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Turnhout in Belgium to Host the 2030 UCI Gravel World Championships

The Union Cycliste Internationale has confirmed that Turnhout, Belgium, will stage the 2030 UCI Gravel World Championships, following the announcement made during the UCI Congress in Montreal. The decision places the northern Belgian city firmly on the global gravel map and reinforces the Benelux region’s growing influence within the sport.

Turnhout in Belgium to Host the 2030 UCI Gravel World Championships

Turnhout’s rise as a gravel destination has been swift and decisive. The city organised the Belgian Gravel Championships in 2024, then welcomed a Gravelking UCI Gravel World Series qualifier in both 2025 and 2026. Each edition reached full capacity well ahead of race day, drawing 2,500 riders from across Europe and further afield — a clear sign of both demand and organisational capability.

A Distinctive Championship Course

Situated in the heart of the Campine, Turnhout offers a gravel environment unlike the mountainous profiles often associated with world-level racing. The terrain is fast, open and tactical, shaped by a vast network of forest roads, nature reserves and exposed sectors where wind can become a decisive element.

The northern part of the course will take riders into the Vennengebied, an expansive area of wide gravel tracks and open landscapes. Here, crosswinds and positioning are likely to play a major role. The race then transitions into the Ravelse Gewestbossen, a large woodland zone characterised by long, flowing gravel stretches beneath dense tree cover.

The closing kilometres follow the canal, where the flat profile can be deceptive. Weather conditions may turn the final sectors into a technical challenge, demanding sharp handling skills and clever racecraft before the fight for the rainbow jerseys begins.

A Proven Host for Elite Gravel Racing

Turnhout has already demonstrated its ability to deliver major gravel events at scale. The success of its Gravelking World Series qualifiers highlighted both the region’s enthusiasm for the discipline and its capacity to welcome large international fields. With Belgium and the wider Benelux region already central to the European gravel calendar — including the high-profile events in Zuid-Limburg, host of the 2025 UCI Gravel World Championships — the awarding of the 2030 edition further strengthens the region’s status as a global gravel powerhouse.

Turnhout now prepares to welcome the world’s best gravel athletes in 2030, offering a course and atmosphere that promise a championship unlike any other.

"The championships will be held in early October 2030 on a course that closely resembles this year's qualifier, featuring mainly the wide gravel roads for which the Kempen region is known," said course designer Erwin Vervecken.

UCI Gravel World Championships Hosts Calendar

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2027 UCI Gravel World Championships - Haute Savoie, France
2028 UCI Gravel World Championships - Alula, Saudi Arabia
2029 UCI Gravel World Championships - Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland
2030 UCI Gravel World Championships - Turnhout, Belgium

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