Heathland Gravel opens registrations for its second edition
On 8, 9 and 10 August, the second edition of Heathland Gravel will be taking place at Terhills, Maasmechelen. The gravel race, won in August for the first time by Jasper Ockeloen and Fleur Moors, gives at least 50 competitors the chance to qualify for Unbound Gravel 2026. Registration for the second edition of the official European qualifier for the gravel event of the year in Emporia, Kansas, is now open.
In early 2024, Flanders Classics announced a partnership with US-based Life Time Events, the organisation behind Unbound Gravel. For the first time, gravel players could qualify for the iconic gravel race in Emporia, Kansas via a qualifier event. In August, Belgium’s Fleur Moors and Dutchman Jasper Ockeloen crowned themselves the first overall winners of Heathland Gravel, qualifying for Heathland Gravel 2025 along with about 50 other participants.
The successful first edition will have another chapter in 2025. From 8 to 10 August 2025, Heathland Gravel will again pitch its tents in the shadow of the Maasmechelen mine shaft in Terhills Nature Park. Participants who register not only buy a ticket for the race on the Sunday, but - as with the first edition - can also expect a well-filled gravel three-day event packed with fun extras. For warming up and just for the enjoyment, on the Friday and Saturday, social rides and a course reconnaissance have been organised and are included in the participation ticket, along with a bike expo at the event site.
85% gravel
Those looking to earn a starting place for Unbound Gravel can only do so by participating in the longest distance of 160 km. What makes Heathland Gravel so very special is the high percentage of gravel paths. More than 85% of the course is on unpaved roads, making Heathland Gravel a true gravel race. Of these 160 km, by the end of the ride, more than 130 km are timed across different segments.
Heathland Gravel takes you right through Hoge Kempen National Park, Belgium's first national park and 127 square kilometres of unbroken nature. The route meanders across and between the mining slag heaps, and takes the participants right through the ‘Mechelse Heide’, which is in bloom in August and turns a stunning purple. Combine this with a mix of dunes and forested areas and it is easy to understand that Limburg is the mecca for gravel in Flanders.
How to qualify?
A maximum of 4,000 athletes can and do participate in Unbound Gravel and spots in the event are coveted. Those starting the 160-km Heathland Gravel have a chance to win one of 50 coins that grant automatic access to Unbound Gravel 2026. Participants can qualify directly for the next edition of the event in two ways and thus avoid the lottery in October 2025:
- Half of the coins are awarded based on performance within the age category.
- The other half of the coins will be distributed randomly among the participants in the 160 km.
In this way, participants winning one of the coins in August can already be sure of their place at the starting line in Emporia, Kansas, and they can begin their preparations earlier.
Info and tickets for Heathland Gravel 2025 (August 8 - 10) are available by clicking the button below:
