{"id":2185182,"date":"2026-10-08T08:42:26","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T05:42:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2185182"},"modified":"2026-10-08T08:42:26","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T05:42:26","slug":"the-year-where-someone-whos-primarily-a-gravel-racer-would-win-maddy-nutt-representing-the-specialists-at-the-world-championships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2185182","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;The year where someone who&#8217;s primarily a gravel racer would win \u2013 Maddy Nutt representing the specialists at the World Championships"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-1986-80.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"m-0 box-border flex flex-row items-center pr-2.5 gap-[15px] w-[278px] h-20 flex-none upnext-article-divider\" role=\"listitem\" aria-label=\"Recommended article 1 of 3\">\n<div class=\"relative flex-none w-20 h-20\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-160-80.png.webp 160w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-80-80.png.webp 80w\" sizes=\"80px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex items-center justify-center absolute w-4 h-6 left-0 top-0 bg-white\/90 flex-none z-[1]\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span class=\"font-normal text-base leading-[17px] tracking-[1.3px] uppercase text-black flex-none\">1<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-1.5 w-[173px] h-20 flex-none\">\n<p class=\"font-article-heading font-medium text-base leading-[21px] text-gray-800 w-[173px] line-clamp-3 group-hover:underline\">\n                                    True grit specialists primed to challenge the run of road pro rainbow jerseys \u2013 Analysing the Gravel World Championships contenders\n                                <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"m-0 box-border flex flex-row items-center pr-2.5 gap-[15px] w-[278px] h-20 flex-none upnext-article-divider\" role=\"listitem\" aria-label=\"Recommended article 2 of 3\">\n<div class=\"relative flex-none w-20 h-20\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-160-80.jpg.webp 160w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-80-80.jpg.webp 80w\" sizes=\"80px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex items-center justify-center absolute w-[18px] h-6 left-0 top-0 bg-white\/90 flex-none z-[1]\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span class=\"font-normal text-base leading-[17px] tracking-[1.3px] uppercase text-black flex-none\">2<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-1.5 w-[173px] h-20 flex-none\">\n<p class=\"font-article-heading font-medium text-base leading-[21px] text-gray-800 w-[173px] line-clamp-3 group-hover:underline\">\n                                    The gravelliest UCI Gravel World Championships of them all \u2013 A detailed look at the &#8216;perfect storm&#8217; of terrain that riders will face this October in Western Australia\n                                <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"m-0 box-border flex flex-row items-center pr-2.5 gap-[15px] w-[278px] h-20 flex-none\" role=\"listitem\" aria-label=\"Recommended article 3 of 3\">\n<div class=\"relative flex-none w-20 h-20\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-160-80.jpg.webp 160w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-80-80.jpg.webp 80w\" sizes=\"80px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex items-center justify-center absolute w-[18px] h-6 left-0 top-0 bg-white\/90 flex-none z-[1]\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span class=\"font-normal text-base leading-[17px] tracking-[1.3px] uppercase text-black flex-none\">3<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-1.5 w-[173px] h-20 flex-none\">\n<p class=\"font-article-heading font-medium text-base leading-[21px] text-gray-800 w-[173px] line-clamp-3 group-hover:underline\">\n                                    Gravel grid anomalies, national teams in name only and self funding \u2013 Explaining the workings of a UCI Gravel World Championships\n                                <\/p>\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<li>\nWomen&#8217;s Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nGravel\n<\/li>\n<li>\nUCI Gravel World Championships\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>&#8216;The year where someone who&#8217;s primarily a gravel racer would win \u2013 Maddy Nutt representing the specialists at the World Championships<\/h1>\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-start\" 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 \/>\nOwen Rogers <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-10-08T08:42:26Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n8 October 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">The British rider believes this could be the year a gravel pro wins the rainbow jersey<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-start text-left\" 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\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-1600-80.jpg.webp 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-750-80.jpg.webp 750w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 600px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"font-article-copy text-(--image--text--color) font-article-copy mt-2\"><span class=\"credit font-article-copy\">(Image credit: Gretchen Powers)<\/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-52a21db8-c243-11f1-ba6a-b308e8e3c482\">It\u2019s been a great year for British gravel racer Maddy Nutt. A shift in focus has seen her race some of the longest events on the calendar, racing for 24 hours and coming away with some top results.<\/p>\n<p>At the start of May she was the first woman home &#8211; and 17th overall &#8211; in the Traka 560, covering the 560km route in 26 hours 30 minutes. Then, later that month, she took on the 574km of Unbound XL, finishing as second woman, 34 minutes behind winner Svenja Betz.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-52a21db8-c243-11f1-ba6a-b308e8e3c482-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Now she\u2019s in Western Australia preparing for an all together different challenge: the UCI Gravel World Championships.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-6 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[10px] lg:my-8\" data-component-name=\"JwPlayer:Carousel\" data-jwp-carousel data-jwp-carousel-payload=\"{&quot;ids&quot;:{&quot;playerID&quot;:&quot;jYDCcabO&quot;,&quot;searchPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;divID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;fallbackPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;fallbackDivID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;key&quot;:&quot;X9\/mXVGac0NphghLH9hZaqWA5d3dhAM\/Ih07grnEyMLjuO2E&quot;,&quot;tintLogo&quot;:true,&quot;useSearchPlaylist&quot;:false,&quot;enabled&quot;:true},&quot;signPostingEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;signPostingLinkEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;waitForAdLoad&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnDesktop&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnMobile&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnTablet&quot;:false}\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-nowrap items-center justify-between gap-3 bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-header>\n<div class=\"flex min-w-0 shrink items-center\"><span class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm font-article-heading capitalize leading-5 text-white whitespace-nowrap\"><span class=\"jwp-carousel-title-desktop\">Latest Videos From<\/span><span class=\"jwp-carousel-brand\">Cyclingnews<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"min-h-[44px] bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting><a class=\"invisible block truncate text-sm font-bold leading-5 text-white underline decoration-solid underline-offset-2\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting-link href target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-jwp-carousel-signposting-title>Watch full video here: <\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">For 2026 the UCI Gravel World Championships leave Europe for the first time, with the previous four editions held in Italy twice, Belgium and the Netherlands. The 2026 event heads to Western Australia, and the town of Nannup, some 250km south of Perth, the elite women racing on Saturday, October 10, the men the following day, with the age-group events spread across the two days.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fancy-box kiosq-b\" id=\"elk-2df9cfd6-c2f4-11f1-909c-15dadc26c91d\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"fancy_box-title\">More on Worlds<\/div>\n<div class=\"fancy_box_body\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Clash of the calendars \u2013 Systems collide with riders forced to choose between Life Time Grand Prix and UCI Gravel World Championships<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>It&#8217;s naive to think that trade team loyalties will disappear at the Gravel World Championships, I expect some of the season&#8217;s strangest tactics yet<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-2df9d058-c2f4-11f1-8489-791defd2511a\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">At &#8216;only&#8217; 125.6km in length, Nutt\u2019s race will tackle less than a quarter of her two epic successes earlier in the year, so she\u2019s been forced to alter her training to try to at least be competitive, though with a decent number victories and top five finishes in shorter races, including UCI Gravel World Series events, she\u2019s hardly a stranger to those distances and their increased intensity.