Highlands Gravel Classic

The Highlands Gravel Classic is the first of two qualifiers in the USA for the UCI Gravel World Series (GWS). The GWS will include both new and existing events from around the world to qualify competitors to attend the world championships in Nice, France.  Selection for the world championships will be based upon age group and gender, along with both Elite men's and women's categories for UCI-licensed riders.  The top 25% finishers of ages 19-34 and then each 5-year age group (ex 35-39) separated by gender up to the oldest competitor will qualify.

Highlands Gravel Classic will feature 2 courses...Highlands - 68 miles and Farmlands - 54 miles.  The 68 mile course is for Elites, Males (19-59) and Females (19-49). The 54 mile course is for Males 60+ and Females 50+. 

Field Participant Caps:

• Farmlands course - 500 total riders
• Highlands course - 600 total riders

Check out the awesome biking in the great State of Arkansas. The Arkansas Cycling Guide will be your resource for all-things 2 wheels in The Natural State.

Start / Finish Location:

• Goshen Community Center, 244 Clark Street, Goshen, AR 72735
• Signage will direct participants where to park

2025 Course Details (2026 will be very similar):

• Surfaces - both courses are 85% gravel. 
• Feed Zones:
  • Farmlands (54 mile course). FZ1 (Mile 19.9) and FZ 3 (42.6)
  • Highlands (68 mile course).  FZ1 (19.9), FZ 2 (40.8) and FZ 3 (56.5)
  • Locations:
    • FZ 1 (both courses) - https://maps.app.goo.gl/Z9kz5MBng48sauRh8
      FZ 2 (Highlands only) - https://maps.app.goo.gl/Kibt5sfxFCVxu8Pa6
      FZ 3 (both courses) - https://maps.app.goo.gl/uAVWoXDXgHqnDey37

Qualifications:

• To be able to qualify for the UCI World Gravel Series age groups must compete in same distance. Farmlands course is open to Men ages 60+ and Women 50+, Highlands course is open to Men ages 19-59 and Women ages 19-49.  ALL Elite racers (men and women) will compete in the Highlands course.
• Each UCI Gravel World Series event grants qualification rights for the UCI Gravel World Championships for those riders finishing in the first 25% of their age group.  The 25% is calculated based on the number of starters in each age group, and not on the number of riders having finished the race. 
• In addition, the first three riders of each official age category will qualify directly for the World Championships, independently of the number of starters in that group.

2026 Maps TBA, but very similar to 2025 Courses:

• 2025 Highlands Course - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46070187
• 2025 Farmlands Course - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46072539
• Shakeout ride route - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46147744

Ride With GPS - During the event a participant of the 2026 HGC will have access to the premium features at no charge of the RWGPS app. Just make sure to download the app to your device. Those features include voice navigation and navigation without cellphone service!

• Invitation Link - Coming Soon
• Event - Coming Soon

2025 Highlands:

2025 Farmlands:

It's good to be hungry when you're in Fayetteville, but it's hard to stay that way! Fayetteville’s authentic, diverse culinary scene continually expands thanks to a new wave of restaurateurs showcasing regional ingredients and reinventing traditional dishes. Unique culinary experiences include farm-to-table restaurants and artisan coffee shops that roast locally. For recommendations visit www.experiencefayetteville.com/eat

When dining out, please let them know you're in town for the Highlands Gravel Classic!

Where is the start / finish of the event? Goshen Community Center - 244 Clark Street, Goshen, AR US 72735

Where do I park?  Parking will be onsite, please follow parking signs

What is available at the feed zones?  Water, electrolytes, sweet and salty snacks.  There will be limited water bottle handups at each FZ.

What are the rules for outside support for mechanicals or feed?  No support can be offered outside the official feedzones.  No mechanical assistance can be accepted unless provided by neutral support.  Any rider receiving outside support (mechanical or feed) other than provided by race neutral support will be disqualified.

Can rider's personal support follow riders?  Only neutral support and official vehicles may follow riders.  Any non-race vehicles following the route will be asked by race officials to exit the courses as soon as possible.

Are aerobars allowed? Yes

Where / When is packet pickup?  See Packet Pickup Info

Where do I place my race numbers? 2 numbers:

• bike plate attaches to the front of your handlebars.  DO NOT MANIPULATE THE PLATE.
• jersey bib number on back of jersey.  Right side above pocket.

What should I do if I lose my race number? If you have lost your number please return to registration.  We will assign you new numbers.

Do I need a USAC license? No.

Can someone pickup my packet?  No.  

What happens if I am unable to participate due to injury / work / illness can I get a refund?  Please refer to our refund policy.

What is the weather policy?  We will ride rain, snow, sleet or shine.  We carefully monitor the weather, All Sports Productions in coordination with both local emergency personnel and race officials will make decisions based on safety first.  If weather should occur while on course, please shelter in the nearest safe location.

