ABC News (AU)
· collected 2026-10-11 · by Gabrielle Becerra Mellet and Georgia Loney
Nannup, a small town in southern Western Australia, hosted the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships, attracting around 1,000 cyclists and thousands of spectators. The event brought a potential global audience of up to 130 million people to this remote location, highlighting Nannup’s unique terrain ideal for mountain biking. Deputy President Vicki Hansen noted the significant international exposure gained by securing the championship after years of efforts. Dutch cyclist Marianne Vos won the elite women's title, followed by German and Dutch cyclists in second and third place respectively.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-11,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
In short:
Thousands of cyclists and spectators have flooded into Nannup, in southern Western Australia, for the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships.
asserted
Thousands → flood → Championships
Just under 1,000 cyclists took to the track over the weekend through the Blackwood Valley around Nannup.
asserted
cyclists → take → Nannup
Local leaders say it has brought the town and its picturesque surrounds to a potential global audience of 130 million people.
asserted
it → say → people
A tiny town in southern Western Australia has become the first location outside Europe to hold an elite gravel cycling world championship.
asserted
town → become → championship
Nannup, about 268 kilometres south of Perth, hosted thousands of cyclists and spectators this weekend for the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships.
asserted
Nannup → host → Championships
It was a major coup for the historic timber town, which is building its reputation as a mountain biking destination.
asserted
which → build → destination
With the event expected to draw a global audience of up to 130 million people, Shire of Nannup Deputy President Vicki Hansen said securing it had taken years of work.
asserted
securing → expect → work
"Not many people even knew how to pronounce Nannup,"she said.
"
asserted
people → know → Nannup,"she
"
The hills and forests surrounding the town have proven the ideal terrain for mountain biking, with Ms Hansen hopeful the event would showcase the local trails.
asserted
event → surround → trails
"We want all these international riders, who didn't qualify, but have seen the event, to come on over," Ms Hansen said.
asserted
Hansen → want → event
Competitors raced over two days, traversing courses of up to 144km through the Blackwood Valley.
asserted
Competitors → race → Valley
"Nannup itself is only 70 metres above sea level but within a kilometre or less than that it suddenly increases to 300 metres above sea level," Shire President Tony Dean said.
asserted
Dean → increase → level
"In that elevation … we've got the gravel itself."
asserted
we → get → gravel
Dutch cyclist Marianne Vos took out the elite women's title in 4 hours and 30 minutes, followed by Germany's Rose Kloser and the Netherlands' Larisa Hartog.
asserted
Vos → take → Kloser
This year will be the fifth UCI Gravel World Championships event held, with previous events taking place in Italy and Belgium.
asserted
events → hold → Italy
Wendy Oosterwoud, who travelled almost 30 hours from the Netherlands to compete in Nannup, said it was her first time outside of Europe.
"I think the flight was 21 hours, the drive to Amsterdam was almost two hours, [and] from Perth to Nannup was almost three," she said.
asserted
she → travel → Nannup
"I'm really happy to see this part of the world."
asserted
I → see → world
The Dutch cyclist has claimed seven podium titles, including winning the women's elite at a gravel world series in Poland this year.
asserted
cyclist → claim → Poland
She said the Nannup course was broader than those overseas.
asserted
course → say → those
"Here in Nannup, it's wide gravel roads," she said.
asserted
she → say → Nannup
"But in the Netherlands … you have, I think, 200 corners, left right, left right."
asserted
I → have → corners
German cyclist Nils Lageman made the journey from his home near Cologne to compete in the 35-39 age group.
asserted
Lageman → make → group
"The world championships were calling, and I just had to respond, wherever it is," he said.
"
asserted
he → call → ?
It looks great because of the nature."
asserted
It → look → nature
Many international cyclists said they had never heard of Nannup, until the event, including US cyclist Tim Borsetti.
asserted
they → say → Borsetti
"I targeted this because I knew it would be an awesome event, because you guys have big wide roads like we do in the States," he said.
asserted
he → target → States
With a regular population of about 1,000 people, accommodation in Nannup has been fully booked for the event.
asserted
accommodation → book → event
Mr Dean said a tent city, and visitors staying in other nearby towns, had helped share the load.
asserted
city → say → load
"We're spreading the love between Nannup and the rest of the South West," he said.
asserted
he → spread → West
"With that many visitors, they're going to have to commute, unfortunately."
It has proven a win for some local businesses, with cafe owner Hayley Rubery registering one of the busiest days she could remember.
uncertain
she → go → days
"We had a 700 per cent increase in revenue to a normal Friday.
asserted
We → have → Friday
It's insane," she said.
asserted
she → say → ?
"We sold five days' worth of milk in one day, and we've never made more toasties in our entire lives.
asserted
we → sell → lives
With the town's previous events leaning towards smaller-scale arts and culture festivals, Ms Rubery said they had been unsure what to expect.
"
asserted
they → lean → what
We prepped anyway and thank God we did."
asserted
we → preppe → God
The Aporia