and try to become professional gravel racers. Many will fail, but some will succeed more than ever before.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Are road and gravel pros the same athlete? Their power numbers say yes. The race-specific skills, nutrition strategy, equipment knowledge, and self-sufficiency required to succeed in gravel racing say no.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Both disciplines are evolving at a rapid rate, so it shouldn\u2019t be surprising to see the two converge in the near future. But right now, gravel racing rewards a different skill set compared to professional road racing. If the sport continues to evolve and money continues to pour into gravel, things will change.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">One of the biggest differences right now is that pro gravel racers don\u2019t get the same level of support compared to road racers. But take the Specialized Off-Road Team, for example. They have multiple mechanics, soigneurs, managers, coaches, and support staff at every race. Sometimes, there is even a chef at training camp. If gravel continues in that direction, it will become more and more like professional road racing every year.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">We\u2019ve already seen some pro road riders win gravel races in the middle of their road season. Wout Van Aert won the UCI Gravel World Series &#8211; Marly Grav Race less than a month after winning Paris-Roubaix, and four weeks later he won a stage and the team time trial at the Tour Auvergne-Rh\u00f4ne-Alpes. Soon the question might shift away from: are gravel and road pros the same? Perhaps we should be asking ourselves, how can a rider succeed in both gravel and road at the same time? The financial backing is strong, and there are plenty of gaps in each discipline\u2019s racing calendar. Gravel and road used to be completely different disciplines, but you could make a strong argument that both the disciplines and their athletes are becoming the same.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block mb-5\" id=\"articleTag\" data-component-name=\"PostArticleLinks\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"post-article-links\">\n<div class=\"border-b border-b-black border-solid py-2.5 text-black font-bold uppercase\">TOPICS<\/div>\n<nav class=\"py-2.5 flex gap-2.5 flex-wrap\" data-analytics-id=\"article-tag\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-tag\">\n<p>Premium In-Depth Racing<\/p>\n<p>Road<\/p>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"slice-container-authorBio-g2DxfatawZ3e7rPtjfxJsU\" class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio-g2DxfatawZ3e7rPtjfxJsU slice-container-authorBio\">\n<div class=\"author author__default-layout author--separator author--collapsible\" data-hydrate=\"true\">\n<div class=\"author__header\">\n<div class=\"author__heading\">\n<div class=\"author__name\">Zach Nehr<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__bio-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"author__biography\">\n<p>Zach is a freelance writer, the head of ZNehr Coaching, and an elite-level rider in road, track, and e-racing. He writes about everything cycling-related, from buyer&#8217;s guides to product reviews and feature articles to power analyses. After earning a Bachelor\u2019s Degree in Exercise Science at Marian University-Indianapolis, Zach discovered a passion for writing that soon turned into a full-fledged career. In between articles, Zach spends his time working with endurance athletes of all abilities and ages at ZNehr Coaching. After entering the sport at age 17, Zach went on to have a wonderful road racing career that included winning the 2017 Collegiate National Time Trial Championships and a 9th place finish at the 2019 US Pro National Time Trial Championships.\u00a0Nowadays, Zach spends most of his ride time indoors with NeXT eSport.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"relative max-w-[1070px] viafoura-twig-component mt-6 mx-4 lg:mx-0\" data-component-name=\"Viafoura:Comments\" data-nosnippet data-community-guidelines-text=\"&lt;p class=&apos;vfcustom-community-guidelines&apos;&gt;Please follow our &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/about\/#section-community-guidelines&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;community guidelines&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;\" data-join-the-conversation-text=\"Join the Conversation\">\n<div class=\"absolute top-0 left-0 w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center z-50 bg-white\/90 border-1 rounded-b-[var(--comment-widget-border-radius,0)]\">\n<div class=\"p-2 text-center\">\n<p class=\"mb-3 text-lg!\">You must confirm your public display name before commenting<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-3 text-sm!\">Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"widgetArea17\" class=\"widget-area md:basis-1\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-1-3 page-widget-area-17\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"dynamic\" id=\"popular-data\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-dynamic widget-popular-data widget-dynamic-popular-data widget-dynamic-fter-popular-box\">\n<div class=\"wdn-fte-pb pos-relative space-t20\n\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"slice-container popular-box-slice\">\n<section class=\"popular-box\" data-component-name=\"Slice:PopularBox\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label__tab popular-box__label__tab--active\" role=\"heading\">\nLATEST ARTICLES\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<ol class=\"popular-box__articles-list popular-box__articles-list--active\">\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__image-wrapper\">\n<div>\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TB8gQcN9segZZg3MDEhDed-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TB8gQcN9segZZg3MDEhDed-720-80.jpg.webp 720w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TB8gQcN9segZZg3MDEhDed-640-80.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TB8gQcN9segZZg3MDEhDed-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"99vw\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">1<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>Last over the line, injured Cian Uijtdebroeks shows strain of fighting on at Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">2<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>What now for the Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a? After Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s trademark display of GC power, a normally unpredictable race heads into uncharted territory &#8211; Analysis<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">3<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>&#8216;Tadej has made a big statement&#8217; &#8211; UAE Team Emirates-XRG cautiously delighted with Poga\u010dar&#8217;s knock-out Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a stage win<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">4<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>Early access: Watch our Incolor SSR review before it goes live<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">5<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>&#8216;I&#8217;m not thinking about who is the best&#8217; &#8211; Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a dominator Tadej Poga\u010dar sidesteps debate over place in cycling history<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"page-content-onecol flex-1\nnews-article article\n\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"widget-area-group widget-area-group-2col flex flex-wrap box-border\">\n<div id=\"widgetArea16\" class=\"widget-area basis-full md:basis-2\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-2-3 page-widget-area-16\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"hero\" id=\"hero\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-hero widget-hero widget-hero-hero widget-hero widget-hero-fter-news\">\n<div class=\"news-article\">\n<header data-component-name=\"Article:Hero\">\n<nav class=\"breadcrumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\">\n<ol>\n<li>\nPro Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRacing\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>WorldTour and the &#8216;Wild West&#8217; \u2013 Are gravel and road cycling pros one and the same, or two completely different athletes?