Say what you want about the UCI’s first-ever Gravel World Series qualifiers and this weekend’s World Championships. Some think it violates the “Spirit of Gravel,” while others think it’s not the true Gravel Worlds. Some age group qualifiers never even received an invite. Yet the UCI in the end has attracted some cycling superstars to the inaugural event that takes place this Saturday and Sunday in Italy.
The UCI’s 2022 Gravel World Championships start list is out. Here are some cyclocrossers and North Americans to keep an eye on.
Elite Women
Ferrand Prevot will line up for the Gravel World Championships in hopes of claiming yet another rainbow jersey. Nommay UCI Cyclocross World Cup – Elite Women. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
A few cyclocross stars will be taking the start on Saturday, with Prevot aiming to add a fourth rainbow jersey this year to her wardrobe. Here are a few who caught our eye.
- Pauline Ferrand-Prevot
- Sofia Gomez Villafane
- Eva Lechner
- Sarah Sturm
Five Americans will be attending the race:
- Lauren De Crescenzo
- Sarah Sturm
- Holly Mathews
- Lauren Stephens
- Emily Newsom
No Canadians will be attending the race.
Startlist 2022 UCI Gravel World Championships - Elite Women
| Number | First Name | Last Name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fariba | Hashimi | Afghanistan |
| 2 | Mary | Aleper | Uganda |
| 3 | Darcie | Richards | Australia |
| 4 | Tiffany | Keep | South Africa |
| 5 | Yoldoz | Hashimi | Afghanistan |
| 6 | Mika | Söderström | Sweden |
| 7 | Letizia | Borghesi | Italy |
| 8 | Madeleine | Nutt | United Kingdom |
| 9 | Sofia | Bertizzolo | Italy |
| 10 | Sina | Frei | Switzerland |
| 11 | Maaike | Coljé | Netherlands |
| 12 | Chiara | Teocchi | Italy |
| 13 | Tessa | Neefjes | Netherlands |
| 14 | Catherine | Colyn | South Africa |
| 15 | Puck | Moonen | Netherlands |
| 16 | Svenja | Betz | Germany |
| 17 | Janine | Schneider | Germany |
| 18 | Riejanne | Markus | Netherlands |
| 19 | Danielle | Shrosbree | United Kingdom |
| 20 | Ilaria | Sanguineti | Italy |
| 21 | Lija | Laizane | Latvia |
| 22 | Marta | Romeu | Spain |
| 23 | Pauline | Ferrand-Prevot | France |
| 24 | Elisa | Longo Borghini | Italy |
| 25 | Jade | Treffeisen | Germany |
| 26 | Emma | Porter | Ireland |
| 27 | Barbara | Guarischi | Italy |
| 28 | Lauren | Decrescenzo | USA |
| 29 | Sarah | Sturm | USA |
| 30 | Annabel | Fisher | United Kingdom |
| 31 | Holly | Mathews | USA |
| 32 | Hayley | Simmonds | United Kingdom |
| 33 | Tiffany | Cromwell | Australia |
| 34 | Rasa | Leleivyte | Lithuania |
| 35 | Laura | Martin Perez | Spain |
| 36 | Lauren | Stephens | USA |
| 37 | Carolin | Schiff | Germany |
| 38 | Eva | Lechner | Italy |
| 39 | Hanna | Johansson | Sweden |
| 40 | Fabienne | Schaus | Luxembourg |
| 41 | Anna | Giesen | Germany |
| 42 | Amanda | Voss | Germany |
| 43 | Emily | Newsom | USA |
| 44 | Rachel | Neylan | Australia |
| 45 | Pauline | Sabin Teyssedre | France |
| 46 | Carin | Winell | Sweden |
| 47 | Simona | Mazzucotelli | Italy |
| 48 | Sofia | Gomez Villafane | Argentina |
Elite Men
Mathieu van der Poel lines up to try to claim the first-ever gravel rainbow jersey. photo: 2021 Zolder UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Elite Men. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
A few cyclocross superstars will be racing gravel for rainbow stripes on Sunday, including several former World Champs:
- Mathieu Van der Poel
- Zdenek Stybar
- Gianni Vermeersch
Former road World Champ and former Cyclocross Worlds medalist Peter Sagan and will also take the start.
