Life Time Announces Star-Studded International Roster for 2026 Life Time Grand Prix Gravel Race

Words by James Ion - Photography provided by Life Time Grand Prix

Unbound 2025 - Credit Dan Hughes

Where dirt meets determination, and riders chase the same horizon.

CHANHASSEN, Minn. (Nov. 11, 2025) — From the red dust of Emporia to the ridgelines of Leadville, the Life Time Grand Prix has become more than a race series. It’s a pilgrimage for riders who live for the rhythm of gravel and the grit of competition.

Now entering its fifth season, Life Time (NYSE: LTH) has revealed a star-studded roster for 2026's Grand Prix that reads like a roll call of the world’s most fearless off-road athletes.

This year’s roster stretches across 11 countries and five continents — a gathering of 44 men and women, of whom nearly half call somewhere beyond U.S. borders home. They were chosen from a record wave of applicants spanning 24 nations, each carrying stories of training days, long climbs, and quiet ambitions that will soon collide across six unforgettable races.

 Sofía Gómez Villafañe leads the way at Unbound 2025 - Credit Dan Hughes

The Women’s Story

The women’s field deepens again in 2026 — new names, familiar legends, all with a shared hunger for speed and solitude. Karolina Migoń of Poland, the reigning UNBOUND Gravel 200 champion and two-time Traka 360 winner, joins the fold. So does Germany’s Rosa Klöser, who stacked wins through 2025 with quiet precision. American U23 champion Ruth Holcomb steps into the senior ranks after a season that made her impossible to ignore.

At the top sits Sofía Gómez Villafañe — three-time series champion, riding not just for another title but for legacy. She returns with the fiercest contenders in the field, from veterans like Lauren Stephens and Sarah Sturm to rising names ready to carve their mark.

2026 Women’s Roster

Morgan Aguirre (USA) · Lauren De Crescenzo (USA) · Cecily Decker (USA) · Maude Farrell (USA) · Sofía Gómez Villafañe (ARG) · Stella Hobbs (USA) · Ruth Holcomb (USA) · Rosa Klöser (GER) · Sarah Lange (USA) · Emma Langley (USA) · Cecile Lejeune (FRA) · Karolina Migoń (POL) · Paige Onweller (USA) · Hannah Otto (USA) · Hayley Preen (RSA) · Melisa Rollins (USA) · Ruby Ryan (USA) · Samara Sheppard (NZL) · Courtney Sherwell (AUS) · Alexis Skarda (USA) · Lauren Stephens (USA) · Sarah Sturm (USA)

Cameron Jones on his way to victory at Unbound 2025. Credit: Dan Hughes

The Men’s Chapter

On the men’s side, two names set the tempo: Cameron Jones, the young New Zealander whose season felt like a storm gathering strength, and Keegan Swenson, whose three titles already live in Grand Prix lore. They’re joined by 2025’s U23 standout Griffin Hoppin and a host of new international rivals eager to shake up the leader board.

Among the debutants, European mountain bike champion Andreas Seewald brings thunder from Germany, Simen Nordahl Svendsen flies the Norwegian flag fresh off his Gravel Earth Series victory, and Switzerland’s Jan Stöckli returns after a runner-up ride at The Traka 360 that hinted at unfinished business.

2026 Men’s Roster

Matthew Beers (RSA) · Zach Calton (USA) · Cobe Freeburn (USA) · Griffin Hoppin (USA) · Brendan Johnston (AUS) · Cameron Jones (NZL) · Andrew L’Esperance (CAN) · Bradyn Lange (USA) · Payson McElveen (USA) · Simen Nordahl Svendsen (NOR) · Kyan Olshove (USA) · Cole Paton (USA) · Simon Pellaud (SUI) · Marc Pritzen (RSA) · Torbjørn Røed (NOR) · Andreas Seewald (GER) · Felix Stehli (SUI) · Anton Stensby (NOR) · Jan Stöckli (SUI) · Caleb Swartz (USA) · Keegan Swenson (USA) · Alexey Vermeulen (USA)

The Wild Card Dream

For those still outside the gates, the Wild Card awaits — a second chance to ride among the best. Athletes who line up at the Sea Otter Classic Gravel and UNBOUND Gravel 200 will have their shot at redemption. The top three men and women from that combined effort will earn their way into the Grand Prix, proving that this series still rewards courage as much as résumé.

The Bigger Picture

“With even deeper talent, a record $590,000 prize purse, and more live coverage than ever before, 2026 will take the Grand Prix to new heights,” says Michelle Duffy Smith, Life Time’s Vice President of Marketing and Executive Director of the series. “What started as a U.S. showcase has become something much bigger — a global stage for the spirit of endurance.”

The Next Generation

The U23 development program returns for its second year, offering young riders a path to chase that same dream. The top man and woman will earn automatic entry into the 2027 Grand Prix — a promise that the road ahead will never end for those ready to take it.

Applications remain open through March 1, 2026. Full details and updates can be found at lifetimegrandprix.com, along with race stories, videos, and rider highlights on Instagram and YouTube at @LifeTimeGrandPrix.