2026 Women's Gravel World Championships preview | Marianne Vos has her work cut out in Australia
Gravel
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Follow us on GoogleWe’ve already seen our fair share of championships in the cycling world over the past few weeks, but there’s no end in sight just yet. In addition to the Tour of Lombardy, the Gravel World Championships are also on the schedule for Saturday. This year, they're on the other side of the world, in Western Australia. IDL Pro Cycling is excited to bring you the details.
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Women's Gravel World Championships key details
| Race | Women's Gravel World Championships |
| Date | Saturday October 10 |
| Time | 03:10 - 07:10 GMT |
| Location | Nannup, Western Australia |
| Route details | Click Here |
Dutch women aim for third Gravel World Championship in a row
The Gravel World Championships have only a short history, but they certainly did not disappoint. In the first edition in 2022, cycling phenom Pauline Ferrand-Prévot took the victory in Cittadella, and one year later, 2024 Tour de France Femmes winner Kasia Niewiadoma raised her arms in triumph in Trevio
In 2024, an exciting battle unfolded in Leuven between Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky and the Netherlands’ Marianne Vos, with the latter ultimately raising her hands in victory. Last season, we witnessed the most talked-about World Championships to date in Maastricht. Along the way, all sorts of things went wrong for the Netherlands, but in the end, Lorena Wiebes did win.
Recent Winners of the Women's Gravel World Championships
2025 Lorena Wiebes
2024 Marianne Vos
2023 Kasia Niewiadoma
2022 Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
2024 Marianne Vos
2023 Kasia Niewiadoma
2022 Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
2026 Women's Gravel World Championships: Course, Weather, and Times
This year we’re not in Leuven or Maastricht, but in Nannup. Nannup—where? Nannup, located in Western Australia. The course there is based on the well-known SEVEN Gravel Race route and is quite different in character from previous World Championships in Europe.
On Saturday, the women will cover 125.6 kilometers, during which they’ll have to climb a total of 3,100 meters. Eighty-four percent of the course consists of gravel paths, forest roads, and sections through eucalyptus forests and across private property.
Those 3,100 meters of elevation gain aren't so much the result of a single grueling climb, but rather a series of short climbs ranging from 1 to 4 kilometers in length, with gradients between 5 and 8 percent. These climbs follow one another in rapid succession.
Each race begins with a paved approach of about 9 kilometers, after which the race will quickly pick up speed in the rolling countryside around Nannup. The final stretch includes a local loop around the town, with steep climbs just before the finish line.
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Weather report
Weather conditions in Nannup on Saturday are fairly decent. Temperatures are around 15 degrees Celsius in Western Australia, where winds won’t be too strong and there’s little chance of precipitation.
Weather conditions in Nannup on Saturday are fairly decent. Temperatures are around 15 degrees Celsius in Western Australia, where winds won’t be too strong and there’s little chance of precipitation.
Important times
Start: 10:10 a.m. (3:10 a.m. GMT)
Finish: 2:10 p.m. (7:10 a.m. GMT)
Start: 10:10 a.m. (3:10 a.m. GMT)
Finish: 2:10 p.m. (7:10 a.m. GMT)
Favourites for the 2026 Women's Gravel World Championships
On this challenging course, it’s hard to pick a clear favourite, and as we’ve seen at the Gravel World Championships in recent years, anything can happen.
Marianne Vos—winner of the 2024 Gravel World Championships in Leuven— is a top favourite. However, a course with 3,100 meters of elevation gain over 125 kilometers might just be a bit too much for the experienced Dutchwoman.
Read more below the photo!
Riejanne Markus’s name on the start list is also noteworthy: over the past two weeks, she competed in the European Championships in Slovenia and the World Championships in Canada, while also finishing Tre Valli Varesine on Tuesday.
Other well-known names include Sofie Wright (Great Britain), Tiffany Cromwell, Nicole Frain (Australia), Sofia Gomez Villafane (Argentina), Romy Kasper, Rosa Klöser (Germany), Erica Magnaldi (Italy), and Aisleigh Moolman-Pasio (South Africa).
Due to the long journey, we're seeing significantly fewer WorldTour riders in action than in recent years.
How to watch the 2026 Men's Gravel World Championships on TV
| Country | Service |
| UK | TNT Sports |
| Europe | HBO Max |
| USA | FloBikes |
| Canada | FloBikes |
| Australia | Stan Sports |
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David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- - ¡Qué ilusión para el ciclismo español! If Noval can combine climbing, time trialling and that mental strength, Spain may have another superstar on its hands.davidm08-10-2026
- - I’m still learning the sport—how can someone be the second-youngest WorldTour pro ever if his contract starts in 2027? Does that record depend on his exact birthday and debut date?pedalpowe2908-10-2026
- - “Once-in-a-generation talent” is a huge claim. What power numbers did Noval actually produce in Asturias, and how do they compare with riders of the same age?jeremya08-10-2026
- - The Contador comparisons are exciting, but also a bit premature. Time-trial ability is a major advantage, though the jump from juniors to the WorldTour can be brutal. Hopefully INEOS gives him time to develop rather than expecting instant results.patriciaw08-10-2026
- - Noval’s junior season has been absolutely ridiculous. Winning both world titles and the European time trial title suggests he isn’t just a climber—his versatility could be what separates him from the other big prospects.gearguru3308-10-2026
- Great drama, but the article leans a little too hard into the “what if” angle. Evenepoel still had to recover from a crash and finish the job—credit where it’s due.robert6507-10-2026
- What exactly is a pacer in this situation, and why was Ciccone listening to that information instead of just watching the race? I’m still learning the tactics, but it seems like Scaroni being behind changed everything.andrewf07-10-2026
- The photo finish sounds far too vulnerable to tiny setup errors. If the line is curved and the camera alignment is even slightly off, can we really call a one-pixel victory completely definitive?jennifer1907-10-2026
- Ciccone’s final turn was excellent, but I agree with Zonneveld that he probably worked too much before the finish. With Scaroni behind, sitting on Remco’s wheel would have been the smarter gamble.bikebuffj07-10-2026
- Evenepoel showed serious resilience after that crash. Coming back, attacking on the descent and still winning the sprint is a proper champion’s performance.cadencekingm07-10-2026
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