<\/h1>\n<div class=\"kiosq-member-label\" data-component-name=\"Article:Hero:KiosqPaywallLabels\"><span class=\"kiosq-member-label-text\"><br \/>\nMEMBER EXCLUSIVE<br \/>\n<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"vds-byline-block flex flex-row flex-nowrap my-1.5 gap-2 text-left items-start justify-center mx-auto max-sm:text-center max-sm:items-center\" data-component-name=\"Article:BylineBlock\">\n<p>Features<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-auto vds-simple-byline\"><span class=\"inline-block vds-author\"><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nZach Nehr <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta max-sm:justify-center\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-08-26T08:22:14Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n26 August 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">The two disciplines are crossing over more frequently than ever before, but how easy is it for professional cyclists to actually make the transition between gravel and road?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-center text-center\" id=\"affiliate-disclaimer\" data-component-name=\"AffiliateDisclaimer\" data-hawk-message=\"Affiliate disclaimer removed because hawk deemed there are no affiliate links on this page\">\n<p class=\"text-[color:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--text-color,inherit)] mb-2 text-[length:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--font-size,0.75rem)] leading-[18px] md:text-[13px] [&amp;&gt;a]:text-inherit [&amp;&gt;a]:underline\">\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here\u2019s how it works.\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-widget-type=\"contentparsed\" id=\"content\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-contentparsed widget-content widget-contentparsed-content widget-content-parsed widget-content-parsed-content_document \">\n<div class=\"wcp-item-content\">\n<section class=\"content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"box less-space hero-image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"mb-0\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-2000-80.png.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-1920-80.png.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-1600-80.png.webp 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-1440-80.png.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-1280-80.png.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-1200-80.png.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-1024-80.png.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-970-80.png.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-750-80.png.webp 750w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-480-80.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"font-article-copy text-(--image--text--color) font-article-copy mt-2\"><span class=\"caption-text font-article-copy\">Since gravel racing&#8217;s rapid rise, riders crossing between the two has become more and more common &#8211; but how easy is it?<\/span><span class=\"credit font-article-copy\">(Image credit: Getty Images &amp; LTGP)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"text-copy bodyCopy auto paywall-locker\">\n<div data-analytics-id=\"utility-bar\" id=\"utility-bar\" class=\"font-ui-heading flex justify-between items-center py-2 border-t border-b border-gray-300 border-solid mb-5 mx-auto\" data-component-name=\"UtilityBar\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"utility-bar\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div data-component-name=\"Social:Dropdown\" role=\"menu\" id=\"utilitybar__dropdown--share\" aria-labelledby=\"utilitybar__button--share\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-full w-44 bg-white rounded-md shadow-md border border-neutral-200 z-[9996] list-none m-0 py-2 px-3 border-solid\">\n<ul class=\"m-0!\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>X<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Email<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-share-this-article\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nShare this article\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\"><span class=\"ml-1 inline-flex h-5 px-2 shrink-0 items-center justify-center self-center overflow-hidden whitespace-nowrap rounded-[10px] bg-primary-500 text-[11px] leading-none font-ui-heading font-semibold text-white\">0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-join-the-conversation\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nJoin the conversation\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<p>Follow us<\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-add-us-as-a-preferred-source-on-google\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nAdd us as a preferred source on Google\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-subscribe-to-our-newsletter\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc2df0-9bbf-11f1-bf89-29bd6f8d9299\">At the 2022 inaugural UCI Gravel World Championships, nine of the top ten finishers were professional road cyclists. Among them were Mathieu van der Poel, Magnus Cort, and winner Gianni Vermeersch, riders who likely spent more time on the massage table than their gravel bike that season. The gravel community was confused, and many were frustrated because the UCI&#8217;s new discipline, marketed as an alternative to traditional road racing, had been immediately colonised by the very athletes it was meant to offer an escape from.<\/p>\n<p>What happened next was a divergence of sorts. Gravel racing moving in this direction, road racing going in the other direction. The road pros who showed up to win gravel races discovered, sometimes painfully, that winning gravel was not the same thing as surviving it. And the gravel pros with world-class engines learned there was a lot more to road racing than pushing 300w for eight hours.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc2df0-9bbf-11f1-bf89-29bd6f8d9299-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When discussing the differences between road and gravel pros, we\u2019re talking about a lot more than pure physiology. We\u2019re talking about differing lifestyles, race schedules, financial benefits, and stability. Gravel racing offers freedom, but freedom is not always desirable when it means you become the athlete, manager, negotiator, and mechanic all wrapped into one.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Both gravel and road pros are some of the strongest athletes on the planet. We\u2019ve seen more than a few cross over from one discipline to the other, often with great success. But how easy is that transition? The path from WorldTour road racing to gravel is heavily trodden, sometimes a bit stale. Yet so many riders continue to attempt it. It works out beautifully for some, and ends in less than 12 months for others. That failure rate says a lot about how the two disciplines relate to each other, and what it actually takes to move between them.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-is-a-professional-gravel-racer-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">What is a professional gravel racer?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc3106-9bbf-11f1-bad5-cb710a7208ac\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The modern-day professional gravel racer is someone who creates their own lifestyle. They live wherever they want to and line up at the races they want to compete in. They aren\u2019t tied down to a specific team or country. In fact, many of them live on the road, spending a few months here and there while travelling between races.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Pro gravel racers tend to be privateers, meaning they have their own cluster of individual sponsors rather than being part of a fully-sponsored team. While there are some professional teams in gravel, such as the Specialized Off-Road Team, the majority of riders do their own thing.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-8aec062e-a075-11f1-b913-29824329f593\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-2000-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Keegan Swenson celebrates as he scores a record-equalling sixth Leadville 100 title <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Dan Hughes\/LTGP)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-8aec06b0-a075-11f1-90e0-2d2d57a8ab0e\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That creates an immense amount of freedom for the professional gravel racer, but also an equal amount of instability. Instead of being signed to a multi-year contract with a significant annual salary, gravel racers often combine income from a variety of smaller sponsors to fund their lifestyle. Some sponsors pay cash, others provide products. Few sponsors offer support at races, and even then, it might only be for a handful of events each year. Only the wealthiest of gravel racers have the funds to hire mechanics and soigneurs to travel with them.