The Future is Complicated

Words James Ion - Photography UCI Gravel World Series

It goes without saying, but I will say it anyway, GRVL racing is HOT right now! The growth over the last few years has been wild! When you look at Unbound and how it went from a few friends just hitting it out across the dirt roads of Kansas to the gargantuan event it is today you see that it’s what the people want! Due to the growth of the GRVL racing, it wasn't going to be long until the UCI became interested. Now in its third year, the UCI Gravel World Series has increased exponentially and has crowned 6 World Champions, with this year's World Champs, held in cycling-mad Belgium, the biggest yet!

The World Championships has not been without controversy, with issues around qualification, World Tour Stars being granted front-row starts despite never riding GRVL, and course criticisms, but as it grows it must find its way and deal with these teething problems. This is where Cyclocross great Erwin Vervecken comes in. He has the, maybe, unenviable task of managing the whole series, including the world championships, but it is not just the elites he has to take care of. The series is built on mass participation and gives thousands of riders the chance to not only ride the same courses as the pros but also race alongside them, which is a unique selling point for our sport and the amount of participants across the series is massive and shows no sign of slowing down.

Because of this, I wanted to ask Erwin about the plans for the series, his thoughts on how it has gone so far and how he feels about the criticism of the World Champs.

So enjoy the Q&A and let me know your thoughts on the series. 

GRVL Magazine: Thank you so much for joining me! I wanted to talk with you because this year’s World Championships were quite successful. Of course, as with anything, there were some small criticisms, particularly around things like qualifications. So, I thought it’d be interesting to discuss how things are evolving—especially with the rapid growth—and what we can expect for the future. First, can you clarify your official role? Online, it says you’re the manager of the series. Is that accurate?

Erwin Vervecken: Yes, that’s correct. I’ve been involved with cycling for a long time—since the 80s as a kid, then as a pro in the 90s [Erwin was a pro-Cyclocross rider and 3x World Champion!]. After retiring from competitive cycling, I started with Golazo and kept busy with projects like organizing events and of course cyclocross in the winter. I didn’t want to spend my summers relaxing, so in 2011, I began working on the Gran Fondo World Series.

GRVL Magazine:  Oh, the Gran Fondo World Series! Can you explain what that is for those who might not know?

Erwin Vervecken:  Of course. It’s essentially the qualifier series for the Gran Fondo World Championships, which is the UCI’s Masters World Championships. It’s similar to road cycling world championships but focused on the Gran Fondo format. I’ve been managing that since 2011 and still do today and it has formed the blueprint for the Gravel World Series.

GRVL Magazine: Got it. So how did you get involved with gravel racing?

Erwin Vervecken: Well, back in 2019, during a UCI season debriefing, I proposed the idea of a gravel series. Gravel had already become big in the U.S., starting around 2005-2007, and it was beginning to spread globally. Then during COVID, it really took off. People were looking for new ways to ride, and gravel offered a great mix of road and mountain biking.

GRVL Magazine: So the first series events started in 2022?

Erwin Vervecken: Yes, COVID delayed us a bit, but the first season launched in 2022. The concept was to create a qualifier series leading to a Gravel World Championships. Initially, we expected more mass participation like in road cycling, but from the start, we had elite riders showing up too. The first season had 11 events. Now, heading into 2025, we’ve grown to 35 events globally.

GRVL Magazine: That’s incredible growth in just a few years. What does the 2025 calendar look like?

Erwin Vervecken: It’s packed! We have new events in Portugal, Brazil, Monaco, South Africa, Canada, Thailand, Namibia, California, and more. Some events are new, while others are replacements or expansions. It’s been exciting to see the series grow, and the interest keeps building.

GRVL Magazine: That’s so exciting. With such a busy calendar, what does your day-to-day work look like?

Erwin Vervecken: Great question! My role involves a bit of everything—working with organizers, coordinating logistics, managing communication, and ensuring the series runs smoothly. It’s all about keeping things organized and making sure the riders and events are supported.

