It was solely two years in the past that the SEVEN race in Nannup jumped into the brand new UCI Gravel World Series and put their arms as much as host a World Championship within the self-discipline as nicely. Then the highway forward was an unknown, with as many potential routes as there are course choices within the gravel highway wealthy wilderness surrounding Nannup, though the group behind the Western Australian occasion had an inkling of the potential large development forward.
Now, the occasion is heading into its third version as a part of the collection, though the seventh all up, and the sector retains ballooning because it heads towards 2026 when it is going to host the primary UCI Gravel World Championships outdoors Europe on a course that, given the race historical past, is probably going be nearly as shut as you may get to 100% gravel.
It is sure to be a UCI Gravel World Championships not like any seen earlier than, and the ranks of these from interstate and abroad coming over to get an early perception into what they’re in for is rising. The race itself, identical to the collection and World Championships itself has hit an upward trajectory, one that will simply turn into as steep as among the climbs out on the course.
“The choose up has been large, particularly with lots of people getting in early,” race director Stephen Gallagher advised Cyclingnews within the days earlier than the occasion. “The greatest success for us is the quantity of abroad riders, we now have nearly tripled the quantity of worldwide visitation and now have over double the quantity of interstate riders.”
That means near 1,500 riders will likely be making the trek to Nannup – which implies stopping place in Noongar language – greater than the complete inhabitants of the city itself. A big inflow however only a style of what’s to come back, with planning nicely underway to accommodate the World Championships, the place Nannup is the hub however with spokes out to quite a few different locations within the area replete with the amenities to help the occasion – which is probably going going to be considerably bigger than was envisaged when the bid was first submitted.
Importantly, nevertheless, what the hub location of Nannup does have an abundance of is gravel roads, there are lots to choose and select from. Planning is underway for a spectator pleasant World Championships course in 2026, with a UCI delegation out to see how the method is progressing, however that does not imply organisers have overlooked the close to time period both, with the addition of a brand new part to the 2024 Gravel World Series course as nicely that may ship some spectacular white gravel.
The 2024 SEVEN race, named after the seven sectors it traverses, will nonetheless cowl 125km and ship 3,200m of vertical ascent over largely the identical course as lately – winding its method out and again from Nannup on almost 100% gravel via pine plantations, state forests and farmland – however two of the 12 key climbs will likely be totally different. Delta and Meacham are out and the brand new white gravel part which takes the course additional to the west resulting in the introduction of Mader and Shale Hill. Both climbs are beneath a kilometre, however Gallagher warns that riders should not assume they are going to be simple.
“Don’t let how quick they’re deceive you about how arduous they’re as a result of, particularly Shale Hill, may be very steep,” mentioned Gallagher.
Key riders to observe
The 2023 males’s winner Tasman Nankervis (BMC-Shimano) will likely be again in 2024. The rider who final 12 months headed over to the United States to compete within the Life Time Grand Prix collection is protecting his focus in Australia this 12 months. He is wanting as formidable as ever, having claimed the win within the stacked area of RADL GRVL in South Australia in January, forward of standard rival Brendan ‘Trekky’ Johnston (Giant), and combating his method to fourth on the first version of Sutton Grange Winery Uncorked Gravel in February, although he was restricted to at least one gear a lot of the race after a rock hit his derailleur. The 28 12 months outdated from Bendigo then went on to take his sixth win on the Great Otway Gravel Grind.
Still Johnston is lining up with sturdy kind to try to dethrone Nankervis. The skilled hand has come again from the United States after racing the opening spherical, Fuego XL, and coming fifth. First on the agenda whereas again house was final weekend’s AusCycling Marathon Mountain Bike National Championships the place the 32-year-old claimed his sixth title.
Nankervis may also need to be looking out for 2022 winner, Adam Blazevic, who has continuously been up close to the highest of the outcomes desk in the important thing Australian summer time gravel occasions and the privateer can also be now prone to be hitting a brand new vein of kind as he builds towards his key worldwide targets. Then there’s additionally Nicolas Roche, with the previous skilled on the highway having not too long ago taken third at one other UCI Gravel World Series occasion, the Highlands Gravel Classic, final month and he was additionally third in Nannup final 12 months.
Other riders to observe for within the elite males’s class embrace 2023’s second positioned Mark Chong and fourth positioned Matthew Bird. Roche, additionally will not be the one former WorldTour skilled on the race, with Fumiyuki Beppu, the primary Japanese rider to make biking’s high tier, additionally making the journey to Western Australia this 12 months.
The girls’s race will see a brand new victor this 12 months, with 2023 winner Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM) not returning, nevertheless, there will likely be no scarcity of competitors. Australian champion Justine Barrow has been out trying out the course on the lead in. Barrow has already received a UCI Gravel World Series spherical, taking out Gravelista in Beechworth in 2022, however missed out on SEVEN in Nannup final 12 months as she was racing gravel within the United States. This 12 months, nevertheless, she is utilizing the Western Australian race as a lead in to her worldwide ambitions.
The rider, who has some severe climbing capability, could not have had the most effective tail finish to her season final 12 months, with a crash resulting in AC joint stabilisation surgical procedure and an advanced restoration. Still, Barrow, who was bitten by the Unbound bug in 2023, has now constructed again and is clearly comfy on the bike once more, having determined on the Beechworth Granite Classic final month that the 115km distance alone wasn’t sufficient, and turning proper again round as soon as she had completed to trip the 90km course as nicely.
Cassia Boglio (Liv Brazilian Butterfly Racing p/b Willing & Twin Peaks) will likely be hoping to lean on house floor benefit, plus the 23-year-old rider who got here second on the race final 12 months has gained some priceless expertise and outcomes since which bode nicely for her possibilities of mounting a severe problem this 12 months. They embrace one other Gravel World Series podium, with third at Gravelista on the finish of 2023, and a primary place at Life Time Sea Otter Classic, which got here close to the tip of block of gravel racing within the United States the place she additionally netted two high ten finishes in Belgian Waffle Ride California and Utah.
Then there’s Peta Mullens (Liv Brazilian Butterfly), who hasn’t had the strongest of patches together with her well being not enjoying alongside, however the rider who can also be racing the LIfe Time Grand Prix collection this 12 months is one that ought to by no means be dismissed and her twelve Australian titles throughout numerous biking disciplines are all the reason required.
