The wealthy prize purse of the Life Time Grand Prix collection has lengthy stood out in gravel, and whereas will probably be getting just a bit slimmer in 2025, the potential payouts on supply have really climbed given every of the occasions will now even have $30,000 up for grabs.
In 2024 there was $300,000 on supply to be break up between the highest ten riders of the boys’s and girls’s divisions within the selective collection, subsequent yr that can drop to $200,000 with one other $180,000 up for grabs on the six occasions that make up the collection.
Some occasions included within the collection have had modest prize packets prior to now, but it surely was all for the glory at Unbound Gravel 200, Leadville Trail 100 MTB and Big Sugar Gravel up till now. They, together with Sea Otter Classic, Chequamegon MTB and the brand new addition to the collection for 2024, Little Sugar MTB will all have $30,000 up for grabs at every race in 2025.
That’s an enormous bounce within the providing for all races bar one – Little Sugar MTB which was the one race which beforehand did have an enormous payout, with $65,000 up for grabs in 2024 however has additionally solely simply been added to the collection.
The huge distinction, nevertheless, isn’t the sum of money on supply however who has entry to it. Life Time prize cash is barely eligible to these chosen athletes that participate within the collection however now riders that simply flip up for particular person occasions can seize the person race prizes.
“While persevering with to dedicate a big prize allocation to the collection itself, we felt the time was proper to supply extra prize cash at every of the six races comprising the collection,” Kimo Seymour, Life Time President Media & Events stated in an announcement. “This will allow us to draw a aggressive, world area of prime athletes and to additional develop the game domestically.”
It will even additional assist set the US Gravel races aside, with the extra profitable prize purses usually not straightforward to come back by internationally.
The prize cash announcement comes after the Life Time Grand Prix additionally introduced extra adjustments for 2025 earlier this month. The area of the fourth version will drop to 25 males and 25 ladies, a variety that features three wildcard entries after two occasions – the Sea Otter Classic Gravel on April 11, 2025 and Unbound Gravel on May 31, 2025.
First, nevertheless, the finale of the 2024 season is about to play out on Saturday on the 100-mile Big Sugar Gravel, the place the collection winners will as soon as once more be topped.