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xJwozGfLzFoKyrGcWjeXPU-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xJwozGfLzFoKyrGcWjeXPU-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Is Nannup delivering the first &#8216;real&#8217; UCI Gravel World Championships?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">True grit specialists primed to challenge the run of road pro rainbow jerseys \u2013 Analysing the Gravel World Championships contenders<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Gravel grid anomalies, national teams in name only and self funding \u2013 Explaining the workings of a UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I\u2019ve kind of switched up my racing this year to try some new stuff, and then I&#8217;ve kind of switched back in the second half of the season,&#8221; Nutt explained when we called her before she headed to Australia.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Early season, I was prioritising doing a couple of ultra races and giving, and I actually really enjoyed them, and then I always wanted to do world champs in Australia.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-nX5VuSpu2eZ243GJ73PAiG\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-nX5VuSpu2eZ243GJ73PAiG slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__header\">Get The Leadout Newsletter<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<footer class=\"newsletter-form__footer \">By submitting your information you agree to the Terms &amp; Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.<\/footer>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;So at a certain point, I said I need to switch my training up because otherwise I&#8217;m not going to have the upper-end power to be able to race shorter stuff. But I&#8217;ve really enjoyed mixing my calendar up with different stuff, it&#8217;s very different to stand on a start line knowing you&#8217;re going to be racing for over 24 hours versus standing on a start line knowing you&#8217;re just going to suffer for a few hours. They\u2019re very different kinds of pain.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-52a21ee4-c243-11f1-81b4-556ce0a9590f\" 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\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Nutt earlier this season <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Jon Halldor \/ The Rift 2026)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-52a21f66-c243-11f1-9a92-37b14a640cff\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Not a lifelong cyclist, Nutt came to cycling relatively late, and after a couple of years dabbling in road racing, she headed off the tarmac for the growing gravel scene. She raced the first edition of the Gravel Worlds in Veneto in 2022, finishing 29th behind Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot, and has taken part in every edition since. Being an ever-present is part of the attraction for her to pack up her bike and head to Australia for another tilt next week.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;To date I\u2019ve done four out of four and finished four out of four, I think the only other rider that has is Tiffany Cromwell, so we&#8217;ll both have done five out of five, but I think she&#8217;s retiring this year, so maybe if I do the one next year, I&#8217;ll be the only person who&#8217;s done all of them!<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;It&#8217;s more a personal battle&#8217; &#8211; Sofia Gomez Villafa\u00f1e locked in all year for significant climbing and &#8216;wide open gravel&#8217; at UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mmzr2QzgBHE8tLaEtw7naV-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mmzr2QzgBHE8tLaEtw7naV-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Field building for far-flung 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships, key Life Time Grand Prix competitors among expected starters despite Little Sugar MTB clash<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">The gravelliest UCI Gravel World Championships of them all \u2013 A detailed look at the &#8216;perfect storm&#8217; of terrain that riders will face this October in Western Australia<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"fancy-box kiosq-b\" id=\"elk-2df9d0ee-c2f4-11f1-a8b5-e96622e42419\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"fancy_box-title\">More on this<\/div>\n<div class=\"fancy_box_body\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>&#8216;It&#8217;d be a fairytale to win, but I&#8217;m also realistic&#8217; \u2013 Tiffany Cromwell primed to go out on a high at UCI Gravel World Championships in Western Australia<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-2df9d170-c2f4-11f1-a76a-7545df8e32f6\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I feel like if I&#8217;m fit and capable of going, it&#8217;s quite nice to go and do another one. I&#8217;ve been to Australia once before, and I loved it, so it\u2019s an excuse to go to a place that I really enjoyed riding my bike.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Professional road riders have won both men\u2019s and women\u2019s races in all four editions to date, but with this year\u2019s races taking place so far from Europe and coming at the end of a long, hard season, it\u2019s expected we\u2019ll see fewer of them on the Nannup start line, increasing the chances of a gravel specialist winning the jerseys this year. And then there are the routes, both of which comprise well over 80% gravel, something the true off-road regulars will be well used to.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;This course seems like the most gravelly Gravel World Championships that we&#8217;ve seen, so I&#8217;m really intrigued to do a Gravel World Championships that could actually suit gravel specialists,&#8221; says Nutt. &#8220;The gravel is meant to be actually quite champagne gravel, so I think it&#8217;s not overly technical, but there are sections with what they describe as pea gravel, and pea gravel&#8217;s super slippy, it\u2019s like ball bearings instead of gravel.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Of any year, this would be the year where someone who&#8217;s primarily a gravel racer would win, I think, even if it&#8217;s someone like Rosa Kl\u00f6ser or Gee [Geerike Schreurs] who have had that road experience as well. But someone who really prioritises this discipline and then takes the jersey would be really awesome because also we don&#8217;t see the winners ever wear that jersey.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section kiosq-b\" id=\"section-the-privateer-life\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span>The privateer life<\/span><\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-52a2204c-c243-11f1-88f3-3fc2467a08e3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">While Nutt is part of clothing company Q36.5\u2019s Off-Road Racing Expedition, that\u2019s not quite a team, and riders arrange many of their own sponsors themselves. And with no administrative support they are responsible for running their own race programmes and expenses.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That won&#8217;t change for the World Championships. Whilst raced in national teams, most federations offer little to no support for the Championships, so most racers are left fending for themselves in terms of aid during the race.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;A privateer is the most entrepreneurial way to be a bike racer. You need to find someone to take photos of you or find someone to hand you bottles,&#8221; Nutt explains. &#8220;I\u2019ve gone to a race and not found someone to hand me bottles, then I was the only person with a hydration vest on the start line. Even just psychologically, I&#8217;m thinking I&#8217;ve got an extra two kilograms on my back, and that&#8217;s really hard.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Luckily for Nutt, one of the other Q36.5 riders lives in Perth and is injured and unable to ride, so she has one recruit to help with hydration, though Nutt is hoping some of her social media contacts can help her out too, as getting round the entire 125.6km course could prove difficult.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-52a220ba-c243-11f1-88ae-f98d87e00b86\" 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\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Nutt at the end of Unbound Gravel XL 2026 <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Future l Jackie Tyson)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-52a2211e-c243-11f1-b3f1-c96333eb34c1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That entrepreneurial approach to racing means managing more than just who\u2019s handing your drinks. There are photos needed for social media, essential for sponsor exposure, booking travel and running a budget. And with no support from British Cycling for this Championships, that budget has to extend to cover the trip to Nannup for Worlds.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;My sponsors will pay me and then I can choose how much of that I&#8217;m putting towards race budget. Some athletes are very specific, I&#8217;m more flexible and if I really want to go to a race I&#8217;m going to spend some of my budget on it, and then what I end up with at the end of the day is my take-home salary. But I don&#8217;t mind spending more money to go to races like, for example, World Champs in Australia, and then take home less money at the end of the year because I think it&#8217;s an amazing opportunity.