"It's hard to give up an opportunity to race Worlds" - Many American pros give up on travelling to Belgium for Gravel World Championships without support from federation
Gravel
United States, despite being a powerhouse in the world of gravel racing, will be sending only a very modest lineup for the Gravel World Championships in Belgium this year. The reason being a lack of funds in an already exhausting Olympic season. To add to this, the Worlds clash with two major events in States and for many riders, it's a welcome chance to have a healthy income.
In addition, the UCI Gravel World Championship course "is not going to favour an American gravel rider," said Paige Onweller, who cancelled her plans to head to Belgium. She'll instead compete for the top shares in the States and focus on "two pure gravel events that suit me very well."
"I was excited about the opportunity to be a part of a team and to help maybe another rider that [the Worlds course] does suits well, but it's hard. It's an Olympic year, and there's not a ton of support. It's hard to give up an opportunity to race Worlds, but I have to think about where my priorities are at right now, and what best suits me personally. The decision was multifaceted," she told Cyclingnews.
One of the few American gravel specialists who will make the trip to Belgium is wildcard John Borstelmann. "My main motivation is I always wanted to race in Flanders, in the crosswinds and the cobbles and the little punchy climbs. This will be diving into the deep end, sort of like a bonus race for me," the 33-year-old told Cyclingnews.
"As a team, we have no support from USA Cycling so it will be a lot of guys privateering," he notes. "My understanding from the Italian World Championships, 230 guys on the line, it's just so chaotic that any sort of team strategy is virtually impossible."
The 22-year-old Andy Lydic finds a sense of pride in representing his country at the Worlds. "I do find paying for the travel and team kit to be an investment in my future. I set aside the funds to enable myself to go to the World Championships because it matters to me and I believe will pay for itself down the road with sponsorship and partnership opportunities."
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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