GRVL Magazine: It sounds like you’ve got a lot on your plate! Can you walk us through some of your key responsibilities?

Erwin Vervecken: Sure! I try to attend as many events as possible and, if I can, even ride in some of them. I meet with organizers, help them refine their events, negotiate contracts, and ensure everything aligns with UCI standards. During the season, I oversee everything—making sure organizers follow the rules. For example, events need a proper visual identity, like start/finish arches, backdrops with UCI branding, and medals for the winners. I also look for new event partners, evaluate potential locations, and help organizers improve where needed. There’s also a lot of communication work—managing our website, social media, writing articles, and handling the admin side of things. Ultimately, I’m the main contact for the organizers.

GRVL Magazine: Wow, it sounds like you’re wearing many hats! Speaking of UCI, I believe you had a meeting recently. Are there any changes planned for next season?

Erwin Vervecken: Good question! One of the main challenges we discussed was managing the number of participants at the World Championships. For the first couple of years, we had one-minute gaps between waves; this year, it was two minutes.

GRVL Magazine: Is that to handle the increasing numbers?

Erwin Vervecken: Exactly. Participation has grown a lot. For instance, in the men’s elite race this year, we had 252 riders. 

GRVL Magazine:  How are you managing this growth?

Erwin Vervecken: It’s tricky. We’ve implemented a qualification system for the age groups, but you can’t just close registration at the last qualifying event because the world championships is full. We’re still discussing whether we might need to limit the percentage of qualified riders in the future. To give you some perspective: in 2022, we had 568 riders in total across all categories. By 2023, that number doubled to over 1,200, and in 2024, we had over 2,600 participants. So, the growth has been incredible—especially in the age groups.

GRVL Magazine: That’s impressive! But what about the elites? It seems like there’s less of a structured qualification process will there be no changes for 2025?

Erwin Vervecken: You’re right. With the elites, it’s a bit different. When we launched the series, we allowed national federations to issue 20 wildcards per country to encourage participation. Next year, we’ll reduce that to 10 wildcards per country, though it likely won’t make a huge difference since most federations don’t even submit that many.

GRVL Magazine: So, is the growth in elite participation more manageable compared to age groups?

Erwin Vervecken: Yes. For example, elite men’s participation grew from 292 in 2022 to 324 in 2023—so only about 10% growth. Compare that to the age groups, where numbers have more than doubled.

GRVL Magazine: That makes sense. Are there any plans to improve how the starts are organized, especially with so many participants?

Erwin Vervecken: Absolutely. Safety and fairness are our top priorities. For the elites, we already have a call-up system to determine the starting order, but we’re considering developing something similar for the age groups in the future.

GRVL Magazine: With the point system changing every year, do you anticipate more adjustments? For instance, this year, 50% of the points could come from other disciplines.

Erwin Vervecken: Yes, it’s something we review regularly. Currently, points are distributed based on UCI-qualified events. For example, the winner gets 200 points, then it drops to 180, 160, and so on, down to the top 25 riders who all score points. Additionally, points are awarded for placements in the previous year’s World Championships, with the top 25 earning points.

Half of the remaining points can come from rankings in other disciplines like road cycling, mountain biking, cyclocross, or marathon mountain bike races. This system helps balance things out.

GRVL Magazine: So, how does the call-up system work with these rankings?

Erwin Vervecken: The call-up system determines the starting order. For example, riders, who had the most points, who also won the qualifier get called up first. Interestingly, if you compare the starting order based on points to the final results, they’re quite similar. So, overall, I think it’s a fair system.

That said, we do get some complaints from gravel specialists who race the full season and score lots of points because there are more and more races. But they also benefit from the presence of big names like Mathieu van der Poel, Marianne Vos, Lotte Kopecky and others, as these stars attract live TV, media coverage, and greater industry attention.

GRVL Magazine: It’s a trade-off. On the one hand, the participation side is booming, but on the professional side, you still need those big names for visibility.

