The overall route in Belgium for the 2024uci Gravel World Championship was revealed by the organizer, Golazo, on Tuesday, with Elite women covering 10km in the hilly areas of the Flemish Brabant province on Saturday 5/133. The next day, the Elite Men's division will race 179km on the same route and make an additional pass at the Leuven Circuit.

Halle hosts all elite races and age-specific division starts. The route follows a short 10km loop to the northwest and crosses 80km to first pass the finish area of Leuven. 

The circuit takes to the forests of Brabant, one of the country's 4 national parks. Depending on the category, riders will end up with 1 or 2 or more local laps in Leuven.

The general route map is provided by the organizers, where gravel, cobblestone and unpaved surfaces are estimated to make up about 61% of the route. Details on mountaineering, private domains and sensitive natural areas will be disclosed at a later date.

Last year's battle for Rainbow Stripes crowned Kasia Niewiadoma (Poland) as the elite women's champion after 140km of the race, while Matei Mohorić (Slovenia) was crowned as the elite men's champion on the 169km course. 

"The area is a true paradise for those who love the gruelling climbs on gravel roads, monumental trees and roads that carve out the depths of the landscape," the organizers said in a press release.

In addition to audience viewing in Halle and Leuven, the official fan zone will be set up along the route and in some places will provide live-action videos with huge screens.

"Several viewing areas will also be set up along the course in cooperation with the various municipalities involved. The aim is to focus the audience as much as possible on the best spots to see the riders, while minimizing the burden on Brabant's forests. "In the middle of Leuven's fan zone, a gravel expo will be held offering the latest gravel products and bicycles," says Christophe Impens, head of cycling at Golazo. 

Many of the routes were used for the uec European Gravel Championship and the Belgian Gravel Championship last year, and the region also hosted the 2021 Uci Road World Championship. The passage from west to east through the Brabant forest should be the same. Golazo will work with local institutions and partners to "optimally protect natural values" to support sustainability initiatives.

"We have a broad sustainability plan. A key element of sustainability planning is mobility. Both Halle and Leuven offer the ideal infrastructure where you can enjoy the Bolero UCI Gravel World Championship by public transport. Both the start and finish are within walking distance of the train station and there is also a direct connection between the two host cities," Impens said.

Qualification for the third edition of the UCI Gravel World Championship will continue in the top 25% of the categories from national champions, Continental Championships, national team selection, as well as one of the 25 events that make up the Trek UCI Gravel World Series.