REGULATIONS
The Gralloch is a one-day gravel race and is part of the Trek UCI Gravel World Series. A Trek UCI Gravel World Series event is a competitive mass participation event which is fully timed for all participants and splits results per age group and gender. The riders have to respect road traffic regulations at all times. The UCI Gravel World Championships is the last event of the series, open to riders qualified through the series.
LicenCes
Riders do not need a licence to take part in The Gralloch.
Note: Riders who qualified for the UCI Gravel World Championships, must hold a valid licence issued by their respective national federation (day licences being excluded), must hold a UCI ID and must be adequately insured against accidents and civil responsibility in the country in which the UCI Gravel World Championships are held.
Age groups
Riders will be entered into the appropriate age and gender category at The Gralloch. Age Groups applicable to the Trek UCI Gravel World Series are defined by the rider’s age on December 31st of the year of the qualifier event.
Results will be provided for the following different age groups, for both women and men:
- Overall men
- Overall women
- 19 – 34y
- 35 – 39y
- 40 – 44y
- 45 – 49y
- 50 – 54y
- 55 – 59y
- 60 – 64y
- 65 – 65y
- 70 – 74y
- 75 – 79y
- Etc. (any further 5-year category for which riders have entered)
As per the regulations applied for the UCI Gravel World Championships, medals and titles will be awarded for men and/or women as soon as 1 rider is registered in the respective 5-year age category. At the UCI Gravel World Championships, there will also be an ELITE men and women World title.
All relevant UCI Cycling regulations apply to the UCI Gravel World Series events.
As per the official qualification system for the 2023 UCI Gravel World Championships, each Trek UCI Gravel World Series event grants qualification rights for the UCI Gravel World Championships for those riders finishing in the first 25% of their age group.
The 25% is calculated based on the number of starters in each age group, and not on the number of riders having finished the race. Qualification is always per age group and based on age group results, not on overall results.
In addition, the first three riders of each official age category will qualify directly for the World Championships, independently of the number of starters in that age group. Riders must finish the race to gain qualification.
The GUN time principle is applied for calculating finishing positions of all riders.
For all other methods of qualification (wild cards, gravel national champions, etc.), please consult the official qualification system for the 2023 UCI Gravel World Championships.
The names of riders having gained qualification through the Trek UCI Gravel World Series will be communicated on the Trek UCI Gravel World Series website and will receive an official email from the UCI inviting them to register for the UCI Gravel World Championships via the dedicated online registration portal.
All riders (whether licence holders or not) completing the same distance in a qualifier event are officially considered as participants in the Trek UCI Gravel World Series.
Feed Zones
The Gralloch will feature three feed zones with a selection of sports nutrition (gels, bars and energy drink), fruits and water.
Each feed zone will also feature a Tech Zone with tools, spares, inner tubes, spare tyres and workstations.
Riders must self-serve at these feed zones as no outside assistance is allowed at The Gralloch.
Spare tyres available at the feed zone must be paid for by the rider after the finish. Prices and details will be communicated in the Race Guide. Riders must inform the Feed Zone manager if they intend to use one of the available spare tyres.
Riders must not take any of the plastic water bottles away from the Feed Zone. All waste must be disposed of in the recycling and waste bins within the Feed Zone or at the finish line.
Any rider caught littering along the route may be disqualified. This includes dropping used CO2 cartridges, inner tubes, wrappers, gels, bottles, etc.
Tech Boxes
Items in the Tech Boxes must only be used by riders in mechanical emergencies. Riders caught simply stocking up on supplies without an immediate need for the tools/spares may be disqualified.
Route Signage
The Gralloch route is fully sign-posted and a GPX file of the event route is available on the event website.
Specific signs will be installed on the side of the routes/track to indicate the following:
- Signs to indicate the last 50km, 25km, 10km, 5km, 1km, and 500m before the finish line.
- The presence of the next feed zone is indicated 500m ahead of each zone
- The technical characteristics of the designated climbs are indicated at the bottom of the climbs; this includes: the average and maximum gradients and the length of the climb.
