Early season gravel races to watch
It’s hard to know when the cycling season starts and ends. A variety of disciplines and countless races means riders can find a race to do every weekend, if they wanted to. As far as the gravel season goes, races really start to dot the calendar in March, but I still consider this to be early season.
There are some races in January and February though. These colder months at the start of the year are hard to read. Who’s going to show up? No doubt people are going to try to win, but others are just getting their racing legs under them to prepare for more important races down the line.
That makes for an unexpected quality that adds excitement, and for us race fans, gives us something to talk about and watch. Read on for some of the most significant early season gravel races that will get people talking
RADL GRVL
Adelaide, Australia | January 24
Presented by the same folks as SBT GRVL, RADL brings the same formula down under. It takes place during the Tour Down Under road race to keep the cycling stoke high. Last year’s elite races were won by Brodie Chapman and Tasman Nakervis.
Grasshopper Adventure Series: Low Gap
Ukiah, California | January 26
The Grasshopper series is more of a regional event, but it’s been known to attract the likes of Kate Courtney and Ted King. The Low Gap course is half gravel and half pavement with 6,000 feet of climbing in less than 50 miles. Last year’s victors were Kate Courtney and Christopher Blevins.
Old Man Winter Rally
Lyons, Colorado | February 2
Another regional event, Old Man Winter sees Colorado cyclists brave the cold and oftentimes snow and ice in the hills northwest of Boulder. Victories in 2024 went to Madigan Munro and Noah Granigan.
Rock Cobbler
Bakersfield, California | February 8
Bakersfield isn’t known as a cycling destination, but the Rock Cobbler uses the remote hills outside of town to create a challenging course. You may remember it from a couple years ago when riders faced an aggressive cow (Google it!). There was luckily no bovine attack last year to stop Chase Wark and Deanna Mayles from winning.
Santa Vall
February 15-16 | Sant Gregori, Spain
Santa Vall is a two-day race that’s part of the Gravel Earth Series and is popular among those living in the cycling town of Girona. It was Petr Vakoc and Ashleigh Moolman Pasio on the top step last year.
Grasshopper Adventure Series: Huffmaster
Maxwell, California | February 22
The Huffmaster course features a relatively-chill 5,000 feet of climbing over the course of 90 miles with a mixed course of about half pavement and half gravel. Gravel specialists Brennan Wertz and Flavia Oliveira Parks took home wins last year.
BWR Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona | March 1
Belgian Waffle Ride starts its season in the Arizona desert on a course that features pavement, gravel, and sandy singletrack. Keegan Swenson and Sofia Gomez Villafane were victorious in 2024.
Valley of Tears
Turkey, Texas | March 8
Speaking of Swenson and Gomez Villafane, their sponsor Fairos runs a gravel event in Texas that attracted big names in its first year in 2024. It was indeed Swenson and Gomez Villafane who were on top of the podium last year.
Mid South Gravel
Stillwater, Oklahoma | March 15
You’ve probably heard of this massively popular 100-miler on the red dirt of Oklahoma. It often comes down to a small group sprint, won by Torbjorn Roed in 2024. Lauren De Crescenzo won the women’s contest in a solo breakaway.
Rattlesnake Gravel Grind
Sweetwater, Texas | March 22
The week after Mid South, riders can head down to Texas for Rattlesnake, which was put on my radar last year by
and . Those two went 1-2 in the men’s race, while the women’s race was won by Lauren Stephens.