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When a WorldTour team rolls into town, they have to find a big enough parking spot for their team bus, caravan cars, and mechanic\u2019s truck. When a gravel racer flies into Kansas for Unbound, they are probably picking up a rental car, buying their own groceries, and building their own bike in a small hotel room.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-is-a-professional-road-racer-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">What is a professional road racer?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc32a0-9bbf-11f1-9390-37cc846b7045\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">In contrast to the \u2018Wild West\u2019 lifestyle of a pro gravel racer, professional road racers don\u2019t do much other than ride their bike. That is what they are paid to do, so their focus becomes on-the-bike performance over everything else.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fancy-box kiosq-b\" id=\"elk-cd3f651e-a126-11f1-8de4-9d2fc33cfffe\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"fancy_box-title\">More premium features you should read<\/div>\n<div class=\"fancy_box_body\">\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure \">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Giorgio de Negri \/ GWS Grand Tour 3 Cime Lavaredo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>&#8216;Riders making six figures race against some who aren&#8217;t making a cent&#8217; &#8211; Are pro gravel teams about to be the end of the privateer?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>&#8216;AI could reverse cycling 2.0&#8217;s gains&#8217; \u2013 Why artificial intelligence could become an anti-doping scientist&#8217;s worst nightmare<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>&#8216;Fantastic entertainment&#8217; or &#8216;slapstick comedy&#8217;? How gravel has infiltrated WorldTour racing, and what the pros really think of it<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-cd3f65aa-a126-11f1-a8c8-4589cde8bdca\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Professional road racers need not waste energy on cooking, cleaning, or organising logistics. When they\u2019re not out on a five-hour training ride, they are probably lying in their hotel room or plopped on the massage table. The team\u2019s chef is cooking dinner, the soigneurs are preparing the bottles, and the mechanics are fine-tuning their shifting for tomorrow\u2019s race.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">It sounds like a wonderful life, but the WorldTour lifestyle has burnt out countless riders. Being a professional road cyclist means that you show up and race your bike when and where your team tells you to. They are paying your bills, so you have to do what they say. Of course, superstar riders make their own schedules, but the majority of professional road cyclists are not this way.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">If your team needs you at a race in France tomorrow, you pack up your bags and go. If they send you to a flat race in Belgium because one of your teammates got sick, you go \u2013 never mind the fact that you might be a diminutive climber.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-8aec073c-a075-11f1-beef-9be4f0fddbbb\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Jayco-AlUla&#8217;s Paul Double on the attack during Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa 2026 <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Antonio Baixauli\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-8aec07b4-a075-11f1-aabc-67b906071d64\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">No matter where you\u2019re from, you will spend the majority of your years living on the road if you\u2019re a professional road cyclist. A small calendar might be 40-50 race days per year, while a heavy calendar may have upwards of 70 race days. A calendar year has 365 days, so that doesn\u2019t sound like a lot. But when you factor in travel time, training camps, media obligations, and sponsor events, most professional road cyclists spend 50\u201370% of their year away from home. It comes as no surprise, then, that some pro cyclists bring their families to a training camp, or meet them at a big race. Chances are, they haven\u2019t seen them in weeks.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">A professional gravel racer, on the other hand, might race 15\u201325 times per year. If you\u2019re a Life Time Grand Prix athlete going after the biggest annual prize purse in off-road cycling, then you have six goal races a year. Add in the National Championships, maybe the World Championships, and a few other key races, and you are looking at 10 key events per year.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Each race is so long and hard that you will probably need a week or two to recover before your next event. While a WorldTour team might force you to race when you\u2019d rather be at home on the couch, the gravel lifestyle allows you to recover between 200km races.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">There are many aspects of the pro road and pro gravel lifestyles that are different, but there are just as many similarities. At the end of the day, you are a professional cyclist, so your goal is to be fast on the bike. You know what to make for breakfast in the morning, how to get through a tough training session, and how to travel to a new city and still perform at your best the following day. When it comes to physiological performance, road and gravel cyclists are not as different as you might think.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"are-pro-gravel-and-road-racers-the-same-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Are pro gravel and road racers the same?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc3408-9bbf-11f1-b746-fd9bc88db34a\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Read through the start list of any professional gravel race, and it won\u2019t be long before you recognise 10 or 15 names from the WorldTour. Riders like Mads W\u00fcrtz Schmidt, Romain Bardet, Lachlan Morton, and Petr Vako\u010d have all made their way from the top echelon of road cycling to professional gravel racing.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The switch is easy for some, such as Bardet, who won his first pro gravel race in August 2025 after retiring from professional road racing just two months prior. They say the engine is the biggest physiological piece of gravel performance. Those who succeed need to ride hard all day. Not for three, four, or even five hours, but upwards of eight hours in some of the world\u2019s toughest gravel events.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Rosa Kl\u00f6ser won The Traka 360, finished 5th at Unbound, and raced the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift in the span of three months this season. The German didn\u2019t just ride the Tour as a stand-in, either. She finished in the main peloton more often than not, and crossed the line in Nice in 43rd overall.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-8aec0836-a075-11f1-bbd4-cf2b057f0895\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Kl\u00f6ser leading the peloton during the Tour de France Femmes 2026 <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-8aec08ae-a075-11f1-b435-d1ff2689be28\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When it comes to the physical demands of road and gravel racing, they are not so dissimilar in the damage they do to your legs. Many of the hardest road races in the world are 4\u20136 hours long. The toughest gravel races in the world are a bit longer, more like the 5\u20138 hour range. But gravel races are almost always one-day events, meaning that riders arrive fresh and ready for one massive day of racing.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Professional road racers often compete in stage races, lining up day after day, smashing themselves for hours on end. In terms of the overall load on the body, you could argue that road racing is tougher than gravel racing if you\u2019re referring to stage races. Riding six hours on Stage 18 of the Tour de France is a lot different than riding six hours at Unbound when you have been training and resting for the past three weeks.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But there is a glaring difference between gravel and road racing that also relates to the differences we see in rider size: bumpy terrain.