US gravel races 2022: Race dates, routes, TV guide, past winners and how to enter
The American gravel racing scene is hard to follow with limited coverage available, so here’s our guide to the biggest races in 2022
Somehow gravel is still growing, with more interested riders, new tech and new routes discovered all the time. The professional scene is also on a consistent upwards trajectory with races in its spiritual home of the USA growing in stature every year.
With the UCI deciding the time is right to try to take on gravel racing, the less regulated, more sportive-like American races are looking to cement their place as the discipline’s true form before European politics tries to take over.
However given its lack of infrastructure and TV coverage, it’s not an easy sport to follow outside of following races and riders on social media, so we’ve compiled a list of some of the biggest American gravel races to add to your calendars.
Whether you want to check for coverage – which is improving year on year, check in on riders, look for ride inspiration or enter the races yourselves, there are plenty of opportunities throughout the year to get your fix.
It’s also a good place to start to follow race results to get to know who the big talents in gravel are with riders that you may not see in other disciplines or familiar faces from road races.
When does a ride become a race?
Photo: Mike Swim
Most of these events call themselves rides, and that’s because of the emphasis on enjoyment and participation over competition, however for the purposes of this list, we’re looking at where the top professional riders are plying their trade as opposed to the best ones for people to ride, however there are ways for anyone to enter most of these races, whether in their full form or a shorter length version.
You’ll also hear a lot about the ‘spirit of gravel’, which refers to the unwritten rules of these rides and their supposedly more laidback and welcoming environment but is often debated and heavily memed.
2022 US gravel races: Key events for pros, route information, how to enter and TV coverage
At a glance
- The Mid South, 11th March 2023
- Sea Otter Classic, 23rd April 2023
- Belgian Waffle Ride California, 16th April 2023
- Gravel Locos Texas, 20th May 2023
- Unbound Gravel, 3rd June 2023
- Belgian Waffle Ride North Carolina, June 2023
- Crusher in the Tushar, 8th July 2023
- Leadville Trail 100 MTB, 13th August 2022
- SBT GRVL, 14th August 2022
- Gravel Worlds, 20th August 2022
- Rebecca's Private Idaho, 31st August-4th September 2022
- Belgian Waffle Ride Utah, 24th September 2022
- Gravel Locos Colorado, 1st October 2022
- Belgian Waffle Ride Michigan, 9th October 2022
- Belgian Waffle Ride Kansas, 16th October 2022
- Big Sugar Gravel, 22nd October 2022
The Mid South
What: 100-mile race on red dirt roads – that becomes thick ‘peanut butter mud’ in the wet – with over 6,000ft of elevation.
When: 11th March 2023
Where: Stillwater, Oklahoma
Route:
2022 winners: Cole Paton, Lauren De Crescenzo
Alternative distances: 12 miles, 50 miles
Enter: midsouthgravel.com
Sea Otter Classic
Photo: Nikki Ritcher
What: 80km ‘Fuego’ XC mountain bike race, two laps of course featuring mixture of gravel, singletrack and sand, with over 5,700ft of elevation. First event of the Life Time Grand Prix series and part of bigger Sea Otter Classic festival with heaps of new bike tech.
When: 23rd April 2023
Where: Monterey, California
Route:
Route map for Fuego XC/ROBLES TOUR by Jeffery Frost on plotaroute.com
TV coverage and higlights: Flo Bikes
2022 winners: Keegan Swenson, Mo Wilson
Alternative distances: 6km (juniors), 40km. Also 25-mile La Gravilla gravel race, road races and other MTB disciplines.
Enter: seaotterclassic.com
Belgian Waffle Ride California
What: 131.7-mile ride with 19 off-road sectors of singletrack, sandy trails and Cali-cobbles that make up 50 miles making it the ‘Hell of the West’. Over 11,000ft of climbing including ten Ardennes-style categorised climbs and a steepest gradient of 23%. First of four Belgian Waffle Rides across the season with an overall series title on offer. Full course details here.