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">As for her set up for next Saturday\u2019s race, Nutt is keeping it simple, riding the rigid fork Lauf Siegla. &#8220;The course isn\u2019t technical in theory and is super hilly, so weight is something I need to think about. Tyres-wise, I\u2019m going for the Panaracer GravelKing X1s in a 40 [millimetre]. I raced them in Finland and was super happy with them there. I might pack a set of 45s with me in case I change my mind.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-52a22196-c243-11f1-9534-874555a49b29\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\"><em><strong>Subscribe to Cyclingnews for comprehensive race coverage of both the UCI Road and Gravel World Championships, alongside the final monument of the season, Il Lombardia. Subscribers get unlimited access to exclusive analysis from our expert columnists, in-depth features and industry-leading tech insight. Plus, the Cyclingnews app lets you follow the action wherever you go! <\/strong><\/em><em><strong>Join today.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"slice-container-authorBio-nX5VuSpu2eZ243GJ73PAiG\" class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio-nX5VuSpu2eZ243GJ73PAiG slice-container-authorBio\">\n<div class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio slice-container-authorBio\" id=\"slice-container-authorBio\" data-component-name=\"Slice:AuthorBio\">\n<div class=\"author author__default-layout author--separator author--collapsible\" data-author-bio-max-height=\"250\" data-author-bio-read-more=\"Read more\" data-author-bio-read-less=\"Read less\">\n<div class=\"author__header\">\n<div class=\"author__avatar-block\">\n<figure class=\"image-wrapped__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-wrapped__widthsetter\">\n<div class=\"image-wrapped__aspect-padding\">\n<div>\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5d2CksSry8bfgFKS33vwFi-140-80.jpg.webp 140w\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__heading\">\n<div class=\"author__name\">\n<p>Owen Rogers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__role\">Staff Writer<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__bio-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"author__biography\">\n<p>A recent addition to the Cyclingnews staff, Owen Rogers is an experienced journalist, working as a freelancer covering the sport for various magazines and websites for more than 10 years.<\/p>\n<p>Initially concentrating mainly on the women&#8217;s sport, he has covered hundreds of race days on the ground and interviewed some of the sport&#8217;s biggest names.<\/p>\n<p>Living near Cambridge in the UK, when he&#8217;s not working you&#8217;ll find him either riding his bike or playing drums.<\/p>\n<\/div>\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<section class=\"mx-2 my-5 sm:mx-0\">\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-adviser:hybrid\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Read more<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xJwozGfLzFoKyrGcWjeXPU-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xJwozGfLzFoKyrGcWjeXPU-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xJwozGfLzFoKyrGcWjeXPU-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xJwozGfLzFoKyrGcWjeXPU-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xJwozGfLzFoKyrGcWjeXPU-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Is Nannup delivering the first &#8216;real&#8217; UCI Gravel World Championships?<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">True grit specialists primed to challenge the run of road pro rainbow jerseys \u2013 Analysing the Gravel World Championships contenders<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Gravel grid anomalies, national teams in name only and self funding \u2013 Explaining the workings of a UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;It&#8217;s more a personal battle&#8217; &#8211; Sofia Gomez Villafa\u00f1e locked in all year for significant climbing and &#8216;wide open gravel&#8217; at UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mmzr2QzgBHE8tLaEtw7naV-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mmzr2QzgBHE8tLaEtw7naV-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mmzr2QzgBHE8tLaEtw7naV-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mmzr2QzgBHE8tLaEtw7naV-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mmzr2QzgBHE8tLaEtw7naV-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Field building for far-flung 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships, key Life Time Grand Prix competitors among expected starters despite Little Sugar MTB clash<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Pro Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">The gravelliest UCI Gravel World Championships of them all \u2013 A detailed look at the &#8216;perfect storm&#8217; of terrain that riders will face this October in Western Australia<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-category\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/rVxwB57FiosLzfgfUS2B9a-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/rVxwB57FiosLzfgfUS2B9a-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/rVxwB57FiosLzfgfUS2B9a-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/rVxwB57FiosLzfgfUS2B9a-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/rVxwB57FiosLzfgfUS2B9a-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;Fingers crossed for that scenario&#8217; &#8211; Dutch squad aligned for Marianne Vos to recapture rainbow jersey at Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sS34bd8N2hvtRM3fMuUV2b-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sS34bd8N2hvtRM3fMuUV2b-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sS34bd8N2hvtRM3fMuUV2b-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sS34bd8N2hvtRM3fMuUV2b-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sS34bd8N2hvtRM3fMuUV2b-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">UEC European Championships: Marlen Reusser beats Demi Vollering to win her fifth elite women&#8217;s time trial title<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Kw9H8kQoJ8v7bhLR3DG45A-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Kw9H8kQoJ8v7bhLR3DG45A-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Kw9H8kQoJ8v7bhLR3DG45A-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Kw9H8kQoJ8v7bhLR3DG45A-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Kw9H8kQoJ8v7bhLR3DG45A-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">UEC European Championships: Nienke Vinke storms to victory in U23 women&#8217;s time trial title<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jWzSWkpcoEjKUHcCzQ4TeY-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jWzSWkpcoEjKUHcCzQ4TeY-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jWzSWkpcoEjKUHcCzQ4TeY-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jWzSWkpcoEjKUHcCzQ4TeY-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jWzSWkpcoEjKUHcCzQ4TeY-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">UEC European Championships: Top Spanish talent Alejandra Neira claims junior women&#8217;s time trial title<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Gravel grid anomalies, national teams in name only and self funding \u2013 Explaining the workings of a UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B5PdyShMtgThobd2YRvnLK-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B5PdyShMtgThobd2YRvnLK-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B5PdyShMtgThobd2YRvnLK-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B5PdyShMtgThobd2YRvnLK-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B5PdyShMtgThobd2YRvnLK-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Canyon-SRAM strengthen sprint and Classics lineup with Georgia Baker signing<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-articletype\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Features<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPLcn5SL3wxBvkscxdLC6M-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPLcn5SL3wxBvkscxdLC6M-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPLcn5SL3wxBvkscxdLC6M-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPLcn5SL3wxBvkscxdLC6M-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPLcn5SL3wxBvkscxdLC6M-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Rules<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Joint winners, overturned results and long-lasting controversies \u2013 Some of cycling&#8217;s most memorable photo finishes<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FG5T5f7op98KAQjRTR2qFR-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FG5T5f7op98KAQjRTR2qFR-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FG5T5f7op98KAQjRTR2qFR-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FG5T5f7op98KAQjRTR2qFR-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FG5T5f7op98KAQjRTR2qFR-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">It&#8217;s naive to think that trade team loyalties will disappear at the Gravel World Championships, I expect some of the season&#8217;s strangest tactics