The icing on the Leuven gravel cake will be a full fringe programme, for recreational cyclists, supporters and curious visitors.
Now that the gravel discipline is gaining popularity worldwide, the Gravel World Championship is spreading its wings. The two previous official editions took place in Veneto, Italy, this year Halle and Leuven are the organising cities. The city of Leuven, where the finish line is on the Bondgenotenlaan, wants to use the World Championship to spread a lot of cycling love, says Leuven alderman for sports Johan Geleyns. “The successful Cycling World Championship in 2021 has given our top sport ambitions a boost. Once again, the eyes of the world are on us. Leuven is a top sports city that has the expertise to organise the biggest sporting events. We want to make the Gravel World Championship a top edition, by rolling out a beautiful course together with Halle, but also by giving both gravel fans and occasional supporters a great time.”
Rainbow Ride
The elite women will be in action on Saturday, the elite men on Sunday. In total, more than 1,500 gravel bikers from all over the world will come to Flanders. Along with the pros, amateurs will also be at the start, who have qualified for the World Cup via qualifying competitions. Anyone who wants to test the course themselves will have a unique opportunity to do so on Sunday 6 October, via the Rainbow Gravel Ride, a local loop of about 50 km with 300 meters of elevation. G-athletes can also participate.
Anyone who would like to come and support is welcome in the official fan zones in the city centre of Leuven, where the cyclists pass by several times and the race can be followed on a big screen. After the races, the coveted rainbow jersey is awarded on the Martelarenplein, in the fan zone on the Ladeuze- and Hooverplein there is a gravel expo and on Sunday there is an afterparty.
Vibrant cycling atmosphere
During the Leuven loop there are photogenic passages through the Arenberg Park, over the Ramberg, in the city park and over the bicycle spiral at the station. "What we can already promise: the World Cup will create a vibrant atmosphere in the city center. During the World Cup weekend it is also the Customer Weekend, which means that our retailers will do their utmost to make visitors feel at home in the city. Shoppers can expect fun pampering activities, workshops and competitions. We hope for a Leuven folk festival, where everyone can find something to their liking. In the race and everything that Leuven has to offer", says alderman Geleyns.
During the World Cup weekend, the city of Leuven and Golazo ask you to come to Leuven by bike or public transport as much as possible. Those who come by car can park in the Vaartkom peripheral car park (on Saturday and Sunday, there is a free shuttle bus to the city centre), the Philipssite car park and Parking P1 at Leuven station. The Ladeuze car park and the Minckelers car park are also accessible throughout the weekend.
Cultural cycling calendar
If you really want to get into the mood for the World Cup, you can attend a number of activities in Leuven in the coming weeks. For example, from 18 September there will be an exhibition in Bib Leuven Heverlee about the hidden history of women's cycling in Belgium. In the same library, children can go on a gravel hunt in an educational quest. In the Sportkot in Heverlee there will be a live recording of the popular podcast De Jogclub about the World Cup gravel on Thursday 3 October. On Friday 4 October there will be a symposium about the balance between performance and health in endurance sports.
Source article: https://nieuws.leuven.be/leuven-stoomt-zich-klaar-voor-wk-gravel