The 2023 Highlands Gravel Classic in Fayetteville will be the only UCI Gravel World Series race in the U.S. this year. The event is an official qualifier for the UCI Gravel World Championships.
The top 25% of finishers in 10 men’s and 10 women’s age groups will qualify for the World Championships.
“The 2023 Highlands Gravel Classic is getting an early start in terms of marketing and registration being opened to ensure that every gravel cyclist in the U.S. can get this event on their calendar to take their shot at qualifying for the World Championship race in Italy,” race director Bruce Dunn said.
The 2022 UCI Gravel World Championships was the first UCI-sanctioned gravel championship with 561 gravel racers from around the world.
Racers from 30 states have already registered. The race is open to gravel riders of all levels with all participants racing the same two courses. Men ages 19 to 59 and women from 19 to 49 will compete on a 66-mile course while men 60-plus and women 50-plus will tackle a 52-mile course. All races start and finish at Fritchie Farms, which is just east of Fayetteville.