yet<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TJ58iV2uim5GWjjMgNqsTR-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TJ58iV2uim5GWjjMgNqsTR-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TJ58iV2uim5GWjjMgNqsTR-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TJ58iV2uim5GWjjMgNqsTR-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TJ58iV2uim5GWjjMgNqsTR-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Clash of the calendars \u2013 Systems collide with riders forced to choose between Life Time Grand Prix and UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Gravel grid anomalies, national teams in name only and self funding \u2013 Explaining the workings of a UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;It&#8217;s more a personal battle&#8217; &#8211; Sofia Gomez Villafa\u00f1e locked in all year for significant climbing and &#8216;wide open gravel&#8217; at UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/pB6zENmahitW9nEBThkRdK-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/pB6zENmahitW9nEBThkRdK-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/pB6zENmahitW9nEBThkRdK-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/pB6zENmahitW9nEBThkRdK-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/pB6zENmahitW9nEBThkRdK-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;The world caves in on you&#8217; &#8211; Ion Izagirre reflects on broken wrist injury that wrecked end of 17-year career<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/section>\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\/FBSi4UQHkiSV7yj9nMosmJ-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FBSi4UQHkiSV7yj9nMosmJ-720-80.jpg.webp 720w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FBSi4UQHkiSV7yj9nMosmJ-640-80.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FBSi4UQHkiSV7yj9nMosmJ-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>Movistar poach top under-23 talent from UAE Team Emirates-XRG<\/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>&#8216;The year where someone who&#8217;s primarily a gravel racer would win \u2013 Maddy Nutt representing the specialists at the World Championships<\/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>More than half a kilo under the UCI weight limit: Ridley&#8217;s new Falcn RS has gone on a serious diet, with exotic wheels and TPU tubes as standard<\/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>Despite fractured wrist, Ion Izagirre will get dream farewell at Il Lombardia he wanted after all<\/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;The helmet definitely saved his life&#8217; says Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot as Dylan van Baarle has season ended by &#8216;traffic accident involving a car&#8217;<\/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<li>\nWomen&#8217;s Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nGravel\n<\/li>\n<li>\nUCI Gravel World Championships\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>&#8216;The year where someone who&#8217;s primarily a gravel racer would win \u2013 Maddy Nutt representing the specialists at the World Championships<\/h1>\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-start\" 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 \/>\nOwen Rogers <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-10-08T08:42:26Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n8 October 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">The British rider believes this could be the year a gravel pro wins the rainbow jersey<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-start text-left\" 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 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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\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-1600-80.jpg.webp 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-750-80.jpg.webp 750w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 600px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"font-article-copy text-(--image--text--color) font-article-copy mt-2\"><span class=\"credit font-article-copy\">(Image credit: Gretchen Powers)<\/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-52a21db8-c243-11f1-ba6a-b308e8e3c482\">It\u2019s been a great year for British gravel racer Maddy Nutt. A shift in focus has seen her race some of the longest events on the calendar, racing for 24 hours and coming away with some top results.<\/p>\n<p>At the start of May she was the first woman home &#8211; and 17th overall &#8211; in the Traka 560, covering the 560km route in 26 hours 30 minutes. Then, later that month, she took on the 574km of Unbound XL, finishing as second woman, 34 minutes behind winner Svenja Betz.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-52a21db8-c243-11f1-ba6a-b308e8e3c482-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Now she\u2019s in Western Australia preparing for an all together different challenge: the UCI Gravel World Championships.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-6 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[10px] lg:my-8\" data-component-name=\"JwPlayer:Carousel\" data-jwp-carousel data-jwp-carousel-payload=\"{&quot;ids&quot;:{&quot;playerID&quot;:&quot;jYDCcabO&quot;,&quot;searchPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;divID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;fallbackPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;fallbackDivID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;key&quot;:&quot;X9\/mXVGac0NphghLH9hZaqWA5d3dhAM\/Ih07grnEyMLjuO2E&quot;,&quot;tintLogo&quot;:true,&quot;useSearchPlaylist&quot;:false,&quot;enabled&quot;:true},&quot;signPostingEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;signPostingLinkEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;waitForAdLoad&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnDesktop&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnMobile&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnTablet&quot;:false}\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-nowrap items-center justify-between gap-3 bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-header>\n<div class=\"flex min-w-0 shrink items-center\"><span class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm font-article-heading capitalize leading-5 text-white whitespace-nowrap\"><span class=\"jwp-carousel-title-desktop\">Latest Videos From<\/span><span class=\"jwp-carousel-brand\">Cyclingnews<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"min-h-[44px] bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting><a class=\"invisible block truncate text-sm font-bold leading-5 text-white underline decoration-solid underline-offset-2\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting-link href target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-jwp-carousel-signposting-title>Watch full video here: <\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">For 2026 the UCI Gravel World Championships leave Europe for the first time, with the previous four editions held in Italy twice, Belgium and the Netherlands. The 2026 event heads to Western Australia, and the town of Nannup, some 250km south of Perth, the elite women racing on Saturday, October 10, the men the following day, with the age-group events spread across the two days.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fancy-box kiosq-b\" id=\"elk-2df9cfd6-c2f4-11f1-909c-15dadc26c91d\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"fancy_box-title\">More on Worlds<\/div>\n<div class=\"fancy_box_body\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Clash of the calendars \u2013 Systems collide with riders forced to choose between Life Time Grand Prix and UCI Gravel World Championships<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>It&#8217;s naive to think that trade team loyalties will disappear at the Gravel World Championships, I expect some of the season&#8217;s strangest tactics yet<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-2df9d058-c2f4-11f1-8489-791defd2511a\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">At &#8216;only&#8217; 125.6km in length, Nutt\u2019s race will tackle less than a quarter of her two epic successes earlier in the year, so she\u2019s been forced to alter her training to try to at least be competitive, though with a decent number victories and top five finishes in shorter races, including UCI Gravel World Series events, she\u2019s hardly a stranger to those distances and their increased intensity.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xJwozGfLzFoKyrGcWjeXPU-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xJwozGfLzFoKyrGcWjeXPU-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Is Nannup delivering the first &#8216;real&#8217; UCI Gravel World Championships?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">True grit specialists primed to challenge the run of road pro rainbow jerseys \u2013 Analysing the Gravel World Championships contenders<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Gravel grid anomalies, national teams in name only and self funding \u2013 Explaining the workings of a UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I\u2019ve kind of switched up my racing this year to try some new stuff, and then I&#8217;ve kind of switched back in the second half of the season,&#8221; Nutt explained when we called her before she headed to Australia.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Early season, I was prioritising doing a couple of ultra races and giving, and I actually really enjoyed them, and then I always wanted to do world champs in Australia.