Before 2023 UCI Gravel World Champions are crowned next weekend in Italy, riders had the opportunity to start qualifying for the 2024 UCI Gravel World Championships this past Sunday 01 October in Belgium.

In one of the largest gravel races to ever take place in Europe, 1700 WorldTour pros, elite riders and amateur graveleurs lined up at Gravel Championships Flanders to race for European and Belgian national titles, as well as amateur starting bibs for the 2024 UCI gravel worlds.

With pro, elite and amateur age-group riders all on the same course at the same time competing for European Cycling Union (UEC) titles, Belgian National titles and UCI Gravel World Series rainbow accented jerseys, as well as trying to qualify for the 2024 worlds, the racing was chaotic…to say the least.

When the racing was done-and-dusted the overall winner and first ever UEC Gravel Champion, as well as Belgian Gravel Champion, was WorldTour pro Jasper Stuyvens (LIDL-TREK). Australian Tiffany Cromwell (CANYON-SRAM) was the first women to finish and qualify for the 2024 UCI gravel worlds, but she was not eligible for the UEC or Belgian titles due to her nationality.

Loren Weibes of the Netherlands finished just behind Cromwell to win the women’s UEC title, but the Belgian title was claimed by Joyce Vanderbeken.

The results only get more complicated with age-group competitions for UEC, Belgian and UCI qualifying. In total, the event offered an amazing 60 winner’s jerseys across all competitions.

Confusing as hell…Yes, but that is how the UCI rolls in gravel.

Photo Credit: Lidle-Trek

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