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Gravel racing terrain can mean almost anything. Some races have creek crossings, others have miles of single track, some have 4,000m of climbing, and others are flat as a pancake. But the one thing that every gravel race has is, obviously, gravel. In contrast to the smooth, high-speed tarmac of road racing, gravel roads can wreak havoc on the body. Many gravel roads are chunky, bumpy and sandy. Some have small rock gardens, thick tree roots, and slippery sand pits.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Gravel racers are typically larger than road racers, and that\u2019s because their entire body needs to be equipped for handling off-road terrain. Not just for an hour, but all day. Some gravel racers spend more time in the gym building their core and upper body muscles; others simply develop these muscles by riding off-road all the time.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Road racers are often lean, especially when their focus is climbing and hilly races. It\u2019s often worth shedding a kilo or two for the Tour de France, which includes more than 10,000m of climbing across three weeks of racing. Gravel typically rewards raw power and durable bodies. It\u2019s rare that an elite gravel race includes mountains, which would reward power-to-weight over raw power.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">We mentioned gym work and bigger muscles on gravel racers, but what about the rest of their training plan \u2013 do they differ from a professional road racer\u2019s plan?<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Both gravel and road racers train 15\u201320 hours per week, including VO2 Max intervals, tempo, threshold, and Zone 2. They both do heat training and gym work, as well as some sprints, especially in winter. But the further you dive into the details, the more their training plans start to diverge.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-8aec091c-a075-11f1-bcb0-81c132de6666\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Riders warming up in the dark ahead of Leadville 100 <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Justin Britton\/LTGP)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-8aec098a-a075-11f1-972c-032b7e1b14ef\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">A professional gravel racer has lots of time to train \u2013 this brings us back to the conversation about annual race days. If there are 1\u20134 weeks between every race, the pro gravel racer has time to rest, recover, and put together another training block in between races. The pro road racer, on the other hand, likely has 2\u20133 training camps a year, with the rest of their schedule being packed with races. Once the race season begins, pro road riders are often jetting from one race to the next. There is little to no time to train in between, let alone rest before building up again.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When it comes to specific training blocks and goals, the pro gravel racer is likely to focus on fatigue resistance more than anything else. An 8-hour race is never won in the first hour. It\u2019s after 5\u20137 hours of racing that the strongest riders finally come to the fore and make their winning move.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Road racers also focus on fatigue resistance, but they are more likely to emphasise short and sharp efforts in training. These are the 1-minute, 5-minute, and 20-minute efforts that you make in a road race. Whether it\u2019s to make the breakaway or win on the final climb, this type of explosive effort is crucial in road racing.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Gravel racing is more of a long grind. Gaps are typically made when riders slowly start to crack, not because Keegan Swenson did 600w for a minute on a climb. Often pro gravel races turn into fatigue resistance time trials. That means: race hard for six hours, get a tiny gap, and then time trial for an hour to the finish. No one is putting up impressive power numbers eight hours into Unbound. Sometimes, all it takes is 550w for a few seconds to open up a gap. Whereas in road racing, riders are putting out nearly fresh numbers at the finish line.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But there is a lot more to gravel and road racing than putting power into the pedals. The number of pro road racers who earned a mechanically induced DNF at Unbound must be in the hundreds. Gravel racing requires preparation and mechanical know-how. There are a million things that could go wrong, and there isn\u2019t a team car to save you. Most pro gravel races allow zero outside support, which means you need to bring all of the necessary tools with you. Feed zones are often 50 miles apart, which is why you\u2019ll see riders\u2019 pockets loaded to the brim on the start line.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Despite the challenges, riders continue to switch from road racing to gravel. A few have gotten offers to go the other way, but few gravel riders have fully transitioned into full-time road racers.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-easy-is-it-to-switch-from-road-to-gravel-or-vice-versa-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">How easy is it to switch from road to gravel, or vice versa?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc3548-9bbf-11f1-8f99-739989dd7775\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The standard take on gravel versus road is that &#8216;gravel is for riders who couldn&#8217;t make it in professional road racing&#8217;, or &#8216;who burned out on team dynamics and wanted independence&#8217;. That certainly could be true for some, but it is not the only force bringing road racers to gravel.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Professional road racing is like working at a big corporation. You sign a contract, you show up to work, and you do your job. Your boss has a boss, and their boss has a boss, and that person probably pays your bills. Whatever the team says goes (for the most part). You won\u2019t get to choose half your race schedule, and the majority of the time, you\u2019ll be trying to help one of your teammates win the race. You will be flown and bussed around the world, and there are probably a few destinations that you\u2019d rather not visit.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-8aec0a0c-a075-11f1-b19c-712c15204a62\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Team buses en route to the stage start at the Tour de France <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-8aec0a7a-a075-11f1-acb4-9f7692e3a6e3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Being a professional gravel racer is like running your own business. You get to call all the shots, but that also leaves you with all the responsibilities. If you\u2019re not able to delegate, you have to do everything on your own. That includes a lot more than pedalling your bike, which causes many riders to burn out after a single year attempting gravel racing. At the end of the day, you\u2019re not earning a paycheck to show up at the start line. You need to make money some other way. For many riders, that means appearing at the top of the results page and spraying champagne on the podium. For others, that means posting five Instagram stories every day and hosting a sponsor event the night before a big race.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The switch is easy for some, impossible for others. Freedom is wonderful for those who want it. Stability and structure are often the other end of the spectrum. Rosa Kl\u00f6ser currently does both, while Mads W\u00fcrtz Schmidt went from Israel-Premier Tech to Specialized Off-Road racing in just two years. Countless other road racers will take the leap and try to become professional gravel racers. Many will fail, but some will succeed more than ever before.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Are road and gravel pros the same athlete? Their power numbers say yes. The race-specific skills, nutrition strategy, equipment knowledge, and self-sufficiency required to succeed in gravel racing say no.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Both disciplines are evolving at a rapid rate, so it shouldn\u2019t be surprising to see the two converge in the near future. But right now, gravel racing rewards a different skill set compared to professional road racing. If the sport continues to evolve and money continues to pour into gravel, things will change.