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-nX5VuSpu2eZ243GJ73PAiG\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-nX5VuSpu2eZ243GJ73PAiG slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__header\">Get The Leadout Newsletter<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<footer class=\"newsletter-form__footer \">By submitting your information you agree to the Terms &amp; Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.<\/footer>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;So at a certain point, I said I need to switch my training up because otherwise I&#8217;m not going to have the upper-end power to be able to race shorter stuff. But I&#8217;ve really enjoyed mixing my calendar up with different stuff, it&#8217;s very different to stand on a start line knowing you&#8217;re going to be racing for over 24 hours versus standing on a start line knowing you&#8217;re just going to suffer for a few hours. They\u2019re very different kinds of pain.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-52a21ee4-c243-11f1-81b4-556ce0a9590f\" 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\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Nutt earlier this season <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Jon Halldor \/ The Rift 2026)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-52a21f66-c243-11f1-9a92-37b14a640cff\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Not a lifelong cyclist, Nutt came to cycling relatively late, and after a couple of years dabbling in road racing, she headed off the tarmac for the growing gravel scene. She raced the first edition of the Gravel Worlds in Veneto in 2022, finishing 29th behind Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot, and has taken part in every edition since. Being an ever-present is part of the attraction for her to pack up her bike and head to Australia for another tilt next week.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;To date I\u2019ve done four out of four and finished four out of four, I think the only other rider that has is Tiffany Cromwell, so we&#8217;ll both have done five out of five, but I think she&#8217;s retiring this year, so maybe if I do the one next year, I&#8217;ll be the only person who&#8217;s done all of them!<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;It&#8217;s more a personal battle&#8217; &#8211; Sofia Gomez Villafa\u00f1e locked in all year for significant climbing and &#8216;wide open gravel&#8217; at UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mmzr2QzgBHE8tLaEtw7naV-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mmzr2QzgBHE8tLaEtw7naV-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Field building for far-flung 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships, key Life Time Grand Prix competitors among expected starters despite Little Sugar MTB clash<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">The gravelliest UCI Gravel World Championships of them all \u2013 A detailed look at the &#8216;perfect storm&#8217; of terrain that riders will face this October in Western Australia<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"fancy-box kiosq-b\" id=\"elk-2df9d0ee-c2f4-11f1-a8b5-e96622e42419\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"fancy_box-title\">More on this<\/div>\n<div class=\"fancy_box_body\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>&#8216;It&#8217;d be a fairytale to win, but I&#8217;m also realistic&#8217; \u2013 Tiffany Cromwell primed to go out on a high at UCI Gravel World Championships in Western Australia<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-2df9d170-c2f4-11f1-a76a-7545df8e32f6\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I feel like if I&#8217;m fit and capable of going, it&#8217;s quite nice to go and do another one. I&#8217;ve been to Australia once before, and I loved it, so it\u2019s an excuse to go to a place that I really enjoyed riding my bike.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Professional road riders have won both men\u2019s and women\u2019s races in all four editions to date, but with this year\u2019s races taking place so far from Europe and coming at the end of a long, hard season, it\u2019s expected we\u2019ll see fewer of them on the Nannup start line, increasing the chances of a gravel specialist winning the jerseys this year. And then there are the routes, both of which comprise well over 80% gravel, something the true off-road regulars will be well used to.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;This course seems like the most gravelly Gravel World Championships that we&#8217;ve seen, so I&#8217;m really intrigued to do a Gravel World Championships that could actually suit gravel specialists,&#8221; says Nutt. &#8220;The gravel is meant to be actually quite champagne gravel, so I think it&#8217;s not overly technical, but there are sections with what they describe as pea gravel, and pea gravel&#8217;s super slippy, it\u2019s like ball bearings instead of gravel.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Of any year, this would be the year where someone who&#8217;s primarily a gravel racer would win, I think, even if it&#8217;s someone like Rosa Kl\u00f6ser or Gee [Geerike Schreurs] who have had that road experience as well. But someone who really prioritises this discipline and then takes the jersey would be really awesome because also we don&#8217;t see the winners ever wear that jersey.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section kiosq-b\" id=\"section-the-privateer-life\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span>The privateer life<\/span><\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-52a2204c-c243-11f1-88f3-3fc2467a08e3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">While Nutt is part of clothing company Q36.5\u2019s Off-Road Racing Expedition, that\u2019s not quite a team, and riders arrange many of their own sponsors themselves. And with no administrative support they are responsible for running their own race programmes and expenses.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That won&#8217;t change for the World Championships. Whilst raced in national teams, most federations offer little to no support for the Championships, so most racers are left fending for themselves in terms of aid during the race.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;A privateer is the most entrepreneurial way to be a bike racer. You need to find someone to take photos of you or find someone to hand you bottles,&#8221; Nutt explains. &#8220;I\u2019ve gone to a race and not found someone to hand me bottles, then I was the only person with a hydration vest on the start line. Even just psychologically, I&#8217;m thinking I&#8217;ve got an extra two kilograms on my back, and that&#8217;s really hard.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Luckily for Nutt, one of the other Q36.5 riders lives in Perth and is injured and unable to ride, so she has one recruit to help with hydration, though Nutt is hoping some of her social media contacts can help her out too, as getting round the entire 125.6km course could prove difficult.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-52a220ba-c243-11f1-88ae-f98d87e00b86\" 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\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Nutt at the end of Unbound Gravel XL 2026 <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Future l Jackie Tyson)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-52a2211e-c243-11f1-b3f1-c96333eb34c1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That entrepreneurial approach to racing means managing more than just who\u2019s handing your drinks. There are photos needed for social media, essential for sponsor exposure, booking travel and running a budget. And with no support from British Cycling for this Championships, that budget has to extend to cover the trip to Nannup for Worlds.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;My sponsors will pay me and then I can choose how much of that I&#8217;m putting towards race budget. Some athletes are very specific, I&#8217;m more flexible and if I really want to go to a race I&#8217;m going to spend some of my budget on it, and then what I end up with at the end of the day is my take-home salary. But I don&#8217;t mind spending more money to go to races like, for example, World Champs in Australia, and then take home less money at the end of the year because I think it&#8217;s an amazing opportunity.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">As for her set up for next Saturday\u2019s race, Nutt is keeping it simple, riding the rigid fork Lauf Siegla. &#8220;The course isn\u2019t technical in theory and is super hilly, so weight is something I need to think about. Tyres-wise, I\u2019m going for the Panaracer GravelKing X1s in a 40 [millimetre]. I raced them in Finland and was super happy with them there. I might pack a set of 45s with me in case I change my mind.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-52a22196-c243-11f1-9534-874555a49b29\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\"><em><strong>Subscribe to Cyclingnews for comprehensive race coverage of both the UCI Road and Gravel World Championships, alongside the final monument of the season, Il Lombardia. Subscribers get unlimited access to exclusive analysis from our expert columnists, in-depth features and industry-leading tech insight. Plus, the Cyclingnews app lets you follow the action wherever you go! <\/strong><\/em><em><strong>Join today.