The Life Time Grand Prix is back with new riders, fresh livestreams, and the biggest prize purse in off-road cycling. Beginning with Sea Otter Classic Gravel on April 16th, the series runs from April through October and stops in five different US states.
The first two races – Sea Otter and UNBOUND – are both gravel races, whereas the next three stops are MTB races. Big Sugar is once again the series finale, featuring a 100-mile gravel route in Bentonville, Arkansas.
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In addition to some new riders, Life Time has made some key rule changes, including the launch of a pregnancy policy. Let’s dive into all the details, including a closer look at the series’ opening round at Sea Otter.
The 2026 Life Time calendar
After some major calendar changes in 2025, the Life Time Grand Prix returns with an identical calendar in 2026. The Leadville Trail 100 MTB is the only event held at high-altitude, but every race features a significant amount of elevation gain. Chequamegon MTB Festival is the longest event at just 40 miles, while UNBOUND Gravel is the longest at a staggering 200 miles.
The series finale is once again held in Bentonville, Arkansas – one of the weirdest places I’ve ever been – for an action-packed week that features both Little Sugar MTB and Big Sugar Gravel in the span of six days.
- April 16th: Sea Otter Classic Gravel
- May 30th: UNBOUND Gravel 200
- August 15th: Leadville Trail 100 MTB
- September 19th: Chequamegon MTB Festival
- October 11th: Little Sugar MTB
- October 17th: Big Sugar Gravel
The racing kicks off at Sea Otter in mid April
(Image credit: Life Time)
The drop race rule remains in place, allowing riders to discard their lowest score (i.e. worst race placing) after Race 4 in Chequamegon. Big Sugar Gravel is the only mandatory race for Grand Prix participants, and it serves as the tie-breaker for overall series points.
Key rule changes for the 2026 Life time Grand Prix
One of the biggest updates to the Life Time Grand Prix is the introduction of a Pregnancy Policy — a landmark move for women’s sport. “The policy allows selected athletes to withdraw from the series without penalty and guarantees them a protected roster spot the following season… To qualify, athletes must notify Life Time of their pregnancy in a timely fashion and confirm their intention to return in the subsequent year.”
The policy was sparked by an announcement from Grand Prix athlete Sarah Sturm, who said: “When I got pregnant, my first call was to the Life Time Grand Prix to figure out what to do. This sparked a whole conversation, and with the hard work of the people at Life Time, we now have a pregnancy policy. This is a big deal for women in the Grand Prix and for women in sport.”
The U23 category returns to the series, with the top male and female finishers earning automatic entry into the 2027 Life Time Grand Prix. There is also the rapidly-growing Wild Card roster of 80 athletes who will be attempting to earn their way into the Grand Prix mid-season. More on that in a minute, but first, let’s analyze the contenders.
Contenders for the 2026 life time grand Prix
In 2025, we saw the biggest surprise in Life Time Grand Prix history when Cameron Jones won the Men’s Overall Series. Jones wasn’t even in the Grand Prix at the beginning of the season. In fact, he wasn’t even mentioned in our 2025 series preview.
While there are certainly a number of favourites coming into the 2026 Life Time Grand Prix, we have already seen how the series can be turned on its head. Who knows, maybe we will see another Wild Card winner in Bentonville.
It’s difficult to look past three-time LTGP Champion Keegan Swenson and Matthew Beers for the men’s title, especially once you realise that the two have joined forces at Specialized. But as big of favourites as these two might be, you can never count out 2025 Series Champion Cameron Jones. The Kiwi rode his way into last year’s LTGP as a Wild Card and went on to win both UNBOUND and the overall series. While Swenson is recovering from a broken pelvis, Beers is coming off a win at the 2026 Cape Epic, so it’s anyone’s guess what kind of form these riders will be in at Sea Otter.
Simon Pellaud delivered a number of impressive performances last year on his way to finishing second overall in the LTGP. The Swiss rider will face other contenders such as Alexey Vermeulen and Simen Nordahl Svendsen, along with a host of newcomers. Among the biggest names are Andreas Seewald, the reigning European Mountain Bike Champion, and Jan Stöckli, runner-up at The Traka 360 in 2025.
Rosa Klöser wins the women’s elite race at Unbound.
(Image credit: Snowy Mountain Photography)
Sofía Gómez Villafañe is the #1 favourite for the women’s LTGP. She has claimed the overall victory three times, taken two victories at UNBOUND Gravel, and she’s already taken a win in 2026 at Mid South. But the competition will be fierce, featuring riders such as 2025 UNBOUND winner Karolina Migoń, and 2025 Gravel Earth Series winner Rosa Klöser.
Last year’s runner-up, Cecily Decker, returns for another run at the title, as well as Cécile Lejeune and Paige Onweiler. The biggest question marks could be swirling around Melisa Rollins, who suffered a broken elbow just before this year’s Cape Epic. Rollins finished 3rd in the LTGP last year, but her participation at Sea Otter is up in the air following surgery.
Other riders to watch include Cobe Freeburn, Simen Nordahl Svendsen, and US National Gravel Champion Bradyn Lange. On the women’s side, watch out for Lauren Stephens, Alexis Skarda, and Lauren De Crescenzo.
Wild card spots still available
You may have noticed that the LTGP has an unusual number of riders: 44, with 22 men and 22 women. That’s because Life Time is leaving space for three Wild Card entries in each gender category. Three additional riders per gender will be added to the LTGP field following Sea Otter and UNBOUND, offering a last-ditch chance for riders to join the series mid-season.
In fact, there are four Wild Card spots open in the women’s LTGP since Sarah Sturm’s pregnancy announcement. Sturm is listed as part of the 2026 Grand Prix, but it’s safe to assume she will put racing to the side in 2026 and come back next year.
As you might expect, the list of riders looking to join the series is long and strong. A number of big names missed out on Grand Prix selection in 2026, and they will be attempting to ride their way back into the GP through the Wild Card system. The long list of Wild Cards includes Russell Finsterwald, Griffen Easter, Dylan Johnson, Jonas Orset, Adam Roberge, Hannah Shell, Haley Smith, and Alex Wild.
Canadian cyclist Alexis Cartier rode to every start line of the Life Time Grand Prix
(Image credit: Life Time)
2026 season opens at Sea Otter
The 2026 Life Time Grand Prix begins in earnest on a Thursday in Monterey, California. It has been a long time since the LTGP last lined up under thunderous skies in Bentonville, Arkansas. Both the men and women will race 90 miles at Sea Otter Gravel, a hilly and technical route that utilises sections of singletrack from the Sea Otter MTB course.
Riders will contest three laps of the circuit around Laguna Seca Raceway and more than 8,000 feet of climbing. Swenson won last year’s edition, while non-Grand Prix rider Haley Batten dominated the women’s race with Villafañe being the top LTGP finisher.
For the first time, Life Time is offering a livestream of Sea Otter Gravel. You can also follow the race via updates on Instagram, and more post-race coverage including a highlights package on YouTube. Cycling Weekly will report on everything that went down during the race as well.
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