Who will emerge victorious in the elite races at the 2025 UCI Gravel World Championships? Let's dive into the top contenders shaping this exciting competition.
Gravel racing demands resilience and versatility, not only in the rugged and ever-changing racecourses but also among the riders themselves. The diverse and unpredictable terrain challenges even the most seasoned professionals, testing their equipment choices and fitness to the limit.
The fourth UCI Gravel World Championships, taking place this weekend in Zuid-Limburg, perfectly captures the essence of dynamic, Classics-style racing. The event unfolds on Dutch soil, renowned from Amstel Gold Race routes, attracting some of cycling’s biggest stars such as Lorena Wiebes, Marianne Vos, and Tim Merlier from the Netherlands, alongside Belgium’s Tim Wellens and France’s Romain Bardet.
Veteran gravel racers are fiercely pursuing the coveted rainbow stripes, promising a thrilling battle among heavyweights like Belgium’s Gianni Vermeersch and Greg Van Avermaet, Australia’s Tiffany Cromwell, the Netherlands’ Geerike Schreurs, and Germany’s Rosa Klöser. Expect them to shape the front of the elite races with vigor.
However, the lineup is missing some notable names. The reigning 2023 women’s champion Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Poland), last year’s fourth-place finisher Puck Pieterse (Netherlands), and three-time U.S. champion Lauren Stephens won’t be competing. On the men’s side, 2024 champion Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands) is taking a break after a demanding season, leaving the podium wide open. Although 2023 men's winner Matej Mohorič (Slovenia) is registered, his participation remains uncertain following struggles at recent road and European championships.
Interestingly, many top gravel riders known for excelling on longer, hillier courses will also be absent. American competitors such as Keegan Swenson, Alexey Vermeulen, Cole Paton, Cecily Decker, and Melisa Rollins are prioritizing the Life Time Grand Prix events in Arkansas over the coming weeks. Similarly, other stars like South Africa’s Matthew Beers and Haley Preen, Switzerland’s Simon Pellaud, Norway’s Torbjørn Røed, Australia’s Cameron Jones and Courtney Sherwell, and Canada’s Haley Smith and Andrew L’Esperance are also committed to the Arkansas races.
Marianne Vos (Netherlands)
Marianne Vos arrives as the defending champion after securing last year’s title in Leuven ahead of Belgium's Lotte Kopecky and fellow Dutch rider Lorena Wiebes. Although she skipped the recent Rwanda Road World Championships due to personal reasons, her summer was impressive, with a stage win and multiple podium finishes at the Tour de France, plus a strong second place at GP Plouay.
Her gravel calendar this year has been light, but even so, Vos clinched victory at the UCI 3Rides Gravel Race against tough competition from Larissa Hartog and Germany’s Romy Kasper. With a staggering 14 elite world titles spanning cyclocross, road, track, and gravel, Vos’s versatility and experience make her the favourite to defend her title in Limburg.
Tom Pidcock (Great Britain)
Tom Pidcock is adding gravel to his impressive repertoire. The 26-year-old boasts two Olympic mountain bike cross-country golds and multiple World Championships in MTB and cyclocross. Having recently conquered punchy climbs in the Amstel Gold Race, which he won last year, he heads into gravel with serious credentials.
This season saw Pidcock reach his first Grand Tour podium with an aggressive third-place finish at the Vuelta a España. He also placed 10th at the grueling Road World Championships in Kigali, where only 30 riders completed the 268km race, and recently finished second at Giro dell’Emilia. Although the Dutch gravel course may lack the technical trails he prefers, the continual climbs should offer him several opportunities to shake up the front group.
Tim Merlier (Belgium)
Competing for the second time at Gravel Worlds, Tim Merlier came eighth in Leuven last year amidst a strong Belgian presence chasing the solo winner Mathieu van der Poel. With van der Poel absent this year, Merlier is set to be one of Belgium’s key leaders.
At 32, Merlier is in his 16th professional road season and enjoyed a successful summer with two Tour de France stage wins. He also took bronze at the Belgian Gravel Nationals and earned victories at Scheldeprijs and Brussels Cycling Classic alongside a second-place finish at Gent-Wevelgem. His proficiency on rolling hills and gravel tracks makes him a serious contender in Limburg.
