Sept 8th. Gering, NE.
Noticeable prize purse plus the ticket to WC attracted a pretty good list of pro riders last year.
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If it wasnāt a 136 mile race Iād be tempted to enter. Ticket prices there are surprisingly inexpensive enough.
Any TR folk entering this event.
Also requires the $110 race licenseā¦ none of the gravel races I do require a USAC license.
True, but wouldnāt you imagine a USAC race license being a minimum requirement to participate in the USAC gravel national champion event?
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Sure but it factors into the cost, especially if you arenāt doing any other USAC sanctioned events.
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The race license fee is just part of the deal - but also, you get an insurance benefit for your everyday training rides and group rides in case something happens. Itās actually quite ācheapā insurance if you think about the cost of medical bills. Iām going to buy it right now as a matter of fact.
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I get why pros would go because there is an actual prize purse and they want to go to world champs. But as an amateur, buying a usac license to do one race in the middle of nowhere isnāt a thing I would do. Only way that makes sense to me is if they had a series of events throughout the summer that were good. Then it could be worth it and fun.
Thereās a lot of people out there racing road/cx/mtb who buy the USAC race license who also race gravel. Everyone I know who went to gravel nats last year also races road or cx.
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Everyone has their own reason, speaking for myself the chance to train for and try and win a National Title in my age group is reason enough to do that one single event. At the same time, Iāll pass on 130 plus milesā¦two more years and Iāll be able to the do shorter course.
Iām not seeing the distances. I know the sand and wind were pretty miserable for a few friends that went last year. Add that with the low-ish numbers compared to the higher/āmarqueeā events, drafting and finding a group was a bit more difficult. Iād like to try for it this year.
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Iām basing the distances pff of what they used last year - Iām assuming that those wonāt change at all.
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Does anyone know if this is a qualifier for Gravel Worlds? Iāve dug around and it seems like the only qualifier for Gravel Worlds is the race in April which is part of the UCI/Trek series?
Iām pretty sure only the winner of each amateur category gets a worlds slot from nationals
Is there masters category
Yesā¦5 year buckets.
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Maybe Iāll make a trip out there and give it a shot.
Reason to keep fitness through summer
Sorry - another question. Does anyone know the distance for masters women? I looked at the finish times for my AG and the winner did it in 5 hours. Thatās NOT 135 miles!
Pretty sure there are masters categories for each distanceā¦.but whether they give you a jersey for each distance, I donāt know. My guess is not.
Jersey for the big miles
USAC really dragging out registration and other details on this.