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">One of the biggest differences right now is that pro gravel racers don\u2019t get the same level of support compared to road racers. But take the Specialized Off-Road Team, for example. They have multiple mechanics, soigneurs, managers, coaches, and support staff at every race. Sometimes, there is even a chef at training camp. If gravel continues in that direction, it will become more and more like professional road racing every year.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">We\u2019ve already seen some pro road riders win gravel races in the middle of their road season. Wout Van Aert won the UCI Gravel World Series &#8211; Marly Grav Race less than a month after winning Paris-Roubaix, and four weeks later he won a stage and the team time trial at the Tour Auvergne-Rh\u00f4ne-Alpes. Soon the question might shift away from: are gravel and road pros the same? Perhaps we should be asking ourselves, how can a rider succeed in both gravel and road at the same time? The financial backing is strong, and there are plenty of gaps in each discipline\u2019s racing calendar. Gravel and road used to be completely different disciplines, but you could make a strong argument that both the disciplines and their athletes are becoming the same.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block mb-5\" id=\"articleTag\" data-component-name=\"PostArticleLinks\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"post-article-links\">\n<div class=\"border-b border-b-black border-solid py-2.5 text-black font-bold uppercase\">TOPICS<\/div>\n<nav class=\"py-2.5 flex gap-2.5 flex-wrap\" data-analytics-id=\"article-tag\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-tag\">\n<p>Premium In-Depth Racing<\/p>\n<p>Road<\/p>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"slice-container-authorBio-g2DxfatawZ3e7rPtjfxJsU\" class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio-g2DxfatawZ3e7rPtjfxJsU slice-container-authorBio\">\n<div class=\"author author__default-layout author--separator author--collapsible\" data-hydrate=\"true\">\n<div class=\"author__header\">\n<div class=\"author__heading\">\n<div class=\"author__name\">Zach Nehr<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__bio-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"author__biography\">\n<p>Zach is a freelance writer, the head of ZNehr Coaching, and an elite-level rider in road, track, and e-racing. He writes about everything cycling-related, from buyer&#8217;s guides to product reviews and feature articles to power analyses. After earning a Bachelor\u2019s Degree in Exercise Science at Marian University-Indianapolis, Zach discovered a passion for writing that soon turned into a full-fledged career. In between articles, Zach spends his time working with endurance athletes of all abilities and ages at ZNehr Coaching. After entering the sport at age 17, Zach went on to have a wonderful road racing career that included winning the 2017 Collegiate National Time Trial Championships and a 9th place finish at the 2019 US Pro National Time Trial Championships.\u00a0Nowadays, Zach spends most of his ride time indoors with NeXT eSport.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"relative max-w-[1070px] viafoura-twig-component mt-6 mx-4 lg:mx-0\" data-component-name=\"Viafoura:Comments\" data-nosnippet data-community-guidelines-text=\"&lt;p class=&apos;vfcustom-community-guidelines&apos;&gt;Please follow our &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/about\/#section-community-guidelines&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;community guidelines&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;\" data-join-the-conversation-text=\"Join the Conversation\">\n<div class=\"absolute top-0 left-0 w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center z-50 bg-white\/90 border-1 rounded-b-[var(--comment-widget-border-radius,0)]\">\n<div class=\"p-2 text-center\">\n<p class=\"mb-3 text-lg!\">You must confirm your public display name before commenting<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-3 text-sm!\">Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"widgetArea17\" class=\"widget-area md:basis-1\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-1-3 page-widget-area-17\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"dynamic\" id=\"popular-data\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-dynamic widget-popular-data widget-dynamic-popular-data widget-dynamic-fter-popular-box\">\n<div class=\"wdn-fte-pb pos-relative space-t20\n\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"slice-container popular-box-slice\">\n<section class=\"popular-box\" data-component-name=\"Slice:PopularBox\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label__tab popular-box__label__tab--active\" role=\"heading\">\nLATEST ARTICLES\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<ol class=\"popular-box__articles-list popular-box__articles-list--active\">\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__image-wrapper\">\n<div>\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TB8gQcN9segZZg3MDEhDed-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TB8gQcN9segZZg3MDEhDed-720-80.jpg.webp 720w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TB8gQcN9segZZg3MDEhDed-640-80.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TB8gQcN9segZZg3MDEhDed-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"99vw\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">1<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>Last over the line, injured Cian Uijtdebroeks shows strain of fighting on at Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">2<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>What now for the Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a? After Tadej Poga\u010dar&#8217;s trademark display of GC power, a normally unpredictable race heads into uncharted territory &#8211; Analysis<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">3<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>&#8216;Tadej has made a big statement&#8217; &#8211; UAE Team Emirates-XRG cautiously delighted with Poga\u010dar&#8217;s knock-out Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a stage win<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">4<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>Early access: Watch our Incolor SSR review before it goes live<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">5<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">\n<p>&#8216;I&#8217;m not thinking about who is the best&#8217; &#8211; Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a dominator Tadej Poga\u010dar sidesteps debate over place in cycling history<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"news-article\">\n<header data-component-name=\"Article:Hero\">\n<nav class=\"breadcrumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\">\n<ol>\n<li>\nPro Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRacing\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>WorldTour and the &#8216;Wild West&#8217; \u2013 Are gravel and road cycling pros one and the same, or two completely different athletes?<\/h1>\n<div class=\"kiosq-member-label\" data-component-name=\"Article:Hero:KiosqPaywallLabels\"><span class=\"kiosq-member-label-text\"><br \/>\nMEMBER EXCLUSIVE<br \/>\n<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"vds-byline-block flex flex-row flex-nowrap my-1.5 gap-2 text-left items-start justify-center mx-auto max-sm:text-center max-sm:items-center\" data-component-name=\"Article:BylineBlock\">\n<p>Features<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-auto vds-simple-byline\"><span class=\"inline-block vds-author\"><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nZach Nehr <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta max-sm:justify-center\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-08-26T08:22:14Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n26 August 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">The two disciplines are crossing over more frequently than ever before, but how easy is it for professional cyclists to actually make the transition between gravel and road?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-center text-center\" id=\"affiliate-disclaimer\" data-component-name=\"AffiliateDisclaimer\" data-hawk-message=\"Affiliate disclaimer removed because hawk deemed there are no affiliate links on this page\">\n<p class=\"text-[color:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--text-color,inherit)] mb-2 text-[length:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--font-size,0.75rem)] leading-[18px] md:text-[13px] [&amp;&gt;a]:text-inherit [&amp;&gt;a]:underline\">\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here\u2019s how it works.