In recent years, we have been able to read about new and exciting gravel events almost every week. Whether island hopping at the Grand Guanche, drive laps at Orbit360long-distance gravel in brevet style at the Grevet seriesexplore dead ends at the Octopus Gravel or crossing a country on various Divide adventures - the variety of off-road adventures for cyclists is huge.
Atlas Mountain Race
It is finally possible to enter and leave Morocco again, so nothing stands in the way of the second edition of the Atlas Mountain Race.
The Atlas Mountain Race takes participants over almost 1200 kilometres and 23,000 metres in altitude from Marrakesh to Agadir. Participants can start solo or in teams of two. The route leads over the Moroccan Atlas Mountains and on through the Anti-Atlas. The clock runs non-stop between start and finish. There are no prizes to be won. On gravel single trails and paths as well as long forgotten and dilapidated colonial tracks, there are only very few kilometres on asphalt. There are repeated push sections. The long distances between the supply points require good preparation.
- When? expected from 1 to 8 October 2022
- Start: Marrakech
- Distance: 1167 kilometres
- Increase: 23,000 metres in altitude
- Target: Agadir
On the Website of the Atlas Mountain Race you can also subscribe to a newsletter.
Silk Road Mountain Race
The Silk Road Mountain Race takes participants on a fixed route through the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. The stopwatch starts running at the common start and runs from the start to the finish, as there is only one stage. The route is around 1800 kilometres long and covers 30,500 metres in altitude. It takes in gravel tracks, single and double tracks and old Soviet roads that have long since been forgotten. There is hardly any tarmac. Instead, participants are sometimes required to push their bikes, packed with equipment and provisions, up high mountain passes. Between the start and finish, participants are on their own and have to organise their own food, drink and sleeping accommodation.
As the race takes place at high altitudes - the Jiptik Pass to be crossed in 2022 is the highest point at 4185 metres - it is advisable to arrive in Kyrgyzstan early and acclimatise to the altitude.
- When? 12 to 27 August 2022
- Start: Osh
- Distance: 1895 kilometres (slightly longer than in previous years, but more fast and easy to ride sections with fewer push sections)
- Increase: 34,500 metres in altitude
- Target: Capital Bishkek
More information about the Silk Road Mountain Race is available at here.
Bohemian Border Bash Race
Once along the Bohemian border, that's the Bohemian Border Bash Race. A fixed route leads over 1300 kilometres and features 22,000 metres of elevation gain. Borders are crossed time and again, with the track leading participants through Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic. The demands of the race can easily compete with those on distant continents. And in the centre of Europe.
- When? 28 May to 4 June 2022
- Start and finish: Bohemian-Saxon Switzerland
- Distance: 1300 kilometres
- Increase: 22,000 metres in altitude
Here to go to the event website.
TransOst Challenge - from Bayreuth to the Black Sea
The TransOst-Challenge takes place every year in July. Those wanting to reach the Black Sea can choose between two starting points and distances. The route leads over the long mountain ranges of Eastern Europe. The track runs along challenging paths through 27 breathtaking mountain ranges. Participants will encounter primeval forests inhabited by shy bears, wolves and lynxes and get a taste of the legendary charm of Eastern Europe.
The race had to be cancelled again in 2022 due to the war in Ukraine.
Longrider
- When? It is uncertain when the next TransOst-Challenge can take place.
- Start: Bayreuth
- Distance: 2800 kilometres
- Increase: 56,000 metres in altitude
- Target: Constanta, Romania (Black Sea)
Shortrider
- When? It is uncertain when the next TransOst-Challenge can take place.
- Start: Ostrava/Ostrava (Czech Republic)
- Distance: 1800 kilometres
- Increase: 30,000 metres in altitude
- Target: Constanta, Romania (Black Sea)
On the Website of the TransOst Challenge for more information about the event.
A film was made about the 2018 TransOst Challenge.
Unbound Gravel
Unbound Gravel has been held in the Flint Hills in Kansas (USA) since 2006 and was known as Dirty Kanza until 2020. It is not just a bikepacking event, but also offers one-day races. The races, which always feature top-class riders, take place over hilly, tyre-eating and sun-baked gravel. With many top riders at the start, the Unbound is regarded as something of an unofficial world championship for gravel pros.
This gravel event has something to suit everyone with different route lengths. The numbers behind the individual routes refer to the approximate number of miles to be covered.
