A World Championship on Home Soil
On October 10-11, 2026, the UCI Gravel World Championships come to Australia for the first time — hosted in Nannup, Western Australia. For a sport that's spent its biggest stage in Europe and the US, that's a significant moment. For anyone riding gravel in WA, it's happening close enough to touch.
Why Nannup, and Why It Matters Locally
Nannup sits in WA's South West — mixed forest roads, undulating terrain, and exactly the kind of varied gravel surface that makes for a genuinely demanding course. For riders based in and around Perth, this isn't a world championship happening somewhere abstract; it's on terrain many will already recognise from weekend rides.
What It Means If You're Not Racing
You don't need a start number for this to be relevant. A World Championship on home soil tends to do two things locally: it pulls a wave of new riders into gravel, and it puts a spotlight on the routes and regions around the host town. Expect more interest in South West WA gravel routes over the next 12 months, both from locals rediscovering nearby roads and visitors riding in ahead of or after the event.
Preparing a Titanium Gravel Bike for This Kind of Terrain
A few things worth checking before you put in the bigger kilometres this course rewards:
- Tyre clearance and choice. Mixed forest gravel rewards a wider tyre with reliable puncture protection over an ultra-light race set-up, unless you're specifically training for race-day conditions.
- Gearing for undulating terrain. Rolling forest roads punish a gearing choice built for flat gravel — check your range now, not the week before an event.
- Fit over a long day. Titanium's ride compliance matters more the longer you're in the saddle. If you're building toward a full event distance, this is the season to dial in position, not race week.
- Component checks. Anything you're planning to ride hard in October should be shaken down well before spring — bearings, cables and drivetrain wear show up faster under race-pace efforts.
Building Toward It
Between now and the 10-11 October race weekend, we'll be following the build-up to the Championships and continuing to publish route and preparation content for riders in WA and beyond who want to make the most of gravel's biggest year yet on home soil.