When: 16th April 2023
Where: San Marcos, California
Route:
2022 winners: Alexey Vermeulen, Mo Wilson
Alternative distances: 71-mile Wafer ride, 37.5-mile Wanna ride
Enter: belgianwaffleride.bike
Gravel Locos Texas
What: 155.3-mile race with 112 miles of gravel and over 8,200ft of elevation. Rolling hills, river crossings and scenery including old pecan plantations and the Leon River valley.
When: 20th May 2023
Where: Hico, Texas
Route:
2022 winners: Laurens ten Dam, Emily Newsom
Alternative distances: GL100 La Gran 110.2 miles, GL60 La Mediana 69 miles, GL30 La Pequeña 32.8 miles
Enter: gravellocos.bike/hico
Unbound Gravel
Photo: Mike Swim
What: The biggest race in gravel. Unbound features 200 miles of the hardest gravel through the rolling flint hills of Kansas, which can become a mudfest. Also the second race of the Life Time Grand Prix series.
When: 3rd June 2023
Where: Emporia, Kansas
Route:
TV coverage and highlights: Flo Bikes
2022 winners: Ivar Slik, Sofia Gomez Villafane
Alternative distances: Junior, 20 miles, 50 miles, 100 miles or the XL 350 miles
Enter: unboundgravel.com
Belgian Waffle Ride North Carolina
What: The second race in the Belgian Waffle Ride series, ‘the Hell of the East’, is headlined by the 129.5-mile, 207.4km ride in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Taking in over 13,000ft of climbing and over 52 miles off-road, it's seen as the hardest in the BWR series. Featuring ‘unroads’, sandy trails, singletrack, mud and water crossings in often hot, humid and windy conditions, makes it a real test – but a scenic one.
When: June 2023
Where: Hendersonville, North Carolina
Route: ridewithgps.com
2022 winners: Peter Stetina, Sarah Max
Alternative distances: Wafer ride 71 miles, Wanna ride 37.5 miles
Enter: belgianwaffleride.bike
Crusher in the Tushar
What: A 69.9-mile route that's 60/40 gravel and tarmac but navigates over 12,000ft of elevation through The Tushars mountain range and Fishlake National Forest. It’s the next in the Life Time Grand Prix series.
When: 8th July 2023
Where: Beaver, Utah
Route:
TV coverage: Flo Bikes
2022 winners: Keegan Swenson, Haley Smith
Enter: tucharcrusher.com
Leadville Trail 100 MTB
What: High altitude mountain bike race in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, starting at 10,152ft (3,094m) and going up to 12,424ft (3,787m) the Leadville 100 is breathtaking. An out-and-back route, riders head through forest rough service roads, two-track roads and a bit of singletrack. The next part of the Life Time, it is an offshoot of the Leadville 100 ultramarathon.
When: 13th August 2022
Where: Leadville, Colorado
Route:
Route map for LT100 MTB by Michael Melley on plotaroute.com
TV coverage: Flo Bikes
2021 winners: Keegan Swenson, Rose Grant
Alternative distances: Other Leadville series events spread throughout the year
Enter: leadvilleraceseries.com
SBT GRVL
What: 142-mile course over two main climbs near skiing town Steamboat Springs, CO – home of Moots – featuring more than 100 miles of gravel and just under 9,200ft (2,800m) of climbing. A tough ask for anyone racing Leadville but one of the premier events on the calendar.
When: 14th August, 2022
Where: Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Route:
TV coverage: sbtgrvl.com
2021 winners: Alex Howes, Lauren De Crescenzo
Alternative distances: 100-mile ‘Blue’ route, 60-mile ‘Red’ route, 37-mile ‘Green’
Enter: sbtgrvl.com
Gravel Worlds
What: Representing the real ‘Spirit of Gravel’, Gravel Worlds is a lighthearted jab at the seriousness of ‘official’ events. Though there’s an emphasis on the grassroots feel and having fun riding with friends and family, the tough 150-mile course with over 10,000ft of elevation is a self-supported race with only water and basic nutrition given at check points. Winners get World Champions jerseys.