Erwin Vervecken: Exactly. Gravel specialists, like privateers, might feel overshadowed, but they should also recognize the advantages. For instance, the hype around gravel has brought in significant interest from the bike industry, largely because riders like Van der Poel and Van Aert compete. The increased media attention also raises prize money, which benefits everyone.

GRVL Magazine: That’s true. But when it comes to gravel specialists, a rider who focuses solely on gravel, they might not get as much recognition compared to a road rider starting at the front.

Erwin Vervecken: That’s a valid point. Gravel specialists often start farther back, which makes it tough for them to shine in results. Many of these riders aren’t at the top level on the road because the level in road cycling is much greater. So, they stick to gravel because they love it, but it’s challenging to compete with world-class road cyclists who also excel at gravel.

GRVL Magazine: It’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation. If gravel specialists had more valuable points, they’d start higher up and maybe have a better chance.

Erwin Vervecken: True, but the big names from road cycling bring so much value. Without them, there would be far less media attention, and gravel might remain a niche discipline. For now, the benefits of having top stars at the start outweigh the disadvantages.

GRVL Magazine: Do you see the qualification process evolving? For example, could races like Unbound Gravel orSteamboat Gravel count for points?

Erwin Vervecken: It’s possible, but it’s tricky. First, races like Unbound are very different—long endurance eventsthat don’t align with our goal of races lasting 4–6 hours, similar to a road race. We wouldn’t include events thatlast 10 hours, as they have a completely different dynamic.

That said, we’d love to have some of these big races as UCI qualifiers. However, the U.S. has been a challengingregion for us to find organizers. With new events being added to the calendar, like the one in Tuff, we hope togenerate more interest there.

GRVL Magazine: What about U.S.-based riders like Keegan Swenson? There seems to be some hesitation aboutUCI involvement.

Erwin Vervecken: Yes, we’ve heard that. Riders like Keegan Swenson, who had a stellar season, earn goodmoney from U.S.-based events, especially with prize funds and sponsorships. For him, competing in UCI eventsmight not be as appealing financially.

However, if Swenson had shown up at the World Championships this year, I believe he could’ve performed verywell despite starting farther back. The starting position is always a challenge, but his form last year wasn’t quiteas strong as in previous seasons, so that might explain his absence.

GRVL Magazine: Do you see long-term changes for gravel racing?

Erwin Vervecken: Gravel is still a relatively new discipline, and having big names is essential for keeping it in thespotlight. Over time, as the sport grows, we might adjust the wildcard system or qualification percentages.

For example, we’re considering limiting wildcards to riders from UCI teams like World Tour or Continental teamsin the future. But for now, we want to maintain flexibility while evaluating things year by year.

GRVL Magazine: So, could big events like Unbound or Steamboat be part of the UCI calendar in the future?

Erwin Vervecken: Potentially, but they would need to align with our format. For now, races like Unbound arebetter suited for their own ecosystem. That said, these events are important for gravel’s growth, and we respectwhat they’ve built.

GRVL Magazine: It’s an exciting time for gravel racing—balancing its growth while keeping its unique appealmust be a challenge.

Erwin Vervecken: Definitely. But with participation booming and professional interest growing, I think we’re onthe right track.

GRVL Magazine: I suppose it’s difficult because not all gravel events are under the UCI umbrella, so there aren’tother cycling events where non-UCI races contribute to points.

Erwin Vervecken: Exactly. We would like them to be included, but the challenge is that they all need to align. It’snot so much about license fees; those are relatively low. The bigger issue is marketing rights.

GRVL Magazine: That’s interesting. I’ve also heard about changes in the US, like at Steamboat Gravel. They’vehad to adjust their format. they’re moving to a three-lap circuit to condense the race. This new setup shouldmake the event more spectator-friendly, easier for cameras, and simpler to follow. That’s a big shift. It makessense though, as longer gravel races like Unbound can be a bit uneventful from a spectator’s perspective—justlong roads with not much happening.

