Klassmark is rebranding its four-year-old Gravel Earth Series into The Traka World Series for 2027, launching a streamlined seven-event calendar featuring €84,000 in total prize money.
Prize Pool Stability
- Prize Pool Stability: The guaranteed €8,000 per-event purse, bolstered by sponsor-matched incentives like the CORE4 double-payout, provides reliable ROI for privateer teams and professional squads.
- Strategic Scheduling: With the Traka 300 serving as the primary points-scoring event in May, look for teams to prioritize training blocks to adjust for the specific demands of the terrain.
Consolidating the Global Gravel Calendar
Following the conclusion of the 2026 season, Klassmark has moved to tighten its grip on the international gravel market. By transitioning from the Gravel Earth Series to The Traka World Series, the organizers are effectively moving away from a loose collective of independent races toward a vertically integrated brand ecosystem. As reported by Cyclingnews, Klassmark will own and operate six of the seven events, ensuring that technical standards, broadcast quality, and course design remain under a singular administrative umbrella.
The 2027 calendar begins in Catalonia with the Santa Vall stage race on February 6-7, followed by a strategic repositioning of the Gravel Desert race in Monegros, which shifts from its traditional July date to March 13.
Tactical Integration and the by The Traka Philosophy
The “By The Traka” initiative acts as the connective tissue for this new series. While the series provides the elite framework for professional competition, the individual events retain their local character. The Traka Girona, set for early May, serves as the cornerstone of this approach. It splits the competition into distinct tiers: the 300-kilometer event on May 1 provides the necessary points for the pro standings, while the 100km and 200km distances cater to the amateur field, maintaining the community-based engagement that has historically defined the sport.
The expansion into North America, specifically with the CORE4 event in Iowa on August 21, highlights the series’ intent to maintain a global footprint. CORE4, which is transitioning to a new venue in Solon, Iowa, serves as a prime example of the series’ “next tier” marketing support. By securing a slot between the Leadville Trail 100 MTB and the Lauf Gravel Worlds, organizers of CORE4 are positioning the race to attract high-profile riders who operate on a tight, end-of-summer race schedule.
| Event | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Vall | Feb 6-7 | Catalonia, Spain |
| Gravel Desert | Mar 13 | Monegros, Spain |
| The Traka 300 | May 1 | Girona, Spain |
| CORE4 | Aug 21 | Iowa, USA |
| The River | Sep 11 | Belgium |
| The Last Dance | October | Spain |
Open Format Decision
Unlike the invitation-only model utilized by the Life Time Grand Prix, the Traka World Series maintains an open format. This openness is a strategic decision to preserve the grassroots identity of gravel racing, even as the prize purse reaches a cumulative €84,000. With €20,000 allocated for the overall top 10 finishers—split equally between pro men and women—the series is clearly aiming to incentivize consistent participation across the entire seven-race span rather than rewarding one-off performances.
The commitment to live streaming represents the most significant shift in the series’ business model. While previous efforts, such as the Gravel Earth Series TV YouTube channel, saw limited deployment, the 2027 mandate for universal coverage aims to provide the consistent, high-fidelity data that sponsors and team directors require. For riders like Specialized Off-road’s Geerike Schreurs, who secured the 2026 pro title, the new framework offers a more defined path to defending a season-long championship, moving away from the chaotic, unranked nature of early gravel racing toward a standardized, points-based professional sport.
Disclaimer: The fantasy and market insights provided are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute financial or betting advice.
