CANYON RIDERS AT THE 2025 UCI GRAVEL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

This coming weekend (October 11-12) the UCI Gravel World Champs return, bringing the world’s best gravel riders together in the Dutch province of south Limburg - and Canyon bikes are sure to be in the thick of the action.

With rolling hills and punchy climbs over a mix of gravel sections, forest trails and country roads, the Limburg landscape will provide the stage for two days of intense, history-in-the-making, unforgettable gravel racing moments. And Canyon athletes from the CLLCTV gravel race team, CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto, Alpecin-Deceuninck and Fenix-Deceuninck are ready to make it four in a row with the Canyon Grail CFR. 

The female pros kick things off with the Women’s Elite race on Saturday 11th October, followed by the Men’s Elite on Sunday 12th. Both races unfold on a demanding 50 km loop that winds through the rolling hills of South Limburg before the finish in Maastricht. The women’s field will complete 2.5 laps and 131 km, while the men will cover 3.5 laps and 180 km. Along the way, riders will face the decisive 8% climb up Bronsdalweg – a prime location for race-defining attacks. 

The route weaves through the Limburg countryside, passing regions deeply ingrained in cycling history thanks to iconic events like the Amstel Gold Race. With a dynamic mix of fast gravel sectors, sharp climbs and technical sections, the Gravel World Championships course will challenge the riders’ endurance, tactics and bike handling skills in equal measure. 

A strong line up of Canyon athletes will take to the start line in South Limburg, ready to make their mark on the Gravel World Championships. From CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto, we have the ever-rising German talent and newly-crowned Gravel Earth Series winner Rosa Klöser, and Tiffany Cromwell (AU), a seasoned pro with extensive experience on both the gravel and road racing scenes. 

Meanwhile repping for Canyon's gravel team will be Jade Treffeisen (GER), Jasper Ockeloen (NL) and Petr Vakoč (CZ, pictured below). 

From Fenix-Deceuninck, Pauliena Rooijakkers (NL), Marthe Truyen (BE) and Yara Kastelijn (NL) will be part of the women’s field. On the men’s side, defending champion Mathieu van der Poel isn't riding but Alpecin-Deceuninck team mates Gianni Vermeersch (BE) - the inaugural Gravel World Champion of 2022 – alongside Tibor del Grosso (NL), Timo Kielich (BE), Emiel Verstrynge (BE) and Niels Vandeputte (BE) are ready to light up the race. 

Grail CFR: poised for glory once again

All Canyon riders will be racing on the Grail CFR, Canyon’s race-tuned gravel bike, developed through countless hours of real-world testing with professional athletes and Canyon engineers. After powering athletes to three consecutive rainbow jersey (van der Poel in 2024, Kasia Niewiadoma in 2023 and Vermeersch in 2022), the Grail CFR is once again poised for glory as the riders aim to make it four in a row. 

The Gravel Worlds are more than just two days of racing. From Wednesday to Friday (Oct. 8-10), Canyon invites fans and visitors to join daily gravel rides and community events designed to capture the true spirit of gravel: connection, adventure and shared experience.

Across the race weekend, Canyon will also be present at the Shimano Expo Area, where riders and fans can grab coffee, explore the latest gravel innovations, meet Canyon athletes and immerse themselves in the world of performance and community that defines the brand. 

The full ride schedule is listed below. All social rides are open to the community and include post-ride gatherings with food, drinks and opportunities to connect with riders and creators from the gravel scene. Register via the SRAM Rider Hub linked here. 

We wish all Canyon riders and all competitors safe and successful racing in South Limburg. 

• Wednesday, October 8: Gravel Social Ride with Kirsten Boerrigter (36 km), finishing with a relaxed community get-together. 

• Thursday, October 9: Zipp Gravel Ride with Fatpigeon.cc (36 km), followed by pizza, drinks, a live Q&A, and an exclusive screening of the Fatpigeon Silk Road Mountain Race film. 

• Friday, October 10: Gravel Ride with Jasper Ockeloen (46 km), closing with food, drinks, and an inspiring Grail Talk with Canyon’s design engineer Matthias Hensolt.