\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"text-copy bodyCopy auto paywall-locker\">\n<div data-analytics-id=\"utility-bar\" id=\"utility-bar\" class=\"font-ui-heading flex justify-between items-center py-2 border-t border-b border-gray-300 border-solid mb-5 mx-auto\" data-component-name=\"UtilityBar\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"utility-bar\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div data-component-name=\"Social:Dropdown\" role=\"menu\" id=\"utilitybar__dropdown--share\" aria-labelledby=\"utilitybar__button--share\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-full w-44 bg-white rounded-md shadow-md border border-neutral-200 z-[9996] list-none m-0 py-2 px-3 border-solid\">\n<ul class=\"m-0!\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>X<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Email<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-share-this-article\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nShare this article\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\"><span class=\"ml-1 inline-flex h-5 px-2 shrink-0 items-center justify-center self-center overflow-hidden whitespace-nowrap rounded-[10px] bg-primary-500 text-[11px] leading-none font-ui-heading font-semibold text-white\">0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-join-the-conversation\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nJoin the conversation\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<p>Follow us<\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-add-us-as-a-preferred-source-on-google\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nAdd us as a preferred source on Google\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-subscribe-to-our-newsletter\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc2df0-9bbf-11f1-bf89-29bd6f8d9299\">At the 2022 inaugural UCI Gravel World Championships, nine of the top ten finishers were professional road cyclists. Among them were Mathieu van der Poel, Magnus Cort, and winner Gianni Vermeersch, riders who likely spent more time on the massage table than their gravel bike that season. The gravel community was confused, and many were frustrated because the UCI&#8217;s new discipline, marketed as an alternative to traditional road racing, had been immediately colonised by the very athletes it was meant to offer an escape from.<\/p>\n<p>What happened next was a divergence of sorts. Gravel racing moving in this direction, road racing going in the other direction. The road pros who showed up to win gravel races discovered, sometimes painfully, that winning gravel was not the same thing as surviving it. And the gravel pros with world-class engines learned there was a lot more to road racing than pushing 300w for eight hours.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc2df0-9bbf-11f1-bf89-29bd6f8d9299-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When discussing the differences between road and gravel pros, we\u2019re talking about a lot more than pure physiology. We\u2019re talking about differing lifestyles, race schedules, financial benefits, and stability. Gravel racing offers freedom, but freedom is not always desirable when it means you become the athlete, manager, negotiator, and mechanic all wrapped into one.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Both gravel and road pros are some of the strongest athletes on the planet. We\u2019ve seen more than a few cross over from one discipline to the other, often with great success. But how easy is that transition? The path from WorldTour road racing to gravel is heavily trodden, sometimes a bit stale. Yet so many riders continue to attempt it. It works out beautifully for some, and ends in less than 12 months for others. That failure rate says a lot about how the two disciplines relate to each other, and what it actually takes to move between them.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-is-a-professional-gravel-racer-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">What is a professional gravel racer?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc3106-9bbf-11f1-bad5-cb710a7208ac\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The modern-day professional gravel racer is someone who creates their own lifestyle. They live wherever they want to and line up at the races they want to compete in. They aren\u2019t tied down to a specific team or country. In fact, many of them live on the road, spending a few months here and there while travelling between races.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Pro gravel racers tend to be privateers, meaning they have their own cluster of individual sponsors rather than being part of a fully-sponsored team. While there are some professional teams in gravel, such as the Specialized Off-Road Team, the majority of riders do their own thing.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-8aec062e-a075-11f1-b913-29824329f593\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-2000-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B6ZXjpxhK4UScknF5Fd43j-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Keegan Swenson celebrates as he scores a record-equalling sixth Leadville 100 title <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Dan Hughes\/LTGP)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-8aec06b0-a075-11f1-90e0-2d2d57a8ab0e\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That creates an immense amount of freedom for the professional gravel racer, but also an equal amount of instability. Instead of being signed to a multi-year contract with a significant annual salary, gravel racers often combine income from a variety of smaller sponsors to fund their lifestyle. Some sponsors pay cash, others provide products. Few sponsors offer support at races, and even then, it might only be for a handful of events each year. Only the wealthiest of gravel racers have the funds to hire mechanics and soigneurs to travel with them.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When a WorldTour team rolls into town, they have to find a big enough parking spot for their team bus, caravan cars, and mechanic\u2019s truck. When a gravel racer flies into Kansas for Unbound, they are probably picking up a rental car, buying their own groceries, and building their own bike in a small hotel room.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-is-a-professional-road-racer-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">What is a professional road racer?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc32a0-9bbf-11f1-9390-37cc846b7045\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">In contrast to the \u2018Wild West\u2019 lifestyle of a pro gravel racer, professional road racers don\u2019t do much other than ride their bike. That is what they are paid to do, so their focus becomes on-the-bike performance over everything else.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fancy-box kiosq-b\" id=\"elk-cd3f651e-a126-11f1-8de4-9d2fc33cfffe\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"fancy_box-title\">More premium features you should read<\/div>\n<div class=\"fancy_box_body\">\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure \">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/syVHxB7cbAbcZKzdEr5Mae-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Giorgio de Negri \/ GWS Grand Tour 3 Cime Lavaredo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>&#8216;Riders making six figures race against some who aren&#8217;t making a cent&#8217; &#8211; Are pro gravel teams about to be the end of the privateer?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>&#8216;AI could reverse cycling 2.0&#8217;s gains&#8217; \u2013 Why artificial intelligence could become an anti-doping scientist&#8217;s worst nightmare<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>&#8216;Fantastic entertainment&#8217; or &#8216;slapstick comedy&#8217;? How gravel has infiltrated WorldTour racing, and what the pros really think of it<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-cd3f65aa-a126-11f1-a8c8-4589cde8bdca\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Professional road racers need not waste energy on cooking, cleaning, or organising logistics. When they\u2019re not out on a five-hour training ride, they are probably lying in their hotel room or plopped on the massage table. The team\u2019s chef is cooking dinner, the soigneurs are preparing the bottles, and the mechanics are fine-tuning their shifting for tomorrow\u2019s race.