Can I purchase a meal ticket for my friends and/or family?  YES!  We would love to feed your friends and family!  Your race entry includes a post event meal, then you may choose to purchase extra meal tickets as part of the registration process.  A single ticket is $10, families of 3 or more is $30. 

First City in USA Awarded UCI ‘Bike City’
Fayetteville is the first city in the United States to be awarded the designation of ‘Bike City’ by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world governing body of cycling.

The Most Friendly Bicycle City Around
Fayetteville, Arkansas is the sixth most bicycle-friendly city in the United States, boasting an incredible 38 registered bike-friendly businesses! If that’s not blowing your mind, consider that you’ll find only 22 in Portland, Oregon, and 10 in San Francisco.

Things To Do
Surrounded by the scenic Ozark Mountains, Fayetteville is the entertainment capital of Northwest Arkansas. With its thriving arts scene, legendary live music and nightlife, culinary treasures, and events and attractions for all ages, there’s no shortage of things to see and do in Fayetteville!

Visitors Guide
Get the inside scoop on where to EAT, PLAY & STAY when you come to Fayetteville, AR.

Fayetteville Trail System
Fayetteville and the surrounding areas have some of the best paved and mountain bike trails you will find anywhere including 100 miles accessible within the city limits.

Goshen, Arkansas (7 miles from Fayetteville) will be the site of this year's start/finish area along with hosting an amazing post-event party for our athletes.

Goshen is where the White River meets Richland Creek at "The Twin Bridges," a favorite spot for seasonal white bass fishing. With all its charm and neighborly character, Goshen provides a rich history of families who have owned farms for generations. The landscape is dotted with hay fields, cattle farms and equine facilities giving the community a real hometown feel. Goshen is also home to Mill Branch Park, a 111 acre park for those who love the outdoors. From hiking trails to disc golf, there is something for everyone!

Host Accommodations:

Experience Fayetteville 
From luxury suites to economy accommodations to a night under the stars - for additional recommendations just visit www.experiencefayetteville.com/sleep

Packet Pickup and Onsite Registration

Friday April 24, 2026 - Packet Pickup and Registration:

• 4:00 - 7:00 pm
• Goshen Community Center, 244 Clark Street, Goshen, AR US 72735

Saturday, April 25, 2026 - Packet Pickup Only:

• 6:00 - 7:30 am
• Goshen Community Center, 244 Clark Street, Goshen, AR US 72735

Friday (4/24/2026):

• 2:00 - 4:00 pm. Official HGC shake out ride.  See Course link for route.
• 2:00 - 7:00 pm.  Packet Pickup and Registration
• Location for both events - Goshen Community Center, 244 Clark Street, Goshen, AR US 72735

Friday evening:

• Activities TBA 

Saturday (4/25/2026): 

• 5:45 am - Parking begins
• 5:45 am - Coffee served
• 6:00 am - Packet pickup begins
• 7:45 am - mandatory pre-race meeting
• 7:55 am - Prayer and National Anthem
• 8:00 am - UCI Elite Men
• 8:02 am - Age Group Men 19-44
• 8:04 am - Age Group Men 45-59
• 8:10 am - UCI Elite Women
• 8:15 am - Age Group Women 19-49 / All under-19 riders
• 8:45 am - Age Group Men 60+
• 8:50 am - Age Group Women 50+
• 10:30 am - Food and drink will be served
• 11:30 am - Highland Podiums and Qualifiers begin
• 12:30 pm - Farmland Podiums and Qualifiers begin

No refunds will be given, however....

• Participants who are unable to race will be allowed to rollover their entry to the following year or apply it to another All Sports Production's owned events in the current year.
• Participants must contact the Race Director before the race to be eligible for a rollover.
• Only event entry fees can be rolled over.  Merchandise may be picked up.
• If the event is cancelled, rollovers do not apply and ALL participants will be transferred to the reschedule date of the event.
• All Sports Productions in coordination with both local emergency personnel and race officials will make decisions based on safety first.
• Courses and/or race segments may be altered as agreed to between All Sports Productions and race officials.
• If the event must be cancelled, then a participants' registration will be transferred to the rescheduled event only.  The rescheduled date may not be until the following year's regularly scheduled date.  The transfer is only good for the rescheduled event regardless if the athlete is able to attend.

Get up to $20 cash back on your registration by inviting your friends to join you!

1.  Register for the race of your choice.  Once you complete your registration you will receive a unique URL to share on social media and with your friends and family.

2.  Share your link with everyone you know!

3.  Get $5 back after your first friend registers*

4.  Get an additional $15 back after your 5th friend registers!!*

5.  Keep sharing!

*Money will be refunded to your card within days of your friends registering!

Fayetteville, Arkansas

How do you get here?

Located in the Northwest corner of Arkansas, Fayetteville is situated on Interstate I-49, with close proximity to Interstate 412 and Northwest Regional Airport.  

