In 2025, USA Cycling, in partnership with Life Time, SBT GRVL presented by Wahoo, and Valley of Tears, will launch a five-race Junior Gravel National series for riders ages 15-18 only.

Riders will have to start in three of the five events for series scoring in the four categories (with boys and girls competing separately in the 15-16 and 17-18 age groups). Four athletes will then be crowned overall winners in their respective age categories and invited to the USA Cycling Junior Talent Search Camp in October 2025.

“We are working closely with event organizers and industry partners to lay the groundwork for the future. This series is just the beginning of a broader initiative to expand opportunities for junior riders across multiple cycling disciplines,” said Kyle Knott, director of national events for USA Cycling

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. The USA Cycling Junior Gravel National Series represents a bold step forward in our efforts to expand youth participation in gravel, an event that provides a unique bridge between road cycling and off-road cycling.”

The governing body sees its bridge as a way to discover new talent not only for elite-level road racing, but also for other cycling disciplines that are part of the next Olympic Games to be held in Los Angeles, California in 2028.

Valley of Tears Gravel in Turkey, Texas, will lead the series on March 8 with juniors competing on the 48-mile medium course. The Sea Otter Classic Gravel Race's 60-mile course and Unbound Gravel 50, both owned by Lifetime, will host the next two events on April 11 in Monterey, California, and May 31 in Emporia, Kansas, respectively.

Round 4 will be held on the GRVL race circuit as part of the SBT GRVL Weekend in Steamboat Springs, Colorado on June 29. The series will conclude with the USA Cycling Gravel National Championships on September 20 at a new venue in La Crescent, Minnesota. The National Championship race will also be used as a tiebreaker if necessary.

National Event Manager Justin Evans explained that scoring will be “straightforward” and that each rider will receive a score equivalent to his or her place in each event of the series.

“The scoring system for the Junior Series is designed to be straightforward: the lowest score among a rider's best three of the five events determines their final ranking. Each race position is scored, so first place equals one point,” Evans told Cycling News.

“This approach rewards consistency and encourages riders to participate in multiple events; the USA Cycling website will post event highlights and updated rankings after each race so that riders and fans can track progress throughout the season. to help riders and fans keep track of their progress throughout the season.

According to a USA Cycling press release, all series participants will have exclusive access to special discounted registration rates for the 2025 USA Cycling Gravel National Championships. In addition, the top three finishers in each series event leading up to the National Championships will receive an additional $50 registration fee. In addition to category winners, other top finishers will be eligible for Talent Camp selection.

“Valley of Tears is excited to host the first round of the 2025 Junior Gravel National Series. Christian Fairley of the Fairley Family, who launched Valley of Tears this year, said, “At the heart of our race is our commitment to fostering community, resilience, and a passion for the sport.”

“By partnering with USA Cycling, we have the opportunities. I look forward to seeing these talented juniors find their limits and carry on the spirit of gravel cycling.

Participants must register for each event using the links provided on USA Cycling's series information page; November 1 is the first day to register for Valley of Tears and to enter the Unbound Gravel drawing.

A USA Cycling race license is not required to participate in the entire series, but a national or international license is required to compete in USA Cycling's Gravel National Championships.