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">It sounds like a wonderful life, but the WorldTour lifestyle has burnt out countless riders. Being a professional road cyclist means that you show up and race your bike when and where your team tells you to. They are paying your bills, so you have to do what they say. Of course, superstar riders make their own schedules, but the majority of professional road cyclists are not this way.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">If your team needs you at a race in France tomorrow, you pack up your bags and go. If they send you to a flat race in Belgium because one of your teammates got sick, you go \u2013 never mind the fact that you might be a diminutive climber.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-8aec073c-a075-11f1-beef-9be4f0fddbbb\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SegRSZPo9pqFPvkDsqEbVb-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Jayco-AlUla&#8217;s Paul Double on the attack during Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa 2026 <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Antonio Baixauli\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-8aec07b4-a075-11f1-aabc-67b906071d64\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">No matter where you\u2019re from, you will spend the majority of your years living on the road if you\u2019re a professional road cyclist. A small calendar might be 40-50 race days per year, while a heavy calendar may have upwards of 70 race days. A calendar year has 365 days, so that doesn\u2019t sound like a lot. But when you factor in travel time, training camps, media obligations, and sponsor events, most professional road cyclists spend 50\u201370% of their year away from home. It comes as no surprise, then, that some pro cyclists bring their families to a training camp, or meet them at a big race. Chances are, they haven\u2019t seen them in weeks.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">A professional gravel racer, on the other hand, might race 15\u201325 times per year. If you\u2019re a Life Time Grand Prix athlete going after the biggest annual prize purse in off-road cycling, then you have six goal races a year. Add in the National Championships, maybe the World Championships, and a few other key races, and you are looking at 10 key events per year.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Each race is so long and hard that you will probably need a week or two to recover before your next event. While a WorldTour team might force you to race when you\u2019d rather be at home on the couch, the gravel lifestyle allows you to recover between 200km races.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">There are many aspects of the pro road and pro gravel lifestyles that are different, but there are just as many similarities. At the end of the day, you are a professional cyclist, so your goal is to be fast on the bike. You know what to make for breakfast in the morning, how to get through a tough training session, and how to travel to a new city and still perform at your best the following day. When it comes to physiological performance, road and gravel cyclists are not as different as you might think.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"are-pro-gravel-and-road-racers-the-same-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Are pro gravel and road racers the same?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc3408-9bbf-11f1-b746-fd9bc88db34a\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Read through the start list of any professional gravel race, and it won\u2019t be long before you recognise 10 or 15 names from the WorldTour. Riders like Mads W\u00fcrtz Schmidt, Romain Bardet, Lachlan Morton, and Petr Vako\u010d have all made their way from the top echelon of road cycling to professional gravel racing.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The switch is easy for some, such as Bardet, who won his first pro gravel race in August 2025 after retiring from professional road racing just two months prior. They say the engine is the biggest physiological piece of gravel performance. Those who succeed need to ride hard all day. Not for three, four, or even five hours, but upwards of eight hours in some of the world\u2019s toughest gravel events.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Rosa Kl\u00f6ser won The Traka 360, finished 5th at Unbound, and raced the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift in the span of three months this season. The German didn\u2019t just ride the Tour as a stand-in, either. She finished in the main peloton more often than not, and crossed the line in Nice in 43rd overall.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-8aec0836-a075-11f1-bbd4-cf2b057f0895\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dJEfxemeUK5Kdf6wrPVmh6-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Kl\u00f6ser leading the peloton during the Tour de France Femmes 2026 <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-8aec08ae-a075-11f1-b435-d1ff2689be28\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When it comes to the physical demands of road and gravel racing, they are not so dissimilar in the damage they do to your legs. Many of the hardest road races in the world are 4\u20136 hours long. The toughest gravel races in the world are a bit longer, more like the 5\u20138 hour range. But gravel races are almost always one-day events, meaning that riders arrive fresh and ready for one massive day of racing.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Professional road racers often compete in stage races, lining up day after day, smashing themselves for hours on end. In terms of the overall load on the body, you could argue that road racing is tougher than gravel racing if you\u2019re referring to stage races. Riding six hours on Stage 18 of the Tour de France is a lot different than riding six hours at Unbound when you have been training and resting for the past three weeks.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But there is a glaring difference between gravel and road racing that also relates to the differences we see in rider size: bumpy terrain.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Gravel racing terrain can mean almost anything. Some races have creek crossings, others have miles of single track, some have 4,000m of climbing, and others are flat as a pancake. But the one thing that every gravel race has is, obviously, gravel. In contrast to the smooth, high-speed tarmac of road racing, gravel roads can wreak havoc on the body. Many gravel roads are chunky, bumpy and sandy. Some have small rock gardens, thick tree roots, and slippery sand pits.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Gravel racers are typically larger than road racers, and that\u2019s because their entire body needs to be equipped for handling off-road terrain. Not just for an hour, but all day. Some gravel racers spend more time in the gym building their core and upper body muscles; others simply develop these muscles by riding off-road all the time.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Road racers are often lean, especially when their focus is climbing and hilly races. It\u2019s often worth shedding a kilo or two for the Tour de France, which includes more than 10,000m of climbing across three weeks of racing. Gravel typically rewards raw power and durable bodies. It\u2019s rare that an elite gravel race includes mountains, which would reward power-to-weight over raw power.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">We mentioned gym work and bigger muscles on gravel racers, but what about the rest of their training plan \u2013 do they differ from a professional road racer\u2019s plan?<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Both gravel and road racers train 15\u201320 hours per week, including VO2 Max intervals, tempo, threshold, and Zone 2. They both do heat training and gym work, as well as some sprints, especially in winter. But the further you dive into the details, the more their training plans start to diverge.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-8aec091c-a075-11f1-bcb0-81c132de6666\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/n83i4iiFKWh8Bf4sDZCCNd-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Riders warming up in the dark ahead of Leadville 100 <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Justin Britton\/LTGP)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-8aec098a-a075-11f1-972c-032b7e1b14ef\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">A professional gravel racer has lots of time to train \u2013 this brings us back to the conversation about annual race days. If there are 1\u20134 weeks between every race, the pro gravel racer has time to rest, recover, and put together another training block in between races. The pro road racer, on the other hand, likely has 2\u20133 training camps a year, with the rest of their schedule being packed with races. Once the race season begins, pro road riders are often jetting from one race to the next. There is little to no time to train in between, let alone rest before building up again.