UEC is pleased to announce that the 2026 Gravel European Championships will be held in Houffalize, Belgium, and the 2027 Championships in Lahti, Finland. These events reflect the UEC's continuing interest in emerging disciplines such as Gravel, which are now an established and fascinating reality on the international cycling scene.
“Houffalize is a historic venue for Off-Road cycling, having already hosted numerous top-level competitions. We are convinced that its tradition and natural setting will offer athletes and enthusiasts a unique experience in 2026”, according to UEC President, Enrico Della Casa.
Lahti, on the other hand, represents an absolute novelty: for the first time, a UEC European Championships will be held in Finland. The breathtaking scenery of this region will make the 2027 event an extraordinary experience for athletes and spectators alike. I would like to sincerely thank the local authorities, the National Federations of Belgium and Finland with their respective presidents Tom van Damme and Jarmo Lindberg, as well as Golazo, which is a guarantee in terms of the quality of the organisation. We are convinced that, thanks to their cooperation and synergies, these Championships will be a great success.”
2026: Houffalize, off-road paradise
The City of Houffalize and the the Walloon government will host the 2026 UEC Gravel European Championships. After the organisation of the 2023 UEC Gravel European Championships and the 2024 UCI Gravel World Championships, Golazo will also organize the 2026 championships in Houffalize.
“Since 2021 we are organizing, in a perfect collaboration with the City of Houffalize, the “Houffa Gravel. The UCI Gravel World Series qualifier is one of the most successful events on the UCI Gravel calendar with 1.800 participants. Together with the city and the Walloon government we are very proud to be able to host the 2026 UEC Gravel European Championships. This unique location is a bucket list destination for lovers of off-road cycling”, according to Christophe Impens, director cycling Golazo.
2027: Lahti showcasing its natural beauty in summer
Lahti is the sports capital of Finland with a long tradition of organizing international events in multiple sports disciplines. Situated in the Lakeland one hour away from Helsinki, the City of Lahti has hosted the World Championships ski jumping, the World Cup cross-country skiing and the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. Now Lahti will be the setting for welcoming the best European gravel cyclists during the 2027 UEC Gravel European Championships.
In recent years the city, and the surrounding UNESCO Salpausselkä Geopark region, welcomed several international gravel events. The Lakeland Region offers scenic landscapes alternating with dense forests and lake views. The gravel roads go from hardpack champagne gravel over fast dual track forest roads to wide flow trails. A true gravel course, designed by the organizers of the Nordic Gravel Series, will contain over 90% of gravel and present a real challenge for the riders despite limited ascending meters.
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