Five Americans will be racing the event:
- Andrew Lydic
- Jacob Peterson
- Griffin Easter
- David Van Orsdel
- Mat Stephens
Only one Canadian will be racing in the event.
- Adam Roberge
Startlist 2022 UCI Gravel World Championships - Elite Men
| Number | First Name | Last Name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eric | Pedersen | Sweden |
| 2 | Jordan | Schleck Ssekanwangi | Uganda |
| 3 | Andrew | Lydic | USA |
| 4 | Gleb | Karpenko | Estonia |
| 5 | Jelle-Wietse | Jongedijk | Netherlands |
| 6 | Mihael | Štajnar | Slovenia |
| 7 | Nils | Brun | Switzerland |
| 8 | Toby | Perry | United Kingdom |
| 9 | Tim | Wollenberg | Germany |
| 10 | Yevgeniy | Fedorov | Kazakhstan |
| 11 | Marco | Marzani | Italy |
| 12 | Mathijs | Loman | Netherlands |
| 13 | Travis | Barrett | South Africa |
| 14 | Jon | Knolle | Germany |
| 15 | Rossouw | Bekker | South Africa |
| 16 | Marco | Gazzola | Italy |
| 17 | Marc | Pritzen | South Africa |
| 18 | Nik | Čemažar | Slovenia |
| 19 | Jacob | Vaughan | United Kingdom |
| 20 | Adam | Blazevic | Australia |
| 21 | Filippo | Zana | Italy |
| 22 | Per | Christian Münstermann | Germany |
| 23 | Sampo | Malinen | Finland |
| 24 | Travis | Bramley | United Kingdom |
| 25 | Luca | Colnaghi | Italy |
| 26 | Juri | Zanotti | Italy |
| 27 | Salim | Kipkembo | Kenya |
| 28 | Robin | Froidevaux | Switzerland |
| 29 | Charles | Kagimu | Uganda |
| 30 | Yannis | Voisard | Switzerland |
| 31 | Alexis | Roche | Ireland |
| 32 | Luca | Cibrario | Italy |
| 33 | Seppe | Rombouts | Belgium |
| 34 | Luca | Mozzato | Italy |
| 35 | Samuele | Zoccarato | Italy |
| 36 | Enrico | Zanoncello | Italy |
| 37 | Raymund | Buenaventura | Philippines |
| 38 | Rasmus | Gøtke | Denmark |
| 39 | Moran | Vermeulen | Austria |
| 40 | Andreas | Stokbro Nielsen | Denmark |
| 41 | Felixjames | Meo | New Zealand |
| 42 | Adam | Roberge | Canada |
| 43 | Felix | Ritzinger | Austria |
| 44 | Max | Larry | Luxembourg |
| 45 | Ryan | Christensen | New Zealand |
| 46 | Matthew | Bird | Australia |
| 47 | Matthew | Stamatis | South Africa |
| 48 | Gert | Kivistik | Estonia |
| 49 | Richard | Jansen | Netherlands |
| 50 | Frederik | Scheske | Germany |
| 51 | Mattia | Viel | Italy |
| 52 | Henry | Baird | Australia |
| 53 | Mathieu | Van der Poel | Netherlands |
| 54 | Filippo | Fiorelli | Italy |
| 55 | Jacob | Peterson | USA |
| 56 | Xavier | Jové Riart | Andorra |
| 57 | Bram | Rombouts | Belgium |
| 58 | Rick | Nobel | Netherlands |
| 59 | Davide | Ballerini | Italy |
| 60 | Piotr | Havik | Netherlands |
| 61 | Dirk | Nel | South Africa |
| 62 | Thom | Bonder | Netherlands |
| 63 | Sebastian | Schönberger | Austria |
| 64 | Clément | Fernandez | Belgium |
| 65 | Freddy | Ovett | Australia |
| 66 | Jacob | Langham | Australia |
| 67 | Matthew | Beers | South Africa |