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"slice-container-authorBio-nX5VuSpu2eZ243GJ73PAiG\" class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio-nX5VuSpu2eZ243GJ73PAiG slice-container-authorBio\">\n<div class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio slice-container-authorBio\" id=\"slice-container-authorBio\" data-component-name=\"Slice:AuthorBio\">\n<div class=\"author author__default-layout author--separator author--collapsible\" data-author-bio-max-height=\"250\" data-author-bio-read-more=\"Read more\" data-author-bio-read-less=\"Read less\">\n<div class=\"author__header\">\n<div class=\"author__avatar-block\">\n<figure class=\"image-wrapped__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-wrapped__widthsetter\">\n<div class=\"image-wrapped__aspect-padding\">\n<div>\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5d2CksSry8bfgFKS33vwFi-140-80.jpg.webp 140w\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__heading\">\n<div class=\"author__name\">\n<p>Owen Rogers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__role\">Staff Writer<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__bio-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"author__biography\">\n<p>A recent addition to the Cyclingnews staff, Owen Rogers is an experienced journalist, working as a freelancer covering the sport for various magazines and websites for more than 10 years.<\/p>\n<p>Initially concentrating mainly on the women&#8217;s sport, he has covered hundreds of race days on the ground and interviewed some of the sport&#8217;s biggest names.<\/p>\n<p>Living near Cambridge in the UK, when he&#8217;s not working you&#8217;ll find him either riding his bike or playing drums.<\/p>\n<\/div>\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<section class=\"mx-2 my-5 sm:mx-0\">\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-adviser:hybrid\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Read more<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xJwozGfLzFoKyrGcWjeXPU-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xJwozGfLzFoKyrGcWjeXPU-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xJwozGfLzFoKyrGcWjeXPU-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xJwozGfLzFoKyrGcWjeXPU-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xJwozGfLzFoKyrGcWjeXPU-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Is Nannup delivering the first &#8216;real&#8217; UCI Gravel World Championships?<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">True grit specialists primed to challenge the run of road pro rainbow jerseys \u2013 Analysing the Gravel World Championships contenders<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Gravel grid anomalies, national teams in name only and self funding \u2013 Explaining the workings of a UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;It&#8217;s more a personal battle&#8217; &#8211; Sofia Gomez Villafa\u00f1e locked in all year for significant climbing and &#8216;wide open gravel&#8217; at UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mmzr2QzgBHE8tLaEtw7naV-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mmzr2QzgBHE8tLaEtw7naV-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mmzr2QzgBHE8tLaEtw7naV-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mmzr2QzgBHE8tLaEtw7naV-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mmzr2QzgBHE8tLaEtw7naV-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Field building for far-flung 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships, key Life Time Grand Prix competitors among expected starters despite Little Sugar MTB clash<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Pro Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">The gravelliest UCI Gravel World Championships of them all \u2013 A detailed look at the &#8216;perfect storm&#8217; of terrain that riders will face this October in Western Australia<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-category\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/rVxwB57FiosLzfgfUS2B9a-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/rVxwB57FiosLzfgfUS2B9a-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/rVxwB57FiosLzfgfUS2B9a-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/rVxwB57FiosLzfgfUS2B9a-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/rVxwB57FiosLzfgfUS2B9a-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;Fingers crossed for that scenario&#8217; &#8211; Dutch squad aligned for Marianne Vos to recapture rainbow jersey at Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sS34bd8N2hvtRM3fMuUV2b-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sS34bd8N2hvtRM3fMuUV2b-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sS34bd8N2hvtRM3fMuUV2b-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sS34bd8N2hvtRM3fMuUV2b-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sS34bd8N2hvtRM3fMuUV2b-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">UEC European Championships: Marlen Reusser beats Demi Vollering to win her fifth elite women&#8217;s time trial title<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Kw9H8kQoJ8v7bhLR3DG45A-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Kw9H8kQoJ8v7bhLR3DG45A-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Kw9H8kQoJ8v7bhLR3DG45A-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Kw9H8kQoJ8v7bhLR3DG45A-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Kw9H8kQoJ8v7bhLR3DG45A-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">UEC European Championships: Nienke Vinke storms to victory in U23 women&#8217;s time trial title<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jWzSWkpcoEjKUHcCzQ4TeY-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jWzSWkpcoEjKUHcCzQ4TeY-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jWzSWkpcoEjKUHcCzQ4TeY-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jWzSWkpcoEjKUHcCzQ4TeY-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jWzSWkpcoEjKUHcCzQ4TeY-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">UEC European Championships: Top Spanish talent Alejandra Neira claims junior women&#8217;s time trial title<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Gravel grid anomalies, national teams in name only and self funding \u2013 Explaining the workings of a UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B5PdyShMtgThobd2YRvnLK-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B5PdyShMtgThobd2YRvnLK-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B5PdyShMtgThobd2YRvnLK-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B5PdyShMtgThobd2YRvnLK-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B5PdyShMtgThobd2YRvnLK-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Canyon-SRAM strengthen sprint and Classics lineup with Georgia Baker signing<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-articletype\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Features<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPLcn5SL3wxBvkscxdLC6M-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPLcn5SL3wxBvkscxdLC6M-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPLcn5SL3wxBvkscxdLC6M-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPLcn5SL3wxBvkscxdLC6M-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/oPLcn5SL3wxBvkscxdLC6M-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Rules<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Joint winners, overturned results and long-lasting controversies \u2013 Some of cycling&#8217;s most memorable photo finishes<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FG5T5f7op98KAQjRTR2qFR-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FG5T5f7op98KAQjRTR2qFR-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FG5T5f7op98KAQjRTR2qFR-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FG5T5f7op98KAQjRTR2qFR-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FG5T5f7op98KAQjRTR2qFR-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">It&#8217;s naive to think that trade team loyalties will disappear at the Gravel World Championships, I expect some of the season&#8217;s strangest tactics yet<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TJ58iV2uim5GWjjMgNqsTR-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TJ58iV2uim5GWjjMgNqsTR-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TJ58iV2uim5GWjjMgNqsTR-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TJ58iV2uim5GWjjMgNqsTR-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TJ58iV2uim5GWjjMgNqsTR-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Clash of the calendars \u2013 Systems collide with riders forced to choose between Life Time Grand Prix and UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Gravel grid anomalies, national teams in name only and self funding \u2013 Explaining the workings of a UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;It&#8217;s more a personal battle&#8217; &#8211; Sofia Gomez Villafa\u00f1e locked in all year for significant climbing and &#8216;wide open gravel&#8217; at UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[var(--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9)] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/pB6zENmahitW9nEBThkRdK-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/pB6zENmahitW9nEBThkRdK-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/pB6zENmahitW9nEBThkRdK-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/pB6zENmahitW9nEBThkRdK-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/pB6zENmahitW9nEBThkRdK-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;The world caves in on you&#8217; &#8211; Ion Izagirre reflects on broken wrist injury that wrecked end of 17-year career<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"max-w-full sponsored-post--placeholder animate-pulse\">\n<div class=\"relative!