April 25, 2026
For the fifth consecutive year, the road to the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships will run directly through Fayetteville, Arkansas! The fifth annual Highlands Gravel Classic returns to Fayetteville on Saturday, April 25th, 2026, and registration is open to gravel cyclists of all levels.
Featuring a course that winds through the miles upon miles of canopy-covered roads just east of Fayetteville, the 2026 Highlands Gravel Classic has once again been included on the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Gravel World Series calendar. As one of two Gravel World Series races in the country and one of forty-six in the entire world, the Highlands Gravel Classic in Fayetteville, Arkansas is the first opportunity to qualify for the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships in the United States! Athletes from acround the world will be competing at gravel events spread over 4 continents, including the Highlands Gravel Classic, aiming for a spot in the UCI Gravel World Championships 2026 in Nice, France.
Due to its status as a qualifying event, organizers of the Highlands Gravel Classic anticipate a significant increase in participation in the race for 2026 as gravel cyclists from around the country look to secure their place at the start line of the World Championships! Riders will have the opportunity to qualify for UCI Gravel Worlds by finishing in the top 25% of their age category at any of the events in the Highlands Gravel Classic (or at any of the other events in the Gravel World Series). Both professional and amateur gravel cyclists are invited to register for the Highlands Gravel Classic 2026, regardless of skill level.
The race will take riders through a course with incredible views of the breathtaking Boston Mountain range of the Ozark Mountains - aka the Highlands! - and the irresitably rideable gravel roads that intertwine them. Participants are in for a treat, and can look forward to competing on a seemingly endless maze of gravel roads that changes constantly as you progress through the rural backcountry of the Ozarks. The Highlands Gravel Classic will offer two course distances, both comprised of 85% gravel roads. The longer 68-mile “Highlands” course will act as the qualifier for men ages 19-59 and women ages 19-49. The slightly shorter 54-mile “Farmlands” course will be the qualifier for men aged 50+ and women aged 60+.
The “Highlands” course is a winding journey covering 68 miles, beginning and ending at a charming private farm just outside of Fayetteville. With miles of gravel roads surrounded by a lush awning of natural woodlands, riders will encounter over a dozen climbs as they make their way through the remote backcountry of the Ozark Mountains. The most arduous climb stretches a full 2.9 miles (4.7km), with the highest point of the day reached at 2,200 ft on a sprawling ridgeline 33 miles into the course - all with views of the Boston Mountain range rolling across the skyline. The “Farmlands” course isn’t too much shorter - 54 miles - and utilizes many sections of the “Highlands” course, but with a cut through at 24 miles to join back for the finisher. Moderate elevation and undulating gravel roads are commonplace in the Ozarks, but the rolling hills combined with sweeping vistas create breathtaking views of the farmlands that dot the rural landscape.
The Highlands Gravel Classic is organized by All Sports Productions - who promotes many other road, mountain bike, cyclo-cross and gravel races and fondos in the Fayetteville, Arkansas area.
