Gravel

The typical European pro roadie might shy away from gravel racing, but for Lars Boom, it's one more way to mix in fun and different races to his ordinary calendar.

Dirty Kanza organizers say the 2019 course is maybe the best yet. The expo will also double in size. Life Time is taking a cautious approach to growth, however.

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The Absa Cape Epic is the crown jewel of the Epic series, and arguably the hardest MTB race in the world. So how did a couple of roadies measure up to South Africa's stunning, savage terrain?

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When we set off into the wilds of Kyrgyzstan to explore the Silk Road, we were relative bikepacking novices. We learnt a lot along the way – but perhaps the most surprising lesson of all was how accessible it is.

The Stelvio Pass, with its endless switchbacks and breathtaking scenery, is arguably one of the most iconic climbs in the world of cycling. So when Annemiek van Vleuten and 2014 Ironman Hawaii winner, Sebastian Kienle were looking for a training camp destination, they had somewhere in mind...

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Although he went out too hard, nearly puked, and had some long lonely miles on the dirt, Chris Case's Land Run ride ended on a high note, and a hug.

Now in its seventh year, The Mid South (formerly Land Run 100) gravel race tests riders on Oklahoma's rolling red dirt roads.

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The Rhine is one of the most important waterways in Europe. Its two sources are connected by perfect asphalt. Over three days we will discover monumental alpine passes, culinary highlights and breathtaking scenery on quiet roads.

We just got back from the Land Run 100 gravel race in Oklahoma. Here are our five tips to help you survive and have a good time along the way.

We went to Girona and the Costa Brava in search of a perfect cycling destination. From lung-busting mountains to cafes created by and for the cycling fraternity, from coastlines to sunflower fields, our wide-eyed journey along these new roads meant nothing was taken for granted.

Dirty Kanza has found ways to boost female participation far beyond what most conventional bike races see. Kristi Mohn explains how.

Alison Tetrick is one of the most accomplished gravel cyclists in the world, but joining our trip to Kyrgyzstan to ride the Silk Road brought a new perspective to her cycling. Here, she shares the story of her journey along this historic trade route.

Vittoria's range of Terreno gravel tires features 3C rubber with Graphene, as well as the TNT tubeless-ready casing.

The Saris MTR hitch rack offers a sturdy, versatile way to transport between two and four bikes on the back of your car.

With its latest bike, Lauf strikes a balance between gravel capabilities and pavement pleasures. Plus, it does so at a fair price.

Kyrgyzstan is about to change forever, with China's Belt and Road Initiative set to fundamentally alter the isolated, undeveloped former Soviet state. In a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, we went to catch a glimpse of this real-life Narnia – whilst it's still there.

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Hokkaido's best known for winter sports, but it has another side – one that includes rolling green hills and farmland, towering mountains waiting to be climbed, and beautiful seaside roads that are ripe for riding.

What’s a better way to celebrate recovery than a trip through the woods on roads you’ve never seen? Riding from Portland to Bend on gravel and Forest Service roads – who’s in?

Straight from a transcontinental flight to one of the most remote pubs in Victoria, with 60km of mountainous gravel roads to cover before the kitchen closes... what could possibly go wrong?

To balance life and training, this rider uses SOLOS Smart Glasses to get the most out of each workout.

With roads tracing the coastline, lush hills to conquer and Australia's strongest cycling culture, Melbourne offers something for riders of all types.

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Geelong is more than just a gateway to the Great Ocean Road and the Surf Coast – it's the home of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, a highpoint of the Summer of Cycling and a great riding destination in its own right.

Canadian Mitchelton-Scott veteran Svein Tuft has always been an atypical professional road cyclist, preferring a simple life in the mountains and the escape of adventure. Here, he takes us on a three-day gravel getaway around the Pyrenees.

There’s a place where mountains topped with ghostly forests tumble down to impossibly green fields, where red dirt tracks weave through pine plantations, where crystal lakes reflect the stony peaks looming above them. An Australian cycling paradise? Pretty close.

15,500m of climbing and descending, 500km of trails, two ill-prepared roadies and one of the world's toughest MTB stage races... what could possibly go wrong?

It takes stubbornness and a huge amount of food, mostly.

Ballarat is a place where history is made. It was this way in the 1850s, when the city was the focal point of the Victorian gold rush; it’s this way now, as the long-time host of the Australian Road National Championships and a centrepiece of the Summer of Cycling.

David Trimble, founder of the popular fixed-gear criterium series Red Hook Crit, shares the origin story of the race and his refuge from its stresses in the peaceful, leafy surrounds of the Catskills.

With Mitchelton-Scott pro Carlos Verona as guide, we explore the eastern Pyrenees and encounter some spectacular, lesser-known gems of this mountain range.

I finished the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana this year and yet it was The Tent that nearly broke me.

I’m a keen cyclist. Nothing fancy, no racing history, or inclination. Just a road bike I think is pretty cool, a trainer in the garage, and a desire to be a better rider than I was the month before.

For all its charms, Sydney is far from a great city for cyclists, with hostile authorities and manic traffic conspiring against the picturesque surrounds. But venture to the north, and with a little planning, you can find yourself in rugged, quiet terrain that's perfect for an escape from the city.

Nestled in the Bernese Alps is a tiny road, closed to motorized traffic at the top, with dramatic views of some of the most prestigious peaks in the Alps. Grosse Scheidegg – the most beautiful climb you’ve never heard of.

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After more than a decade of bikepacking adventures, Jay Petervary is something of a guru. We asked for his advice on getting out there.

After his first foray into the world of bikepacking, Dan Cavallari has five tips to help you pack more efficiently for a night outdoors.

With just about any bike and a minimum of planning, you too can fall in love with bikepacking, literally, overnight.

On Strava I clicked my way around the Yorkshire moors, then into the Derbyshire peak district, across a corner of Staffordshire, then finally down onto the Cheshire plain. Here we go. An adventure. A quest to give back a tenner, test out some kit, and sleep beneath the stars on some lovely, lonely peak. 250km, with 4,000m of up.

I call them ‘breakdown rides’ – rides that take me deep enough into myself that something breaks or heals, or sometimes both.

Sometimes you just need to get away and ride your bike somewhere new – somewhere you’ve always longed to see in person. That was the mindset we had when we decided to step out of our usual comfort zone, and fly off (with bikes in tow) to the vast expanses of the Idaho countryside.

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Grinduro is part bike race, part camping trip, part block party in the woods of Northern California. It makes for one hell of a weekend.

Better gear to ride mixed terrain is encouraging riders to explore beyond the usual roads — a good thing, says the Squid Bikes co-owner.

Dirty Kanza organizer says the sale will secure the future of the iconic gravel race and help support the community of Emporia, Kansas.

Rebecca's Private Idaho combines stunning mountain scenery with a tough route and plenty of celebration once the 92-mile gravel race is over.

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Photos from the 2018 edition of Rebecca's Private Idaho, a gravel race led by Rebecca Rusch.

As part of our continuing coverage of gravel events, I'm headed to Ketchum, Idaho for the sixth edition of Rebecca's Private Idaho.

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Three hours and a million miles from the bustle of Chicago, on the shores of the Mississippi, lies the hilly, gravelly cyclist's paradise of Galena. We drifted out of the city to discover the Midwest's best kept riding secret.

Editor’s note: Managing editor Chris Case raced the Crusher in the Tushar and lived to tell the tale. This coverage is sponsored by 3T, Mavic, Bell, and Roka. Case rode a 3T Exploro on Mavic's Allroad Pro UST Disc wheels and Yksion Allroad XL tires, and was equipped with a Bell Z20 MIPS helmet and Roka GP-1 sunglasses. 

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Riders share stories of how they got through the brutal, 206-mile Dirty Kanza.

On a three-day gravel ride through the North Island's east, we were treated to a jawdropping procession of rolling hills, impossibly green fields, dense rainforest and champagne cycling conditions. In other words: a hell of a good time.

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The Lauf True Grit may look a bit odd with its suspension fork, but it's one the best, most versatile gravel bikes we have tested.

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Salsa Cycles decided to add a bit of cushy comfort to Dirty Kanza with a red velour chaise lounge. The photos were amazing.

Mike Shaw, of Cohasset, California, dies of apparent heart attack at Lost and Found Gravel race.

Thousands of riders take on the challenge of a 206-mile gravel race through the Flint Hills of Kansas.

We went to the laboratory (and the dirt roads) to figure out whether low tire pressure is not only more comfortable but also faster.

Ted King and Kaitlin Keough won the Dirty Kanza 200 gravel race on Saturday in Emporia, Kansas.

Team Panaracer/Stan's No Tubes employs road cycling tactics at gravel events. Not everyone is happy about it.

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