This is the first Gravel cycling world championship, established by the UCI managing board and entrusted to the organization of PP Sport Events with the support of the Veneto Region and in collaboration with the Municipalities of Vicenza and Cittadella. The inaugural edition will see professional athletes compete against each other with the best qualified amateur cyclists during the 11 stages of the UCI World Series.
Source: press release
The races will start from Vicenza and will end in Cittadella after having lapped the city of Padua. There are three routes, one of 194 km (reserved for the elite Men category), one of 166 km (for the men categories 19-34; men 35-39; men 40-44; men 45-49) and one of 140 ( for the female elite categories; women 19-34; women 35-39; women 40-44; women 45-50; women 50+ and men 50+). To design the courses PP Sport Events relied on the experience of Angelo Furlan and Marco Menin. The unpaved part corresponds to about 75% of the total.
The race on the shortest route will take place on Saturday 8 October, while the races on the 160 and 190 km routes will be staged the following day. The unpaved part of the routes corresponds to about 75% of the total.
Only the athletes of the registered national teams and those who qualified during the UCI Gravel World Series will participate in the championship.
"Gravel is a discipline that is becoming increasingly popular among cycling enthusiasts and this first edition of the world championships represents a very important step in this growth path - underlines Marco Bettazzi, Sales & Marketing Manager of Weider Italia - We are proud to be part of the team of partners and happy to continue the collaboration with PP Sport Events, a young and enterprising company, determined to transmit an innovative approach to cycling in which we fully reflect.".
