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Gravel cycling

Gravel cycling is cycling on mixed, mainly unsurfaced roads, gravel roads and connecting roads. Tyre choice, line, pacing, nutrition and bike handling are central; the UCI gravel context differs from classic road cycling.

LevelVariant FamilyCycling Family CategoryCycling sport

AI-generated illustration: Gravel cycling — AI-generated illustration

Classification

Category Cycling sport

Family Cycling Family

Level Variant

Getting started

Kurzbeschreibung Endurance cycling on gravel, unsurfaced roads and mixed routes.

Geeignet für Suitable for people who like long rides, natural roads, bike handling and self-organisation.

Cost Medium to high: suitable bike, helmet, tyres, repair kit and navigation. Bike maintenance, tyres/parts, event fees, travel, food and training groups. Cycling club, gravel community, guided ride or UCI/event series.

First progress First rides immediately; long events need endurance, pacing and equipment routine.

Fitness level medium to high

Was du brauchst

gravel bike or suitable bike
helmet
wider tyres
repair kit
navigation
water/food

First steps

choose short gravel route
test tyre pressure
practise braking in turns
check repair kit
plan longer route

Gravel ride, cycling club, local community, UCI gravel qualifier or guided route.

Wear helmet, share route, check tyres/drivetrain/brakes and ride for traffic and loose surface.

Weitere Angaben

Tags cycling, endurance, gravel-cycling, uci, unpaved-roads, endurance-cycling, cycling-sport, radsport-familie

Rules and format

Die Grundlagen

Ziel

Complete a mixed gravel course as fast and legally as possible.

Teilnehmer

Individual riders, age groups and possible team/category formats by event.

Teamgröße

Usually individual scoring; team/brand formats may exist by bulletin.

Spielfeld

Gravel/mixed-surface course with unsurfaced roads and road sections.

Dauer

Distance- and event-dependent, from short rides to long-distance races.

Wertung

Time/placing, possibly qualification or category points.

Gewinnbedingung

Fastest valid time or best placing.

Ausrüstung

gravel bike
helmet
wide tyres
repair kit
navigation
food/water

Wichtige Regelpunkte

course cutting
equipment/safety breach
unfair assistance
feed-zone violation

Regelquellen

Federations and sources

Federations

Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)
Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)

UCI Gravel World Series UCI Gravel World Series · official · high
UCI Regulations UCI · rulebook · high
UCI Gravel World Championships Technical Guide 2025 UCI · official · high