Red Bull enters gravel racing scene with Rio Grande Gravel
The event is the brainchild of Red Bull athletes and Texas natives Colin Strickland and Payson McElveen.
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It’s not all rampage all the time for Red Bull.
In November, the energy drink company is taking its first foray into gravel race production. The Red Bull Rio Grande Gravel race premieres on Saturday, November 13 at Cibolo Creek Ranch outside of Marfa, Texas.
Read also: ‘Road to Nowhere’ chronicles one of Colin Strickland’s hardest efforts to date
The location and course design were inspired by 2019 Unbound Gravel champ Colin Strickland and former marathon mountain bike national champion, Payson McElveen, both of whom are native Texans, Red Bull-sponsored athletes, and stalwarts on the domestic gravel scene.
“Payson and I wanted to share this particular part of the world that has had a huge impact on who we are as riders and people,” Strickland said. “We love this region and want to share our Texas escape with our community. It is one of the most peaceful and remote places in the U.S. and makes for an interesting landscape to host a race.”
The Red Bull Rio Grande Gravel is a 100 mile course with 10,000 feet of climbing. The course undulates through the remote and rugged Chinati Mountains, south of the town of Marfa and north of the U.S./Mexico border.
The event is limited to 500 cyclists. Limited lodging will be available at the host venue Cibolo Creek Ranch, and there is camping nearby. Alternatively, there are hotel accommodations available in downtown Marfa, Texas which is located approximately 35 miles north of Cibolo Creek Ranch.
Registration for Red Bull Rio Grande Gravel will open on Friday, September 17. For more information and registration details, please visit www.redbull.com/riogrande.