\"><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/section>\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\/FBSi4UQHkiSV7yj9nMosmJ-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FBSi4UQHkiSV7yj9nMosmJ-720-80.jpg.webp 720w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FBSi4UQHkiSV7yj9nMosmJ-640-80.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FBSi4UQHkiSV7yj9nMosmJ-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>Movistar poach top under-23 talent from UAE Team Emirates-XRG<\/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>&#8216;The year where someone who&#8217;s primarily a gravel racer would win \u2013 Maddy Nutt representing the specialists at the World Championships<\/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>More than half a kilo under the UCI weight limit: Ridley&#8217;s new Falcn RS has gone on a serious diet, with exotic wheels and TPU tubes as standard<\/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>Despite fractured wrist, Ion Izagirre will get dream farewell at Il Lombardia he wanted after all<\/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;The helmet definitely saved his life&#8217; says Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot as Dylan van Baarle has season ended by &#8216;traffic accident involving a car&#8217;<\/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<li>\nWomen&#8217;s Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nGravel\n<\/li>\n<li>\nUCI Gravel World Championships\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>&#8216;The year where someone who&#8217;s primarily a gravel racer would win \u2013 Maddy Nutt representing the specialists at the World Championships<\/h1>\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-start\" 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 \/>\nOwen Rogers <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-10-08T08:42:26Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n8 October 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">The British rider believes this could be the year a gravel pro wins the rainbow jersey<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-start text-left\" 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-52a21db8-c243-11f1-ba6a-b308e8e3c482\">It\u2019s been a great year for British gravel racer Maddy Nutt. A shift in focus has seen her race some of the longest events on the calendar, racing for 24 hours and coming away with some top results.<\/p>\n<p>At the start of May she was the first woman home &#8211; and 17th overall &#8211; in the Traka 560, covering the 560km route in 26 hours 30 minutes. Then, later that month, she took on the 574km of Unbound XL, finishing as second woman, 34 minutes behind winner Svenja Betz.<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-52a21db8-c243-11f1-ba6a-b308e8e3c482-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Now she\u2019s in Western Australia preparing for an all together different challenge: the UCI Gravel World Championships.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-6 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[10px] lg:my-8\" data-component-name=\"JwPlayer:Carousel\" data-jwp-carousel data-jwp-carousel-payload=\"{&quot;ids&quot;:{&quot;playerID&quot;:&quot;jYDCcabO&quot;,&quot;searchPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;divID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;fallbackPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;fallbackDivID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;key&quot;:&quot;X9\/mXVGac0NphghLH9hZaqWA5d3dhAM\/Ih07grnEyMLjuO2E&quot;,&quot;tintLogo&quot;:true,&quot;useSearchPlaylist&quot;:false,&quot;enabled&quot;:true},&quot;signPostingEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;signPostingLinkEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;waitForAdLoad&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnDesktop&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnMobile&quot;:false,&quot;hidePlayerOnTablet&quot;:false}\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-nowrap items-center justify-between gap-3 bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-header>\n<div class=\"flex min-w-0 shrink items-center\"><span class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm font-article-heading capitalize leading-5 text-white whitespace-nowrap\"><span class=\"jwp-carousel-title-desktop\">Latest Videos From<\/span><span class=\"jwp-carousel-brand\">Cyclingnews<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"min-h-[44px] bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting><a class=\"invisible block truncate text-sm font-bold leading-5 text-white underline decoration-solid underline-offset-2\" data-jwp-carousel-signposting-link href target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span data-jwp-carousel-signposting-title>Watch full video here: <\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">For 2026 the UCI Gravel World Championships leave Europe for the first time, with the previous four editions held in Italy twice, Belgium and the Netherlands. The 2026 event heads to Western Australia, and the town of Nannup, some 250km south of Perth, the elite women racing on Saturday, October 10, the men the following day, with the age-group events spread across the two days.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fancy-box kiosq-b\" id=\"elk-2df9cfd6-c2f4-11f1-909c-15dadc26c91d\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"fancy_box-title\">More on Worlds<\/div>\n<div class=\"fancy_box_body\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Clash of the calendars \u2013 Systems collide with riders forced to choose between Life Time Grand Prix and UCI Gravel World Championships<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>It&#8217;s naive to think that trade team loyalties will disappear at the Gravel World Championships, I expect some of the season&#8217;s strangest tactics yet<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-2df9d058-c2f4-11f1-8489-791defd2511a\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">At &#8216;only&#8217; 125.6km in length, Nutt\u2019s race will tackle less than a quarter of her two epic successes earlier in the year, so she\u2019s been forced to alter her training to try to at least be competitive, though with a decent number victories and top five finishes in shorter races, including UCI Gravel World Series events, she\u2019s hardly a stranger to those distances and their increased intensity.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xJwozGfLzFoKyrGcWjeXPU-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xJwozGfLzFoKyrGcWjeXPU-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Is Nannup delivering the first &#8216;real&#8217; UCI Gravel World Championships?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/trNo5fgL72aJ22UyY2R2cL-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">True grit specialists primed to challenge the run of road pro rainbow jerseys \u2013 Analysing the Gravel World Championships contenders<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Hn7nrhgXqVnPyszwkUyca8-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Gravel grid anomalies, national teams in name only and self funding \u2013 Explaining the workings of a UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I\u2019ve kind of switched up my racing this year to try some new stuff, and then I&#8217;ve kind of switched back in the second half of the season,&#8221; Nutt explained when we called her before she headed to Australia.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Early season, I was prioritising doing a couple of ultra races and giving, and I actually really enjoyed them, and then I always wanted to do world champs in Australia.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-nX5VuSpu2eZ243GJ73PAiG\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-nX5VuSpu2eZ243GJ73PAiG slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__header\">Get The Leadout Newsletter<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<footer class=\"newsletter-form__footer \">By submitting your information you agree to the Terms &amp; Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.<\/footer>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;So at a certain point, I said I need to switch my training up because otherwise I&#8217;m not going to have the upper-end power to be able to race shorter stuff. But I&#8217;ve really enjoyed mixing my calendar up with different stuff, it&#8217;s very different to stand on a start line knowing you&#8217;re going to be racing for over 24 hours versus standing on a start line knowing you&#8217;re just going to suffer for a few hours. They\u2019re very different kinds of pain.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-52a21ee4-c243-11f1-81b4-556ce0a9590f\" 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\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ShmtS9NBXUjrsBTcpCaHyQ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Nutt earlier this season <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Jon Halldor \/ The Rift 2026)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-52a21f66-c243-11f1-9a92-37b14a640cff\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Not a lifelong cyclist, Nutt came to cycling relatively late, and after a couple of years dabbling in road racing, she headed off the tarmac for the growing gravel scene. She raced the first edition of the Gravel Worlds in Veneto in 2022, finishing 29th behind Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot, and has taken part in every edition since. Being an ever-present is part of the attraction for her to pack up her bike and head to Australia for another tilt next week.