- Unbound Gravel XL, 567 kilometres, 4334 vertical metres, self-supported
- Unbound Gravel 200, 329 kilometres, 2957 vertical metres
- Unbound Gravel 100, 169 kilometres, 1606 vertical metres
- Unbound Gravel 50, 82 kilometres, 625 vertical metres
- Unbound Gravel 25, 40 kilometres, 238 vertical metres
- Unbound Gravel Junior, 40 kilometres, 238 vertical metres
- When? 2 to 5 June 2022
- Start and finish: Emporia, Kansas
- Discipline: From 40 kilometres to 567 kilometres, with refreshments along the route or completely on your own - there is something for everyone.
All details about the Unbound Gravel are available here.
The Rhino Run
Even if the name does not immediately suggest a cycling or gravel event, the Rhino Run, which will take place for the first time in 2022, offers a concentrated load of challenges for participants and their bikes. Because the first edition of the event had to be cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions, but entry was possible again at just the right time, the film Buy A Donkey was created.
The Rhino Run is a self-supported ultra-cycling race with a charity character. Instead of charging an entry fee, a donation is requested for the Masaka Cycling Club Foundation in Uganda.
The varied route first takes participants through the western and northern Cape region of South Africa before crossing into Namibia and finally ending in Windhoek. From asphalt to the finest gravel to very rough and rocky gravel passages that make the worst gravel roads in Europe look like an asphalt road, everything is included.
In addition to the challenging route with steep climbs and rough terrain, there are sometimes few opportunities to replenish supplies. On top of this, there is the heat, unpredictable weather and perhaps a snowstorm. Poisonous snakes such as cobras, puff adders and toad vipers should be avoided. And these are just some of the challenges that participants in this gravel event have to face.
- When? 21 October 2022
- Start: Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape
- Distance: 2,750 kilometres (there is also a shorter route with the Entrée: 742 kilometres, 10,461 metres in altitude)
- Increase: 27,000 metres in altitude
- Target: Windhoek
The Website of the Rhino Run provides detailed information about the event.
Badlands
The Badlands is a gravel event in self-support mode in Spain. The set track leads from Granada through the Sierra de los Filabres, where there is no opportunity to replenish supplies for over 100 kilometres. The Tabernas desert, the only official desert in Europe, also awaits. The sandy landscape is reminiscent of the badlands of North America, hence the name of the event. Many other exciting landscapes await the participants in this gravel event. It is a race against yourself and against the clock, not against the others. Of course, that doesn't always work. And that's why Badlands is part of this collection of the toughest gravel events, although the FAQs state that the route does not present any particular technical difficulties.
- When? 4 to 9 September 2022
- Start: Granada
- Distance: 750 kilometres
- Increase: 15,000 metres in altitude
Participants and interested parties can find badlands.cc all the important information about the event, which is already fully booked for 2022.
GBDuro
GBDuro is a 2000 kilometre, self-supported bikepacking event from Land's End to John O'Groats. It covers roads, gravel, singletrack and everything in between. The event follows the route of the GB Divides. The track is designed to utilise the versatility of gravel bikes to cover long distances on new roads and old tracks. The ratio of road to off-road is around 50:50. Along the way, participants can immerse themselves in the rich and unique history that has shaped the British Isles.
The event consists of four time trial stages, each around 500 kilometres long. The lowest overall time over the four stages "wins"... nothing. That's how it usually is at such events.
Since 2020, the GBDuro has been a #noflyrideThis means that participants have to get to the start and back from the finish without flying. The Racing Collective, who are organising the event, do not want the carbon emissions caused by flights to be on their conscience. The Racing Collective says: "This is part of our wider mission to extend the principles of Leave No Trace beyond the road and trail, and we are thrilled by the commitment and ingenuity of the participants to make this a reality."
And so GBDuro is not just an event, it is also a vision: a vision of what sustainable sport could look like.
- When? 13 to 23 August 2022
- Start: Land's End
- Distance: 2000 kilometres
- Increase: 30,000 metres in altitude
- Target: John O'Groats
Further information is available from The Racing Collective to find.
UCI Gravel World Series
The Gravel World Championship and the qualifying races for it should not be missing from the list of the 9 toughest gravel races. Twelve gravel events in different countries offer the opportunity to qualify for the World Championships in gravel biking. Information on the World Championships is still pending.
Find out more about the Gravel series here.
Race dates of the Gravel World Series
The Website of the Gravel World Series provides up-to-date information.
Sandra Schuberth
Editor
