Feeling fit and frisky after a summer tearing up the trails?
Now's your chance to put it to the test: Graean Cymru, Wales' qualifying race for the UCI Gravel World Champs, returns this September and entries are closing soon.
Based on the shores of Llyn Brenig in north Wales, Graean Cymru is the UK's second qualifying race for the Gravel World Championships. It's organised by Glorious Gravel, the experienced team behind the UK's leading series of gravel sportives.
The first edition took place last year, and now it's back for a second round on the weekend of 5-7 September 2025.
The 113km course is 99% gravel, with two laps of Llyn Brenig reservoir and then a long and rolling section in Clocaenog Forest. It features approximately 2000m of climbing which will test even the strongest riders.
Expect wide, fast gravel forest tracks with some sections of twisty singletrack mixed in to liven things up.
The finishing straight is a 1km sprint along the shores of the lake, which Glorious Gravel reckon is one of the most scenic event finishes to be found anywhere.
The event is one of the final qualifiers for this year's UCI Gravel World Championships. Alongside elite racers, the top 25% of finishers in each age category will qualify for the 2025 finals, held in the Netherlands in October.
That means it's a unique opportunity for UK amateurs to rub shoulders with the world's keenest gravel cyclists - including top pros from the WorldTour.
This year sees a few changes to the format, with the women's and men aged 50+ races taking place on Saturday, while Sunday it's the turn of the elite men and men aged 19-49.
Aside from that it's the same winning formula from last year - although hopefully moving the event forward a couple weeks will increase the chances of summery weather!
You can read our report from the 2024 race here:
> Graean Cymru report: Eating dirt with the UK's elite gravel racers >
Entries for Graean Cymru are open now priced £89 plus booking fee.
Find out more and enter at gloriousgravel.com.
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