Rosa Klöser (Germany)
German national champion Rosa Klöser is a formidable force, competing in a wide array of gravel and road events this season with the Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto team. She made a major splash last year by winning the Unbound Gravel 200 and securing numerous podiums.
Klöser’s 2025 season has been outstanding, with 11 podiums from 12 top-tier gravel races, including wins at Eislek Gravel Luxembourg, Hegau Gravel Race, The Rift, CORE4, Lauf Gravel Worlds, Ranxo Gravel, and the German National Championships elite women’s title. Despite modest finishes just outside the top 20 at Gravel Worlds in 2023 and 2024, she enters this year’s race with much more experience. After course reconnaissance, Klöser feels confident, noting the event features sharp climbs rather than highly technical sections.
Mads Würtz Schmidt (Denmark)
Mads Würtz Schmidt has quickly established himself as a gravely formidable competitor, fresh off winning the European gravel title in Italy last month. His evolving focus on gravel racing, following a WorldTour career with Katusha Alpecin and Israel-Premier Tech, has made him a serious rival on these dirt roads.
Schmidt began 2025 impressively with wins at the first three UCI Gravel World Series races he entered—Turnout Gravel, Monaco Gravel, and Blaavands Huk. Alongside this, he took victories at The Traka 200 and finished strong in several other events, including a near-podium fourth at Unbound Gravel 200. Recently he dominated at Houffa Gravel, ahead of six Belgian riders, showcasing the kind of performance he could bring to Limburg.
Lorena Wiebes (Netherlands)
Lorena Wiebes is another strong Dutch contender for the women’s elite world title. After finishing third in Leuven last year and fifth in Veneto the previous year, she’s determined to finally claim the rainbow jersey.
Wiebes has participated in only one gravel race this season, winning the Marly Gravel Race against compatriots Quinty Ton and Ilse Pluimers. On the road, she’s had a stellar season with 25 victories, including prestigious races like Milan-San Remo, Brugge-De Panne, Gent-Wevelgem, plus multiple stage wins at the Giro and Tour. Her recent win at Binche Chimay came just before she headed to the Gravel Worlds.
It’s striking that such an accomplished rider has yet to capture an elite world title—could Limburg be her breakthrough?
Romain Bardet (France)
Romain Bardet recently bid farewell to a 14-year professional road career at the Critérium du Dauphiné. Yet, his contract allows him to continue gravel racing with the Picnic-PostNL team, where he has already won twice in the UCI Gravel World Series and will make his Gravel Worlds debut this Sunday.
Transitioning smoothly into gravel racing despite minimal specialized training, Bardet compares racing gravel to a breakaway stage on a Grand Tour, reflecting his background as a climber. At 34, he remains fit and competitive.
Bardet’s recent battles with compatriot Hugo Drechou hint at strong French rivalry dynamics. Bardet prevailed in the UCI Gravel World Series event on home soil by a four-minute margin but then lost out to Drechou in the French Gravel Nationals sprint. Their potential collaboration might be key to contesting the dominant Belgian and Dutch teams.
Tiffany Cromwell (Australia)
Tiffany Cromwell brings consistent excellence as she makes her fourth Gravel Worlds appearance. Her best results have been two top-10 finishes, including sixth place in 2022 and 10th in 2023, with a non-finish in Leuven last year.
Cromwell began 2025 with victories at RADL GRVL and the Australian national title, followed by strong showings in the Devils Cardigan and Seven events. She also clinched a win at Unbound Gravel 100 in the U.S. After several summer road races, including various top-five finishes, she’s well-prepared for her rainbow jersey pursuit this weekend.
Will the absence of significant gravel stars from longer, hillier events reshape the competition? Could a road and cyclocross legend like Marianne Vos or an up-and-coming gravel specialist like Mads Würtz Schmidt steal the spotlight? And how might the dynamics shift without major names like Mathieu van der Poel?
These questions invite spirited debate. Who do you think has the best shot at victory? Do you believe the Dutch dominance will continue, or can underdogs from other countries disrupt the status quo? Share your thoughts below—this race promises intrigue and surprises at every turn.
