Get ready for an exciting shake-up in the world of gravel racing! The 2026 Gravel Earth Series is undergoing a major transformation, and it's time to dive into the details. Organizers have announced a significant change, reducing the number of global events from 23 to a more focused 13 in the upcoming fourth edition. But here's where it gets interesting: two anchor events, The Traka and Migration Gravel, will return for a fourth consecutive year, keeping the series grounded in tradition. And this is the part most people miss - the series will also introduce new races in Iceland and Belgium, adding a fresh twist to the competition.
The series is organized by Klassmark, an event company based in Girona, Spain, with a strong commitment to minimizing environmental impact. Klassmark now owns half of the races featured on the calendar, including the exciting new addition, Cuckoo Iceland by The Traka, scheduled for June 28 in Flúðir, Iceland. This race will replace The Rift gravel race, which has been a part of the GES calendar for the past two seasons. The new location, approximately 50km further inland, offers a unique experience with its abundance of hot springs and geysers.
In the 2025 Gravel Earth Series, Rosa Klöser of Canyon Factory Racing dominated with four event wins and the elite women's overall title. Magnus Bak Klaris from PAS Racing took the elite men's title, boasting three victories and a second-place finish at Ranxo Gravel. Klöser's impressive performance earned her six podiums, including wins at The Rift, CORE4, Gravel Worlds, and the Ranxo Gravel finale. The women's overall rankings were completed by Karolina Migoń and Morgan Aguirre, both from PAS Racing, in second and third, respectively, with Geerike Schreurs of SD Worx-Protime in fourth.
On the men's side, Piotr Havik of Classified x Rose Factory Team finished second overall, with Tobias Kongstad of PAS Racing in third. Petr Vakoč from Canyon rounded off the top four.
This series is shaping up to be a thrilling competition, and we can't wait to see how these changes impact the racing landscape. So, what do you think? Will the new locations and reduced number of events make for a more intense competition? Or do you prefer the larger scale of previous editions? Let's discuss in the comments and share our thoughts on this evolving gravel racing series!
