Preview: The inaugural and unique UCI Gravel World Championships

Men and women won’t race side-by-side but amateurs and pros will, plus any style bike is allowed

Strade Bianche. Mathieu van der Poel
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The dust has barely begun to gather on the Wollongong road course, and already the rainbow fever continues, this time in Italy for the inaugural UCI Gravel World Championships.

An unofficial Gravel Worlds has been held annually in Nebraska, USA, for the past 12 years, but last year, the UCI decided it wanted a slice of the popular gravel pie as well. At the start of 2022, the UCI debuted a 12-event UCI Gravel World Series and announced the first-ever UCI Gravel World Championships, where an ‘official’ rainbow jersey —instead of a pirate sword— will be on offer. 

Anne-Marije Rook
North American Editor

Cycling Weekly's North American Editor, Anne-Marije Rook is old school. She holds a degree in journalism and started out as a newspaper reporter — in print! She can even be seen bringing a pen and notepad to the press conference.

Originally from The Netherlands, she grew up a bike commuter and didn't find bike racing until her early twenties when living in Seattle, Washington. Strengthened by the many miles spent darting around Seattle's hilly streets on a steel single speed, Rook's progression in the sport was a quick one. As she competed at the elite level, her journalism career followed, and soon she became a full-time cycling journalist. She's now been a cycling journalist for 11 years.