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Gravel is influencing World Tour parcours.
Is it? Strade Bianche has been around for a while now, itself a spin off from Eroica, which was inspired by how pro races used to be long before the widespread use of tarmac for road surfaces.
Look back at photos from the major races in the post-war period and most of the mountain stages were run on unsealed roads. Pro cycling has started to return to this type of road because it presents a different challenge in a stage race, but is also a nod to the heritage the major races have.
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Pro cycling has started to return to this type of road because it presents a different challenge in a stage race, but is also a nod to the heritage the major races have.
Maybe you have insider intel that makes this definitive, but it’s regularly mentioned in cycling media the recent gravel stages have something to do with the gravel market explosion.
Trek Segafredo, Movistar, Canyon/SRAM, Rally Cycling, at least, were present. EF podiumed at this event last year and have won others like it.
Gravel is influencing World Tour parcours. Either the World Tour will subsume gravel, or gravel will keep attracting WT riders and teams towards it.
It’s more fun not to turn your nose up at it, that’s what cross is for.