By Plane:

• Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) - 24 miles
• Fort Smith, Arkansas (FSM) - 65 miles
• Tulsa, Oklahoma (TUL) - 115 miles

By Car:

• Little Rock, AR - 203 miles
• Oklahoma City, OK - 225 miles
• Kansas City, MO - 268 miles
• Wichita, KS - 314 miles
• Shreveport, LA - 317 miles
• Memphis, TN - 336 miles
• Dallas, TX - 398 miles
• Jackson, MS - 546 miles
• Louisville, KY - 598 miles
• Chicago, IL - 632 miles
• New Orleans, LA - 732 miles
• Denver, CO - 784 miles

UCI Gravel World Series Events
The UCI Gravel World Series is composed of individual cycling for all gravel cycling competitions. A UCI Gravel World Series event is a competitive mass participation event with a mass start (or in waves with intervals between the start groups) which is fully timed for all participants and splits results per age group and gender. The riders have to respect road traffic regulations at all times. The UCI Gravel World Championships is the last event of the series, open to riders qualified through the series.  List of World Championship locations through 2029 - https://ucigravelworldseries.com/en/world-championships/.

The 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships and G7 Festival of Gravel will be held in the South West of Western Australia from October 3rd to 11th with the GWS on October 10-11.

Participation Rights

• Licenses - No license is required except the Elite category
  • Exception of:
    • Any rider who has during the current year been a member of a team registered with the UCI.
    • Any rider who has taken part in a World Championships, the Olympic Games, Continental Games, Regional Games, the Commonwealth Games, or a World Cup during the current year
    • Any rider who has scored UCI points in the year of the World Championships
  • Note: Riders who qualify for the UCI Gravel World Championships, must hold a valid license issued by their respective national federation (day licenses being excluded), must hold a UCI ID and must be adequately insured against accidents and civil responsibility in the country in which the UCI Gravel World Championships are held.
• Bikes - Riders may use any type of bike (road bike, mountain bike, city bike, hybrid bike, cross bike, etc.) with the exception of tandem, recumbent bikes or time trial road bikes which are forbidden. Of Note - the UCI Gravel World Championships will have additional restrictions and riders should check WCC site for further restrictions and requirements.
• Competion / Awards:
  • Elite Category (See Note below) both women and men.  This category is reserved for riders who hold and/or must purchase a UCI license to compete along with if a rider would like to start in the Elite category at the Gravel World Championships.
  • Age Group Categories - both women and men:
    • 14 - 18 (this category is NOT a qualifying category)
    • 19 – 34
    • 35 – 39
    • 40 – 44
    • 45 – 49
    • 50 – 54
    • 55 – 59
    • 60 – 64
    • 65 – 69
    • 70 – 74
    • 75 – 79
    • Etc. (any further 5-year category for which riders have entered)
  • Age Calculation - Groups applicable to the UCI Gravel World Series are defined by the rider’s age on December 31st of the year of the qualifier event. Riders who qualify past the World Championships for next year’s World Championships and change age group in the following year will automatically take their qualification to the next age group and do not need to qualify again in their new age group in the year of the World Championships.
  • Awards - as per the regulations applied for the UCI Gravel World Championships, medals and titles will be awarded for men and/or women as soon as 1 rider is registered in the respective 5-year Age Group or Elite categories. 
  • Note - Elite: Riders of a UCI registered team must start mandatory in the elite category while club level Elites have the choice between the Elite category or their respective Age Group.

Qualification for the UCI Gravel World Championships:
As per the official qualification system for the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships, each UCI Gravel World Series event grants qualification rights for the UCI Gravel World Championships for those riders finishing in the first 25% of their category. The 25% is calculated based on the number of starters in each category, and not on the number of riders having finished the race. The 25% is rounded to the highest number to determine the exact number of qualified riders per category (for instance: with 26 starters, 6.5 are eligible for qualification, meaning that the first 7 will be invited for the World Championships). In addition, the first three riders of each official category will qualify directly for the World Championships, independently of the number of starters in that age group. Riders must finish the race to gain qualification.

Elite riders from a UCI registered team must always take part in the elite category. Elite riders with a national level license have the choice to start in the elite category or in their respective age groups but must make that choice prior to the race. Riders signing up for the elite category can only qualify for the elite category at the UCI Gravel World Championships. Riders signing up for the age group categories can only qualify for the age group categories at the UCI Gravel World Championships. NOTE: If a rider who started with the elites didn’t qualify in the elite category, that rider can’t claim qualification in their age group if their finish time would be within the top 25% of their age category.

For all other methods of qualification (wild cards, masters national champions, etc.), please consult the official qualification system for the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships.

The names of riders having gained qualification through the UCI Gravel World Series will be communicated on the UCI Gravel World Series website and will receive an official email from the UCI inviting them to register for the UCI Gravel World Championships via the dedicated online registration portal.