The first UCI Gravel World Championships held outside Europe begin this weekend in Nannup, Western Australia. The start lists features nine former rainbow jersey winners, 54 elite women, 102 elite men and 781 amateur age-group riders.

All women and amateur men 60+ race on Saturday, 10 October, with elite women racing over 123.1 kilometres with 3,100 metres of climbing. The elite men and remaining amateurs follow on Sunday, 11 October, over 140.7 kilometres with 3,625 metres of climbing. Racing starts at 10:00 (GMT+8) both days.

Marianne Vos (Netherlands) is the headline name among the women. She won the 2024 gravel title and was runner-up last year to Lorena Wiebes, who is not entered. Vos also holds road world titles from 2006, 2012 and 2013. With Wiebes absent, Sofia Gómez Villafañe, Oceania champion Nicole Frain, Australia’s Tiffany Cromwell and Germany’s Rosa Klöser look to have strong chances. Elisa Serné and Wendy Oosterwoud, both former age-group world champions, have moved up to the elite ranks.

Florian Vermeersch (Belgium) defends the men’s title he won solo last year in 4:39:12. He arrives following a Tour de France campaign supporting Tadej Pogačar. The specialists are back, too: European champion Mads Würtz Schmidt, three-time Life Time Grand Prix winner Keegan Swenson, South Africa’s Matthew Beers and Brazil’s Henrique Avancini, a two-time mountain bike world champion. Austria’s Lukas Pöstlberger and Belgian champion Daan Soete add further depth. The home squad includes Australian champion Mark O’Brien, Freddy Ovett and Tasman Nankervis, who won the 2023 SEVEN qualifier on these roads.

The age-group lists carry plenty of rainbow history. Nicolas Roche (Ireland, Men 40-44) returns as the 2025 champion. He is the son of 1987 world champion Stephen Roche, and his brother Alexis is entered in Men 19-34. Belgium’s Joyce Vanderbeken (Women 40-44) has won three straight world titles, from 2023 to 2025. She faces compatriot Kim Knaeps, who beat her at a qualifying race after last year’s championships. Johnny Hoogerland (Netherlands, Men 40-44) is the 2023 champion, Thomas Sprengers (Belgium, Men 35-39) won in 2025, and Ruth Clemence (United States, Women 65-69) took titles in 2024 and 2025.

View 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships start list HERE

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