| 68 | Leonardo | Basso | Italy |
| 69 | Niels | Verdijck | Belgium |
| 70 | Ivar | Slik | Netherlands |
| 71 | Josep | Termens | Spain |
| 72 | Davide | Gabburo | Italy |
| 73 | Marko | Pavlic | Slovenia |
| 74 | Magnus | Cort-Nielsen | Denmark |
| 75 | Lilian | Calmejane | France |
| 76 | Gianni | Vermeersch | Belgium |
| 77 | Carlos | Verona | Spain |
| 78 | Alexey | Lutsenko | Kazakhstan |
| 79 | Lawrence | Naesen | Belgium |
| 80 | Julien | Trarieux | France |
| 81 | Metheven | Bond | United Kingdom |
| 82 | Jan-Frederik | Finoulst | Belgium |
| 83 | Diederik | Deelen | Netherlands |
| 84 | Markus | Auvinen | Finland |
| 85 | Lachlan | Morton | Australia |
| 86 | Josemaria | Sanchez Ruiz | Spain |
| 87 | Griffin | Easter | USA |
| 88 | Hendrik | Kruger | South Africa |
| 89 | Sieben | Devalckeneer | Belgium |
| 90 | Nicholas | Pettina | Italy |
| 91 | Jonas | Orset | Norway |
| 92 | Mantas | Staliunas | Lithuania |
| 93 | Michael | Mottram | United Kingdom |
| 94 | Tao | Quéméré | France |
| 95 | Jasper | Ockeloen | Netherlands |
| 96 | Richard | Larsén | Sweden |
| 97 | Bram | Imming | Netherlands |
| 98 | Robert | Jenko | Slovenia |
| 99 | Peter | Sagan | Slovakia |
| 100 | Pol | Weisgerber | Luxembourg |
| 101 | Tim | Diederich | Luxembourg |
| 102 | Nathan | Haas | Australia |
| 103 | Alois | Falenta | France |
| 104 | Olivier | Leroy | France |
| 105 | Thibault | Sabatier | France |
| 106 | Cristian | Cominelli | Italy |
| 107 | Sascha | Weber | Germany |
| 108 | Sacha | Modolo | Italy |
| 109 | Philipp | Bützow | Luxembourg |
| 110 | Daniel | Federspiel | Austria |
| 111 | Seppe | Odeyn | Belgium |
| 112 | Janosch | Wintermantel | Germany |
| 113 | Daniel | Oss | Italy |
| 114 | Sebastian | Einsle | Luxembourg |
| 115 | Alessandro | Demarchi | Italy |
| 116 | Paul | Voss | Germany |
| 117 | Wolfgang | Brandl | Germany |
| 118 | Zdenek | Stybar | Czech Republic |
| 119 | Christian | Kreuchler | Germany |
| 120 | Greg | Van Avermaet | Belgium |
| 121 | Rafael | Visinelli | Italy |
| 122 | David | Van Orsdel | USA |
| 123 | Sergio | Mantecon Guetierrez | Spain |
| 124 | Nicholas | Roche | Ireland |
| 125 | Thomas | Bundgaard | Denmark |
| 126 | Riccardo | Chiarini | Italy |
| 127 | Matthew | Shepherd | Australia |
| 128 | Francesco | Failli | Italy |
| 129 | Mat | Stephens | USA |
| 130 | Julen | Zubero Aldekoa | Spain |
| 131 | Alberto | Losada | Spain |
| 132 | Daniel | Moreno Fernandez | Spain |
| 133 | Lubos | Pelanek | Czech Republic |
| 134 | Alban | Lakata | Austria |
| 135 | Antonio | Ortiz Barranco | Spain |
| 136 | Davide | Rebellin | Italy |
| 137 | Matthias | Schnapka | Germany |
| 138 | Miguel | Angel Lopez Moreno | Colombia |
It’s a busy weekend of racing, with the final road monument taking place, Ganna’s hour record attempt, along with the Cyclocross World Cup in Waterloo.
