Wörthersee Gravel Race

Each spring the lakeside resort of Velden hosts a round of the UCI Gravel World Series, which means elite riders chasing a world championship qualifying spot share the roads with ambitious amateurs, while a relaxed leisure format lets newcomers ride for a medal and a finisher certificate of their own.

The courses explore the Wörthersee-Rosental region of Carinthia, climbing forest and farm tracks above the turquoise water with Alpine panoramas around them. The race has also hosted the Austrian Gravel Championships, and home rider Sebastian Schönberger won the elite men's race here in 2024.

Everything is built around a local legend: Gralf, a mischievous creature said to have pestered the people around the lake from the deep forests, gives each format its name, from finding him to beating him. The weekend, run by the Pedal Performance Group with the regional tourism board, adds an expo, a kids' race and a riders' party in town.