QUALIFICATION SYSTEM FOR THE 2026 UCI GRAN FONDO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (NISEKO, JAPAN)

The UCI Management Committee approves the qualification system each year.

Individual Time Trial and Road Race

This document sets out the qualification system for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, as determined by the UCI Management Committee.

As a matter of introduction, it must be reminded that the participation in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships is excluded for:

  • a) Any rider who has during the current year been a member of a team registered with the UCI.

  • b) Any rider who has taken part in a UCI Elite or U23 World Championships, the Olympic Games, Continental games, Regional Games, the Commonwealth Games, or a UCI World Cup during the current year.

  • c) Any rider who scored UCI points in the year of the World Championships.1

Riders taking part in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships must hold a valid licence issued by their respective national federation (day licences being excluded), must hold a UCI ID and must be adequately insured against accidents and civil responsibility in the country in which the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships are held.

1. Qualification through the UCI Gran Fondo World Series

Each UCI Gran Fondo World Series event of the 2026 season grants qualification rights for the 2026 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships. Based on the results of each race, the first 25% of athletes in each age group will be qualified for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships.

The 25% is calculated based on the number of riders who effectively take the start in each age group, not on the number of pre-registered or finishing riders.2 For the sake of clarity, the 25% is rounded up to the nearest whole number (e.g., with 26 starters, 6.5 is rounded up to 7 qualified riders).

All riders completing the qualifying distance, regardless of the start wave in which they began, are eligible for qualification and must be taken into account when calculating the top 25% in their respective age groups.

In addition, the first three riders of each official age category will qualify directly for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, independently of the number of starters in that age group. Riders must finish the race to gain qualification.

1 Pursuant to article 15.5.011 of the UCI Regulations.

2 The percentage of 25% may be reviewed by the UCI Management Committee on a yearly basis, taking into consideration the participation in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, the number of events in the UCI Gran Fondo World Series calendar and the evolution of the UCI Gran Fondo World Series calendar.

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As per article 15.5.004 of the UCI Regulations, the age categories of the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships are:

  • 19 – 34

  • 35 – 39

  • 40 – 44

  • 45 – 49

  • 50 – 54

  • 55 – 59

  • 60 – 64

  • 65 – 69

  • 70 – 74

  • 75 – 79

  • Etc.

Age groups are defined by riders’ age on 31 December of the year of the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships3. The minimum age to participate in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships is 19 years. Therefore, only riders born on or before 31 December 2007 can qualify for the 2026 edition. However, for qualifying events held in October to December 2025 (i.e., after the 2025 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships), riders who are 18 at the time of qualification are also eligible as they will turn 19 in the year of the World Championships they are qualifying for.

At the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, medals and titles will be awarded for men and/or women as soon as 1 rider is registered in the respective 5-year age category.

Qualification for the individual time trial and road race is determined as follows:

  • Qualifier events of the UCI Gran Fondo World Series hosting only a road race will grant qualification for both the road race and time trial at the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships.

  • When qualifier events of the UCI Gran Fondo World Series host both a time trial and a road race, a rider takes part in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in the event for which he has obtained a qualification – i.e. time trial or road race; or both if he qualified for both of the events.

  • Qualifier events of the UCI Gran Fondo World Series only hosting a time trial will grant qualification for the time trial only at the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships.

N.B: The names of riders having gained qualification through the UCI Gran Fondo World Series will be communicated on the UCI Gran Fondo World Series website. Qualified riders will also receive an official email from the UCI’s partner for the World Series and World Championships, Golazo, inviting them to register for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships via the dedicated online registration portal.

  1. Outgoing UCI Gran Fondo World Champions

The outgoing UCI World Champions of the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in the time trial and in the road race may take part in the first UCI Gran Fondo World Championships following their title, in both the time trial and road race.

3 A rider who has changed age category between his qualification for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships and his participation in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, shall participate in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in his new age category.

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3. Masters or Gran Fondo National Champions

All Masters national champions from the current year (in road race and individual time trial only) may enter the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, in both the time trial and road race, without having to qualify through the UCI Gran Fondo World Series. The Masters national champions in road race and time trial are confirmed to the UCI by the respective National Federation. Some National Federations also have Gran Fondo national championships. In that case, the National Federation might opt to award the Gran Fondo national champions instead of the Masters’ national champions with direct qualifications. It's up to the respective National Federations to choose if Masters or Gran Fondo national champions are awarded, but it’s not allowed to award both.

4. Masters Granfondo Continental Champions

All Gran Fondo continental champions from the current year (in road race and individual time trial only) may enter the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships, in both the time trial and road race, without having to qualify through the UCI Gran Fondo World Series. The Masters continental champions in road race and time trial are confirmed to the UCI by the respective Continental Confederation.

5. National Federation of the country organising the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships

The National Federation of the country organising the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships may award an additional 20 wildcards (to 10 women and 10 men), which allow athletes to participate in both the time trial and road race. These wildcards are confirmed to the UCI by the respective National Federation.

6. Wild cards

The following wildcards allow riders to participate directly in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships:

  • Each UCI Gran Fondo World Series qualifier event of the 2026 season may grant 5 wildcards to riders who participated in their respective qualification event – i.e. time trial and/or road race. These wildcards are confirmed to the UCI by each UCI Gran Fondo World Series organiser.

  • All countries not hosting a UCI Gran Fondo World Series qualifier event during the 2026 season may grant 10 wildcards (to 5 men and 5 women) to riders of their choice. These wildcards are confirmed to the UCI by the respective National Federation.

Original version in English.

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