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;To date I\u2019ve done four out of four and finished four out of four, I think the only other rider that has is Tiffany Cromwell, so we&#8217;ll both have done five out of five, but I think she&#8217;s retiring this year, so maybe if I do the one next year, I&#8217;ll be the only person who&#8217;s done all of them!<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[&apos;&apos;] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[&apos;&apos;] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0 max-w-full\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/utUMpyb6cRLgQFhW4PWv94-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">&#8216;It&#8217;s more a personal battle&#8217; &#8211; Sofia Gomez Villafa\u00f1e locked in all year for significant climbing and &#8216;wide open gravel&#8217; at UCI Gravel World Championships<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mmzr2QzgBHE8tLaEtw7naV-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mmzr2QzgBHE8tLaEtw7naV-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">Field building for far-flung 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships, key Life Time Grand Prix competitors among expected starters despite Little Sugar MTB clash<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" id=\"recirculation-inline-2-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/3wJVEsixz2uxkQrn7Sc2Zm-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"w-full text-base font-[var(--article-river-item--font-weight,500)] font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2\">The gravelliest UCI Gravel World Championships of them all \u2013 A detailed look at the &#8216;perfect storm&#8217; of terrain that riders will face this October in Western Australia<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"fancy-box kiosq-b\" id=\"elk-2df9d0ee-c2f4-11f1-a8b5-e96622e42419\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"fancy_box-title\">More on this<\/div>\n<div class=\"fancy_box_body\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>&#8216;It&#8217;d be a fairytale to win, but I&#8217;m also realistic&#8217; \u2013 Tiffany Cromwell primed to go out on a high at UCI Gravel World Championships in Western Australia<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-2df9d170-c2f4-11f1-a76a-7545df8e32f6\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;I feel like if I&#8217;m fit and capable of going, it&#8217;s quite nice to go and do another one. I&#8217;ve been to Australia once before, and I loved it, so it\u2019s an excuse to go to a place that I really enjoyed riding my bike.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Professional road riders have won both men\u2019s and women\u2019s races in all four editions to date, but with this year\u2019s races taking place so far from Europe and coming at the end of a long, hard season, it\u2019s expected we\u2019ll see fewer of them on the Nannup start line, increasing the chances of a gravel specialist winning the jerseys this year. And then there are the routes, both of which comprise well over 80% gravel, something the true off-road regulars will be well used to.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;This course seems like the most gravelly Gravel World Championships that we&#8217;ve seen, so I&#8217;m really intrigued to do a Gravel World Championships that could actually suit gravel specialists,&#8221; says Nutt. &#8220;The gravel is meant to be actually quite champagne gravel, so I think it&#8217;s not overly technical, but there are sections with what they describe as pea gravel, and pea gravel&#8217;s super slippy, it\u2019s like ball bearings instead of gravel.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;Of any year, this would be the year where someone who&#8217;s primarily a gravel racer would win, I think, even if it&#8217;s someone like Rosa Kl\u00f6ser or Gee [Geerike Schreurs] who have had that road experience as well. But someone who really prioritises this discipline and then takes the jersey would be really awesome because also we don&#8217;t see the winners ever wear that jersey.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section kiosq-b\" id=\"section-the-privateer-life\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><span>The privateer life<\/span><\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-52a2204c-c243-11f1-88f3-3fc2467a08e3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">While Nutt is part of clothing company Q36.5\u2019s Off-Road Racing Expedition, that\u2019s not quite a team, and riders arrange many of their own sponsors themselves. And with no administrative support they are responsible for running their own race programmes and expenses.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That won&#8217;t change for the World Championships. Whilst raced in national teams, most federations offer little to no support for the Championships, so most racers are left fending for themselves in terms of aid during the race.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;A privateer is the most entrepreneurial way to be a bike racer. You need to find someone to take photos of you or find someone to hand you bottles,&#8221; Nutt explains. &#8220;I\u2019ve gone to a race and not found someone to hand me bottles, then I was the only person with a hydration vest on the start line. Even just psychologically, I&#8217;m thinking I&#8217;ve got an extra two kilograms on my back, and that&#8217;s really hard.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Luckily for Nutt, one of the other Q36.5 riders lives in Perth and is injured and unable to ride, so she has one recruit to help with hydration, though Nutt is hoping some of her social media contacts can help her out too, as getting round the entire 125.6km course could prove difficult.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-52a220ba-c243-11f1-88ae-f98d87e00b86\" 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\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AE4GcqRm8MDj53qxiPAJG9-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Nutt at the end of Unbound Gravel XL 2026 <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Future l Jackie Tyson)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-52a2211e-c243-11f1-b3f1-c96333eb34c1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That entrepreneurial approach to racing means managing more than just who\u2019s handing your drinks. There are photos needed for social media, essential for sponsor exposure, booking travel and running a budget. And with no support from British Cycling for this Championships, that budget has to extend to cover the trip to Nannup for Worlds.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">&#8220;My sponsors will pay me and then I can choose how much of that I&#8217;m putting towards race budget. Some athletes are very specific, I&#8217;m more flexible and if I really want to go to a race I&#8217;m going to spend some of my budget on it, and then what I end up with at the end of the day is my take-home salary. But I don&#8217;t mind spending more money to go to races like, for example, World Champs in Australia, and then take home less money at the end of the year because I think it&#8217;s an amazing opportunity.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">As for her set up for next Saturday\u2019s race, Nutt is keeping it simple, riding the rigid fork Lauf Siegla. &#8220;The course isn\u2019t technical in theory and is super hilly, so weight is something I need to think about. Tyres-wise, I\u2019m going for the Panaracer GravelKing X1s in a 40 [millimetre]. I raced them in Finland and was super happy with them there. I might pack a set of 45s with me in case I change my mind.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-52a22196-c243-11f1-9534-874555a49b29\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\"><em><strong>Subscribe to Cyclingnews for comprehensive race coverage of both the UCI Road and Gravel World Championships, alongside the final monument of the season, Il Lombardia. Subscribers get unlimited access to exclusive analysis from our expert columnists, in-depth features and industry-leading tech insight. Plus, the Cyclingnews app lets you follow the action wherever you go! <\/strong><\/em><em><strong>Join today.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/womens-cycling\/the-year-where-someone-whos-primarily-a-gravel-racer-would-win-maddy-nutt-representing-the-specialists-at-the-world-championships\/&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FZoaQEEVSp4iYTKQufKEVZ-1986-80.jpg&#8221;] 1 True grit specialists primed to challenge the run of road pro rainbow jerseys \u2013 Analysing the Gravel World Championships contenders 2 The gravelliest UCI Gravel World Championships of them all \u2013 A detailed look at the &#8216;perfect storm&#8217; of terrain that riders will face this October in Western Australia 3 Gravel [&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-2185182","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\/2185182","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=2185182"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2185182\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2185182"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2185182"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2185182"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}