
Gering, NE
“There’s not much we can take credit for as Americans in the history of cycling. But gravel cycling has its roots deeply embedded here, and because of that, I see the USA Cycling Gravel National Championship as the natural progression in the development of our sport. With equal distance and prize money and this event represents what a true American gravel race should be. I would love to see an American win a World Championship, solidifying our place on the world stage, and in the process, grow our sport. As an automatic qualifing event for the World Championships with USA Cycling's backing is a huge step in making that happen.”
-Lauren De Crescenzo

Frequently Asked Questions
Race Qualification
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Do I need a USA Cycling license to register?
Yes, you must have a USA Cycling racing membership to register for the 2023 USA Cycling Gravel National Championships. Those memberships are RACE, RACE+, JUNIOR, JUNIOR+, COLLEGIATE, COLLEGIATE+, INTERNATIONAL, or INTERNATIONAL+. You can go here to purchase your membership.
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What categories are going to be offered?
We will offer men’s and women’s Elite/Open, singlespeed, para-cycling, and collegiate. The following age group categories for men and women will be available: 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18, 23-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80-89, 90+. We will also offer a non-binary category. Athletes 19-22 will race with Elite/Open category.
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How do I qualify?
To participate in the event, you need to hold an annual USA Cycling racing membership (any category of membership that includes a domestic racing license), and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien. For those participating in the Elite/Open you must be a U.S. citizen.
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Who can compete in the Elite/Open category?
Any racer age 19 and older can compete in the Elite/Open category if they feel that’s their appropriate skill level. To race the Elite/Open categories, you must be a U.S. Citizen, hold a USA Cycling racing membership, and register for that category.
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What are the category requirements?
There are no category requirements for this event. You can race in your age group as long as you have a USA Cycling racing membership.
Race Entry
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What is a UCI ID?
To compete in a USA Cycling National Championship, riders must have their date of birth, gender, and citizenship or permanent resident status verified. Having verified this information, a free UCI ID is issued. This is not a UCI license. If a UCI ID is not currently displayed on your license, log into your USA Cycling My Account and look for this in your Profile link. If these items are not listed or are incorrect, please do the following to update your account:
- Create a copy of your birth certificate or passport and Permanent Resident Status (Green Card) as it applies.
- Email it to the membership department at membership@usacycling.org or by fax (719-434-4300).
A UCI ID is your lifelong, internationally unique, identity number to confirm your racing status and maintain your privacy in internationally published registration and results documents. You can find out more about UCI IDs here.
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When will registration be open?
Registration will open Monday, July 14, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. MDT. The registration page can be found here.
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Where can I purchase my license to register?
Go here to purchase your USA Cycling RACE membership.
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How much is race entry?
We’re still in the process of finalizing the details of the event, including event pricing. We will publish pricing documentation once finalized in the coming months. Pricing will be aligned with other large domestic gravel events.
Race Details
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How will staging work?
We’re still in the process of finalizing the details of the event, including how staging will work. We will publish race details once they’re finalized in the coming months.
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How long is the race course?
We are finalizing distances for all races, with a maximum race distance of 131 miles for the Elite/Open races with just under 6,000 feet of elevation gain. This will also be the course that most masters age groups, singlespeed, and non-binary racers will tackle. We are finalizing distances for para athletes, collegiate, older masters, and juniors, with input from the racing community. Men and women of any given age group/category will be racing the same distance. The courses we have been working on are 90+% gravel.
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Do I need to have a gravel bike to participate?
A gravel-specific bike is not mandatory to participate in the event. Racers can use any bike they choose, but e-bikes and aero bars are not allowed.
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What kind of support will be offered at the event?
There will be neutral feed stations approximately every 20 miles, with one private aid station on the course.
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Will the Elite/Open men & women be racing together?
The Elite/Open men and women will have separate starts, and will be racing the same course and distance, competing for identical prize payout.
Miscellaneous
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Is there payout?
We are offering a $60,000 prize list for the Elite/Open categories, marking the largest single-day cash prize in the history of American gravel. The prize breakdown for the Elite/Open Men’s and Women’s categories is as follows:
1st:$12,000 2nd:$8,000 3rd:$5,000 4th:$3,000 5th:$2,000 -
Will this qualify me for the 2023 UCI Gravel World Championships?
The Elite/Open Men’s and Women’s race will count as an automatic qualifier for the 2023 UCI Gravel World Championships in Venetia, Italy, October 7-8. The top three in the Elite Men’s and Women’s events will automatically qualify for the World Championships with varied funding provided by USA Cycling. The finalized World Championship Elite selection criteria will be published in the coming weeks. If you would like to be notified when the criteria is posted for all categories, please subscribe to our email list here.
Additionally, age group race winners will automatically qualify for their respective categories for the 2023 UCI Gravel World Championships. The full qualification system is still being developed by the UCI and the Trek Gravel World Series.
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Are there any ancillary events during the 2023 USA Cycling Gravel National Championships?
Yes, we will be working with our host community for ancillary events that all can take part in pre and post-event. Participants will have the opportunity to celebrate their rides and engage with fellow racers at the event expo and a post-race competitor’s party.
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Will there be childcare available during the race?
Through a partnership with the local YMCA, childcare will be available on race day. Children will enjoy a variety of adventurous activities throughout the day in a well-supervised, DHHS-licensed environment. The cost will be $25 per child for children aged 3-11. All children must be potty trained, and parents must supply a sack lunch. Registration info is coming soon!


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