At the end of August, some of Europe’s finest and fastest gravel racers lined up in Houffalize, Belgium, for the 2026 European Gravel Championships. The setting was spectacular, the course was challenging and the crowds were enthusiastic. However, one major issue overshadowed the event: the organisers’ failure to provide the elite women with the racing experience they deserved. Jorge Padrones was there to race, take in the atmosphere and report on the action. Read on for his first-hand account of the event.
The Belgian Ardennes provided the setting for this year’s European Gravel Championships, with the town of Houffalize at the heart of the action. The region has a long cycling tradition, having previously hosted UCI Mountain Bike World Cup events and featured as part of the Liège–Bastogne–Liège route.
One of the key considerations for organisers of a continental or world championship gravel race is the course. It needs to be demanding enough to ensure that those who have qualified must fight for every metre, with the strongest rider ultimately emerging as the winner.
If the organisers were looking for a truly challenging course, they certainly found it. There seemed to be universal agreement on one word to describe its difficulty: “Brutal.”
The course covered 47 kilometres, with approximately 750 metres of accumulated elevation gain. Most categories had to complete three laps, bringing the total distance to 141 kilometres and around 2,500 metres of climbing.
But, as always, numbers don’t tell the whole story. The elevation gain came in the form of short, steep climbs rather than long ascents. The start line was positioned right at the foot of one of them: a one-kilometre climb averaging 12%, with a maximum gradient of 18%. With no climb longer than a kilometre, the course became a relentless succession of ups and downs.
The terrain was far from easy, too. Singletrack, technical ascents and descents, fast downhill sections and patches of mud left by recent rainfall all added to the challenge. There was little opportunity for riders to form groups and the finish line provided clear evidence of this, with competitors arriving one by one.
It was a course that was hard but beautiful and genuinely fun to ride. Winding through incredible forests, it demanded the riders’ full attention from start to finish.
As for the results, in the elite men’s competition, Mads Würtz Schmidt launched his attack in the second half of the race, securing another year with the European champion’s jersey on his back. In the elite women’s race, Femke Markus claimed victory in a close sprint to the finish line.
The women’s race, however, was not without controversy. The women started last, after all of the men’s categories, including non-competitive riders who had not qualified. For the leading women, this turned the race into something of a slalom, with riders constantly having to search for gaps to pass slower riders and every second counting. They were not always given priority and some riders even refused to make room for them as they tried to pass. While this behaviour was far from ideal, it was not the root of the problem.
Federations need to find a way to ensure that women can compete in their own race without interference from other categories. Possible solutions could include a separate start time or even a different race day. The European Cycling Union acknowledged that it had taken the feedback on board and would work with the relevant organisations to find a suitable solution for next year.
On a more positive note, the overall event organisation was smooth and the atmosphere throughout the event was fantastic. The expo and food court provided a welcoming gathering point for riders and spectators alike, offering the perfect opportunity to recover after the race with some of the region’s typical frites.
A brutal course, incredible scenery, exciting racing and a great atmosphere made Houffalize a memorable setting for the 2026 European Gravel Championships.