Sensing opportunity, USA Triathlon announces gravel triathlon series
The eight-race series will ban aero bars and time trial bikes
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Cycling is in a transition zone, and the triathletes have taken notice.
Following on the multi-year rise of gravel racing in the cycling world, our multi-talented siblings over in triathlon now want a piece of the pie. On Wednesday, the American governing body for the sport, USA Triathlon, announced the creation of a new gravel tri series, kicking off this year.
According to our friends over at Triathlete, who published a deeper dive into the new gravel tri announcement, the eight-race series will begin with the Jersey Gravel Triathlon in May and include races in California, Michigan, Texas, Idaho, and Colorado, plus a national championship at the Ozark Valley Triathlon in Arkansas on June 3.
Unlike traditional gravel racing, without the swim and run bits, gravel tri comes with a set of rules developed by USA Triathlon specifically for the discipline. For the safety of both the athletes and the general public, gravel triathletes will be banned from using time trial bikes and aerobars (which will chuff Geoff Kabush to bits), settling within triathlon an issue that remains contentious in the gravel racing world. Gravel triathletes are also banned from using fixed gear bikes. The rest of the rules and structures mimic regular triathlon.
“Gravel cycling is growing incredibly fast and the multisport community is positioned to take advantage of this trend by providing athletes with new and unique race formats and disciplines,” said USAT CEO Rocky Harris in a press statement, finally living up to his first name.
For more, check out the story over on Triathlete.
The USAT Gravel Tri Series
May 15 – Jersey Gravel Triathlon – Hewitt, NJ
June 18 – The Theoi – Donnelly, ID
July 23 – Ugly Dog Gravel Tri – Chelsea, MI
July 31 – Stagecoach Gravel Triathlon – Steamboat Springs, CO
Sept. 10 – The Gravel X Triathlon – Folsom, CA
Sept. 25 – The Dirty Mitten – Middleville, MI
Sept. 25 – XTERRA Laguna Beach – Laguna Beach, CA
Oct. 23 – Brick House Triathlon – Navasota, TX
June 3 — USAT Gravel National Championship — Fayetteville, AR