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When it comes to specific training blocks and goals, the pro gravel racer is likely to focus on fatigue resistance more than anything else. An 8-hour race is never won in the first hour. It\u2019s after 5\u20137 hours of racing that the strongest riders finally come to the fore and make their winning move.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Road racers also focus on fatigue resistance, but they are more likely to emphasise short and sharp efforts in training. These are the 1-minute, 5-minute, and 20-minute efforts that you make in a road race. Whether it\u2019s to make the breakaway or win on the final climb, this type of explosive effort is crucial in road racing.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Gravel racing is more of a long grind. Gaps are typically made when riders slowly start to crack, not because Keegan Swenson did 600w for a minute on a climb. Often pro gravel races turn into fatigue resistance time trials. That means: race hard for six hours, get a tiny gap, and then time trial for an hour to the finish. No one is putting up impressive power numbers eight hours into Unbound. Sometimes, all it takes is 550w for a few seconds to open up a gap. Whereas in road racing, riders are putting out nearly fresh numbers at the finish line.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">But there is a lot more to gravel and road racing than putting power into the pedals. The number of pro road racers who earned a mechanically induced DNF at Unbound must be in the hundreds. Gravel racing requires preparation and mechanical know-how. There are a million things that could go wrong, and there isn\u2019t a team car to save you. Most pro gravel races allow zero outside support, which means you need to bring all of the necessary tools with you. Feed zones are often 50 miles apart, which is why you\u2019ll see riders\u2019 pockets loaded to the brim on the start line.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Despite the challenges, riders continue to switch from road racing to gravel. A few have gotten offers to go the other way, but few gravel riders have fully transitioned into full-time road racers.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-easy-is-it-to-switch-from-road-to-gravel-or-vice-versa-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">How easy is it to switch from road to gravel, or vice versa?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"elk-96fc3548-9bbf-11f1-8f99-739989dd7775\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The standard take on gravel versus road is that &#8216;gravel is for riders who couldn&#8217;t make it in professional road racing&#8217;, or &#8216;who burned out on team dynamics and wanted independence&#8217;. That certainly could be true for some, but it is not the only force bringing road racers to gravel.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Professional road racing is like working at a big corporation. You sign a contract, you show up to work, and you do your job. Your boss has a boss, and their boss has a boss, and that person probably pays your bills. Whatever the team says goes (for the most part). You won\u2019t get to choose half your race schedule, and the majority of the time, you\u2019ll be trying to help one of your teammates win the race. You will be flown and bussed around the world, and there are probably a few destinations that you\u2019d rather not visit.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-8aec0a0c-a075-11f1-b19c-712c15204a62\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CsjXFZTgquE7VCoMn6fAA-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Team buses en route to the stage start at the Tour de France <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-8aec0a7a-a075-11f1-acb4-9f7692e3a6e3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Being a professional gravel racer is like running your own business. You get to call all the shots, but that also leaves you with all the responsibilities. If you\u2019re not able to delegate, you have to do everything on your own. That includes a lot more than pedalling your bike, which causes many riders to burn out after a single year attempting gravel racing. At the end of the day, you\u2019re not earning a paycheck to show up at the start line. You need to make money some other way. For many riders, that means appearing at the top of the results page and spraying champagne on the podium. For others, that means posting five Instagram stories every day and hosting a sponsor event the night before a big race.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The switch is easy for some, impossible for others. Freedom is wonderful for those who want it. Stability and structure are often the other end of the spectrum. Rosa Kl\u00f6ser currently does both, while Mads W\u00fcrtz Schmidt went from Israel-Premier Tech to Specialized Off-Road racing in just two years. Countless other road racers will take the leap and try to become professional gravel racers. Many will fail, but some will succeed more than ever before.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Are road and gravel pros the same athlete? Their power numbers say yes. The race-specific skills, nutrition strategy, equipment knowledge, and self-sufficiency required to succeed in gravel racing say no.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Both disciplines are evolving at a rapid rate, so it shouldn\u2019t be surprising to see the two converge in the near future. But right now, gravel racing rewards a different skill set compared to professional road racing. If the sport continues to evolve and money continues to pour into gravel, things will change.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">One of the biggest differences right now is that pro gravel racers don\u2019t get the same level of support compared to road racers. But take the Specialized Off-Road Team, for example. They have multiple mechanics, soigneurs, managers, coaches, and support staff at every race. Sometimes, there is even a chef at training camp. If gravel continues in that direction, it will become more and more like professional road racing every year.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">We\u2019ve already seen some pro road riders win gravel races in the middle of their road season. Wout Van Aert won the UCI Gravel World Series &#8211; Marly Grav Race less than a month after winning Paris-Roubaix, and four weeks later he won a stage and the team time trial at the Tour Auvergne-Rh\u00f4ne-Alpes. Soon the question might shift away from: are gravel and road pros the same? Perhaps we should be asking ourselves, how can a rider succeed in both gravel and road at the same time? The financial backing is strong, and there are plenty of gaps in each discipline\u2019s racing calendar. Gravel and road used to be completely different disciplines, but you could make a strong argument that both the disciplines and their athletes are becoming the same.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/racing\/worldtour-and-the-wild-west-are-gravel-and-road-cycling-pros-one-and-the-same-or-two-completely-different-athletes\/&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfZzUWQGiqFQHjndpeAb8-2000-80.png&#8221;] Pro Cycling Racing WorldTour and the &#8216;Wild West&#8217; \u2013 Are gravel and road cycling pros one and the same, or two completely different athletes? MEMBER EXCLUSIVE Features By Zach Nehr Published 26 August 2026 The two disciplines are crossing over more frequently than ever before, but how easy is it for professional [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,68],"class_list":["post-2113009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-cyclingnews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2113009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2113009"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2113009\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2113009"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2113009"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2113009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}