When: 20th August 2022
Where: Lincoln, Nebraska
2021 route: (2022 route announced in August)
2021 winners: John Borstelmann, Lauren De Crescenzo
Alternative distances: 300 miles, 75 miles, 50km
Enter: gravel-worlds.com
Rebecca’s Private Idaho
Photo: Linda Guerrette / Stellar Media
What: Four-day, three-stage stage race featuring 43.3-mile opener on singletrack and gravel roads, 4.5-mile uphill individual time-trial, optional rest day 20-mile fun ride, and final 102-mile 90% gravel road big finish.
When: 31st August - 4th September 2022
Where: Ketchum, Idaho
Routes: rebeccasprivateidaho.com
2021 overall winners: Peter Stetina, Rose Grant, Apollo Leonard, Megan Fisher
Alternative distances: individual stages 102 miles ‘Baked Potato’, 56 miles ‘French Fry’, 20 miles ‘Tater Tot’
Enter: rebeccasprivateidaho.com
Belgian Waffle Ride Utah
What: 130-mile 75% off-road course with ten road sectors, featuring just under 8,000ft of climbing through Red Hills dirt, singletrack, sand and rocky sections. Not as long or hilly as other BWR routes.
When: 24th September 2022
Where: Cedar City, Utah
Route: TBC week of event, 2020:
2021 winners: Peter Stetina, Whitney Allison
Alternative distances: 81-mile Wafer ride
Enter: belgianwaffleride.bike
Gravel Locos Colorado
What: New for 2022 is this 170.1-mile route on rural and farm roads in Pueblo, Colorado. With 13,242ft (4,036m) of elevation, it certainly won’t be an easy course but organisers have described the local groads as among the best gravel routes they’ve seen.
When: 1st October 2022
Where: Pueblo, Colorado
Route: TBA
Alternative distances: La Gran Piedra 105.3 miles, La Mediana 64.8 miles, La Pequeña 30.2 miles (non-timed)
Enter: gravellocos.bike
Belgian Waffle Ride Michigan
What: Another new one for 2022, the latest addition to the Belgian Waffle Ride family is part of the new MoMITT Bike Fest. 130 miles of racing soon to be known as ‘Hell of the Great Lakes’ takes place in northern Michigan from Mt. Holiday, a skiing destination in the winter that sits near the East Arm Grand Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan. Expect plenty of climbing, tough terrain and incredible scenery, as per.
When: 9th October 2022
Where: Traverse City, Michigan
Route: TBC
Alternative distances: Wafer half distance
Enter: belgianwaffleride.bike
Belgian Waffle Ride Kansas
What: The final BWR of the year and the fourth part of the ‘Quadruple Crown of Gravel’ awarded to the best performers across the Belgian Waffle Ride races excluding Michigan, the Kansas ride is getting longer for 2022 and last year’s course was 86% off-road and had over 8,000ft (2,400m) of climbing.
When: 16th October 2022
Where: Lawrence, Kansas
Route: TBC approx 130 miles, 2021 route:
2021 winners: Tanner Ward, Tiffany Cromwell
Alternative distances: Wafer 69 miles, Wanna 36 miles
Enter: belgianwaffleride.bike
Big Sugar Gravel
What: The final race in the Life Time series, Big Sugar NWA is approx. 100 miles of largley unmaintained gravel, so expect big, loose rocks as well as water crossings with over 6,000ft (1,800m) of elevation gain. Named for Arkansas’s Sugar Creek, riders climb through the Ozark mountains and cross over the state's northern border with Missouri, not far from Oklahoma, spending half the race outside Arkansas before looping back.
When: 22nd October 2022
Where: Bentonville, Arkansas
2021 Route:
TV coverage: Flo Bikes
2021 winners: Adam Roberge, Mo Wilson
Alternative distances: Little Sugar 50 miles
Enter: bigsugargravel.com
Photos from race organisers unless stated otherwise.
For more on gravel rides, bikes and tech, visit our gravel hub page.