Erwin Vervecken: True. Unbound is iconic, but from a pure sporting perspective, it’s not necessarily the highestlevel. For instance, if you look at our World Championships, they attract stronger performances. Take NathanHaas, for example, or even the Danish rider Kongstad, who was third at Unbound but faced mechanical issues atthe worlds. Compared to Unbound, the competitive level at Worlds is higher.

GRVL Magazine: That’s a good point. However, Unbound still holds significant prestige and tradition in thegravel world.

Erwin Vervecken: Absolutely. We’re still developing the reputation of our series and races. It will take time tobuild that same level of tradition. But we’re progressing well. For example, the World Championships requirequalification, and even with that, we had over 2,600 participants this year. If it were open to everyone, we’deasily surpass the numbers at Unbound.

GRVL Magazine: That’s impressive growth. I was talking with riders about gravel’s future, and it was suggestedthat events like these could become the equivalent of grand tours in gravel racing—prestigious races withsignificant weight.

Erwin Vervecken: That’s an interesting perspective. To achieve that, everything would need to align under theUCI umbrella, which brings its own challenges.

GRVL Magazine: So, what are the next steps for the series? What’s planned for next year?

Erwin Vervecken: Now that we’re at a certain level, we’re focusing on replacing weaker organizers. Some raceshelped us grow awareness, but their logistics or overall quality aren’t up to par. We’re also working on improvingthe series’ structure, including potential prize money and live television for bigger events. We already had livecoverage for the European Championships and World Championships this year, and we hope to expand that tomore races in 2025.

GRVL Magazine: That would be a great step forward. What about the age group categories?

Erwin Vervecken: Age groups are important to us, and we’re looking at creating a more structured points systemto make it competitive across regions and internationally. It’s challenging but essential for growth.

GRVL Magazine: That makes sense. The growth has been incredible. I was at the race in Drenthe Holland[Gravel One Fifty], and I was surprised by the sheer number of participants.

Erwin Vervecken: Yes, it’s amazing. Events like that show how much the sport is expanding. But as we grow, wealso face challenges—like ensuring fairness and safety. Gravel races often take place in remote areas, and therules can vary greatly depending on local legislation.

GRVL Magazine: Is that why you’ve implemented the one-hour time slot for protection at the WorldChampionships?

Erwin Vervecken: Yes. For the first hour, marshals and police ensure riders have priority at intersections. Afterthat, especially for the older age groups, riders are required to respect road traffic laws and are no longerinsured. It’s not ideal, but it’s necessary given the logistical challenges.

GRVL Magazine: That must be difficult to enforce, especially at a global level.

Erwin Vervecken: It is. Countries have different rules. For example, in Belgium, we have fully closed-road eventslike our national championships. But in other places, it’s harder to secure roads. That’s why we’re working on athird type of event regulation: partially closed roads with a safety window for riders.

GRVL Magazine: It sounds complex. How does that affect the World Championships?

Erwin Vervecken: For World Championships, we aim for one big loop, which minimizes the need for repeatedroad closures. This year’s loop was 47 kilometres, which worked well. The UCI regulations allow for loopsbetween 40 and 175 kilometres.

GRVL Magazine: Are you looking forward to Nice next year?

Erwin Vervecken: Definitely. It will be a completely different race from last year, but the course hasn’t beenfinalized yet. Starting and finishing in the city is proving to be a challenge.

GRVL Magazine: How much influence do you have over the course design?

Erwin Vervecken: We prioritize courses with at least 60% gravel, and the more unpaved sections, the better. Wework closely with organizers to ensure the courses meet our standards while also considering safety andlogistics.

GRVL Magazine: That’s a delicate balance. Finally, as we approach the end of the year, what’s your biggest wishfor the series in 2025?

Erwin Vervecken: My biggest wish is for organizers to learn and improve from previous editions. We hope to seea 20–25% increase in participants, though some races are nearing capacity. Above all, we want to ensure a fair,safe, and enjoyable experience for riders while continuing to grow the series’ reputation and reach.

GRVL Magazine: That’s a fantastic goal. Thanks so much for your time!

Erwin Vervecken: Thank you!