Vehicles
Lead motorbikes will precede the Elite Women and Elite Men riders. Riders being overtaken by one of the lead motorbikes must move to the left side of the road/track to allow overtaking riders to pass safely.
A number of media motorbikes will be riding along the course. When instructed and safe to do so, allow them to pass on your right.
Riders may use any type of bike (road bike, mountain bike, city bike, hybrid bike, cross bike, etc.) with the exception of tandem or recumbent bikes. E-bikes, time trial bikes and aero bars are forbidden. During the UCI Gravel World Championships, all bikes should have dropped handlebars. It’s not possible to participate in the UCI Gravel World Championships with a mountain bike.
Riders are free to wear any type of jersey in the qualifier events, with the following exception:
Reigning World Champions are obliged to wear their official jersey in UGWS qualifier events.
All riders should bring their own tools and spare tyre or tubular to the race. Tools and a selection of spares are foreseen at each feed zone. Riders can change wheels during the event, but have to use the same bike frame throughout the event.
At The Gralloch there is no outside technical assistance allowed. Any rider caught receiving technical assistance from anyone other than another rider or official event staff may be disqualified.
The event must be timed for all the participants, for the entire length of the course. The timekeeping provider will produce an overall ranking per age group and gender plus an overall ranking for men and women. The timing of the event must start with the gun, and not when each individual rider crosses the starting carpet (GUN time principle). The winner of the different age groups can only be defined using Gun time.
Published results of qualified riders
The organiser will provide a full list of results to Golazo Sports within 5 days after the completion of the event.
The following regulations are used to define the number of qualified riders per age group:
- ALL riders completing the qualifying distance, independent in which start wave they are starting, are eligible for the UCI Gravel World Championships and must be taken into account to calculate the top 25% list of qualified riders.
- For all age categories, the first three finishers per age group are always qualified, independently of the number of starters in that specific age group. A five-year age group should be created from the moment that at least 1 rider from that age group participates.
- The top 25% is based on the number of riders effectively taking the start (not the number of pre-registered riders or riders finishing the race). The 25% is rounded to the highest number to determine the exact number of qualified riders per age group (for instance: with 26 starters, 6.5 are eligible for qualification, meaning that the first 7 will be invited for the World Championships)
- A list of qualified riders may be published online or on-site at the qualifying event but these will be pending approval from the UCI and are thus unofficial. Only the list which is published on the ucigravelworldseries.com website can be considered as the official list of qualified riders.
Podium ceremony protocol
Podium timings will be announced in the Race Guide but may change based on finishing times of riders. Riders must listen for announcements on the event day in order to ensure they arrive at the podium presentations on time.
Podium riders must arrive at the podium waiting area no later than 10 minutes before the podium call time (will be communicated on the day).
It is mandatory for all riders finishing in the Top 3 of their age group to attend the podium presentation.
Cycling kit must be worn on the podium. Cycling shoes or suitable sports shoes are permitted.
UGWS Medal
Every rider who finishes in the top 25% of his/her age group in the UGWS qualifier events will be given a medal.
Eligible riders must report to the event Info Desk at the times indicated in the Race Guide. Medals must be collected on the day and will not be posted to riders after the event.
The top 3 finishers per age group receive their medal on the podium.
UGWS Jersey
The TREK UCI Gravel World Series will provide a jersey for every winner in his/her age category for both men’s and women’s races. There will also be a jersey for the overall male/female winner.
Eligible riders must wear the jersey handed to them on the podium.
Participants
- Mandatory helmet: As per UCI regulation 3.031 , wearing a helmet is mandatory for all UGWS events, throughout the whole race. Participants are informed in advance by the organisation that they will be barred from the start or that their race number will immediately be withdrawn if they are caught by a member of the organisation without their helmet.
- Medical certificate: All riders attest to the fact that he/she is in perfect health and fit for the physical effort required for such a cycling race.
- Accident and third-party liability insurance: All cyclists who take part in a UGWS event must possess appropriate medical and third-party liability insurance.
- Each rider is responsible for ensuring that they possess adequate medical insurance.
A team of commissaires and race officials will be present at The Gralloch to ensure safe and fair racing. All decisions by the Race Director are final.
