UCI Gravel Championships Streaming

[rice rocket]

Originally Posted by saab2000

I would also guess Scandinavia must have a lot of unpaved roads, though I have never been there.

Today's race was basically like a spring classic but with fewer public roads and more trails through the woods. I enjoyed watching it.

That it is in Belgium doesn't bother me. It's one of the biggest hotbeds of cycling and the crowds were enthusiastic.

Strade Bianchi was a better gravel course than this.

Calling this a "gravel world championship" caliber course is a slap in the face to every race organizer who has ever organized a gravel race.

[marciero]

Originally Posted by rwsaunders

The UCI cares about the length of a rider’s socks but they let someone use this crap.

I think I agree. We have electronic shifting but this is a bit much.

[saab2000]

Originally Posted by rice rocket

Strade Bianchi was a better gravel course than this.

Calling this a "gravel world championship" caliber course is a slap in the face to every race organizer who has ever organized a gravel race.

Well, I don’t think they’re comparable. Strade Bianche is a far more desirable title for any rider to win. It’s a modern monument.

I enjoyed watching today’s race and I’m glad the UCI chose to make it visible to all for free on YT.

[Tandem Rider]

I got to watch the couple of laps. It looked like a really fun course, It would be pretty terrifying if you were in a big field, but less than 20 riders is pretty manageable. I have done a few races where it gets pretty tight and they are memorable, the old Moline crit course comes to mind.

There appears to be a discrepancy between what we experience at a gravel race and what the Europe calls a gravel race. I know it's that way with road races, criteriums, and cyclocross as well.

[Philster]

I enjoyed Paris-Tours. It's really a World Tour race and the guys finished looking like hard men with a great coating of mud.

When it comes to UCI gravel, I pass. It's just proof that the UCI is not an independent "Governing Organization" but just a race promoter. It puts their conflict with ASO in context, if you needed it.

[weisan]

When MvDP said the race was hard, you better believe him.

[rice rocket]

Originally Posted by saab2000

I enjoyed watching today’s race and I’m glad the UCI chose to make it visible to all for free on YT.

As long as you were only interested in the men's race and not the women's.

Wonder what their excuse will be this year.

[weisan]

What's that thing dangling?

[robertbb]

Thoroughly enjoyed this race.

I don’t understand the hand wringing about what constitutes a “proper” gravel course and what doesn’t. Imagine saying a road race isn’tvaroad race unless there’s 3 HC climbs and 4000m of vertical.

This forum is usually far more measured and reasonable.

[robertbb]

Oh one more thing, y’all realise the baseball world series is held in the USA like EVERY SINGLE YEAR

[mcteague]

Originally Posted by saab2000

You did. There was plenty of varied roads. It was pretty much as Prototoast describes, with everything from paved roads to near single track at times, including narrow paths through woods and along farm fields.

It indeed looked like a fun course to ride. Not a lot of vertical, but also no busy roads to get run over on should a rider ride the course privately.

Thanks. The images on EC give a much clearer picture of what the course was like.

https://escapecollective.com/gallery...gravel-worlds/

Tim

[Likes2ridefar]

Originally Posted by robertbb

Thoroughly enjoyed this race.

I don’t understand the hand wringing about what constitutes a “proper” gravel course and what doesn’t. Imagine saying a road race isn’tvaroad race unless there’s 3 HC climbs and 4000m of vertical.

This forum is usually far more measured and reasonable.

The primary difference I think most are seeing here is the fact a road race is generally 100% on the road. One might assume this would imply a gravel race is 100% on gravel/dirt, but it was more like 50% for this race according to rwgps. Is it enough? Seems it wasn’t based on responses. Personally I’d rather see 80% or more on gravel/dirt.

[Philster]

Originally Posted by saab2000

You did. There was plenty of varied roads. It was pretty much as Prototoast describes, with everything from paved roads to near single track at times, including narrow paths through woods and along farm fields.

It indeed looked like a fun course to ride. Not a lot of vertical, but also no busy roads to get run over on should a rider ride the course privately.

I agree it could be a fun day out. You would certainly have better frites beer and chocolate than you’d get in most of the US. I think at least the elite course went through a national park which is usually off limits.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by charliedid

I'd ride that route in a second but it seems like false advertising.

Maybe they should give them messenger bags and mandatory weed stops.

I'm not bothered in the least.

Surprised the UCI puts their stamp of approval on this 'event'. Well, exposure, nice road trip, some $, advertising $...for this thing called 'GRoad' bike riding and bikes....

I guess it's now a 'thing' with Big BUX purpose-made bikes, whatever that 'purpose' is...

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by rice rocket

Strade Bianchi was a better gravel course than this.

Calling this a "gravel world championship" caliber course is a slap in the face to every race organizer who has ever organized a gravel race.

No kidding...I'm sure the UCI will start throwing restrictions and rules toward GRoad bike races very soon...And the big boy manufacturers will throw more junque at bike shops to further narrow whatever a GRoad bike is.