Changes for 2025
Looking ahead, the 2025 season promises to shake things up a bit. As the series enters its fourth year, all riders must re-apply, and only 25 women and 25 men will be on the start line next year, down from 30 each year.
Of those 25 spots, three will be left for wildcard entries until after the opening two rounds. The top scorers in these, who have not already got a spot, will then get a second chance at entry to the rest of the series.
But while the field was cut yet again, the prize purse had grown. Organisers last week announced that the total prize purse will be $380,000, with $200,000 going toward series standings, and the remaining $180,000 will be distributed across the six standalone events, each with $30,000 in winnings. This means that for the first time ever, events like Unbound Gravel will have a prize purse.
"We couldn’t be happier with how 2024 turned out, but 2025 will elevate things even further," said Michelle Duffy Smith, Senior Marketing Director for Life Time.
"The bigger prize pool and changes in scoring will push racers harder and create more dynamic competition."
The series begins April 11 April at the Sea Otter Classic with a gravel race instead of the Fuego XL mountain bike race. This is followed by the 200-mile Unbound Gravel race on May 31; after this, the wildcard entries will be allowed into the series. The LEadville 100 will return in August as well as Chequamegon Mountain Bike Festival in September. The series will again culminate in October with both Bentonville's Little Sugar mountain bike race and Big Sugar Gravel.
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