A GRAVEL CYCLING WONDERLAND
The 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships races will be held in Nannup, Western Australia, which is home to the UCI Gravel World Series qualifier, SEVEN Gravel Race. Nannup offers world-class gravel racing characterised by wide gravel roads, breathtaking climbs and encounters with iconic Australian wildlife.
Key features of this years World Championship courses include:
- All courses start and finish in the same location
- Minimum 80% gravel, across a wide variety of unpaved surfaces
- A 9 km undulating paved start section which competitors will ride again between 36 km and 27 km before the finish
- Course elevation ranging between 100 and 300 meters above sea level
- Climbs that are never very long but follow each other quickly, often steep, offering little recovery time.
- 10ºC (49ºF) to 21ºC (69ºF) average min-max temperatures during October
The 2026 edition marks two historic milestones for the UCI Gravel World Championships:
- The first time they are held outside of Europe
- The first time they are held on the same course as a UCI Gravel World Series qualifier (SEVEN Gravel Race)
PROVISIONAL GRAVEL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS COURSES
| COURSE | MEN | WOMEN |
| LONG (143km – 3713vm) | Elite, 19–49yo | – |
| MEDIUM (125km – 3177vm) | 50–64yo | Elite, 19–49yo |
| SHORT (90km – 2030vm) | 65+yo | 50+yo |
The “long” course features an additional loop at the eastern extremity of the “medium” course; the “short” course takes some shortcuts across the “medium” course. All riders end with a final 27 km southern loop including two climbs. All courses have the same start and finish.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Event Director Stephen Gallagher is a former professional cyclist who represented Ireland at World Championships and the Commonwealth Games. He went on to serve as Technical Director for the 2014 Giro d’Italia Grande Partenza and currently serves as Head of Performance at Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto.
Here is his take on what makes these courses special:
- THE TERRAIN “Regular climbs of 1–3.5km at steady gradients, spaced consistently throughout every route. Between the climbs, broad and well-surfaced gravel roads with flatter sections woven throughout, giving riders room to regroup and refuel before the next block of climbing arrives.”
- LIKE NO GRAVEL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS BEFORE “At most races, the biggest challenges come early. Not here. The climbing is relentless from start to finish, with the hardest kilometres saved for last – the final summit just 3.5km from the finish line. With a minimum of 80% gravel on every route, and wide roads that open the race up for genuine bunch racing, these courses offer a tactical dimension rarely seen at this level and a gravel experience unlike any previous World Championships.”
RECENT MEDIA ABOUT THE COURSES
Read more about the courses in this article.
Global Cycling Network’s Daniel Lloyd and Simon Richardson document their experiences testing the world championships course during SEVEN Gravel Race.
THINGS TO KNOW
How do I download the course GPX file?
The course GPX files will be made available closer to the event. Their availability will be announced through our newsletter and social media.
Are the courses fully open to train on now?
No. The courses pass through private properties, so training must be undertaken on the SEVEN Gravel Race Training Routes.
Riding in remote areas
The South West’s gravel roads are stunning and genuinely remote. There are no corner stores out there, so be prepared with everything you need before you head out.
- Carry enough food and water for your full ride with some to spare. Resupply options are limited to non-existent once you head out.
- Check your phone coverage. Mobile network in the region runs on the Telstra network – if your SIM doesn’t use it, consider picking up a local Telstra SIM before you arrive.
- Download an emergency app that can relay your GPS location to rescue services even with limited signal.
- Offline maps are your friend. Download maps for the region before you head out – don’t rely on mobile data to navigate on the road.
Where is the technical guide?
The technical guide will be made available closer to the event.
CHECK OUT THE IMAGERY BELOW FOR WHAT TO EXPECT
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