![]() In the last six-or-so years during which cycling has transformed from being an interest to my full-time obsession and profession, it’s taken over my life rather completely and my family has, so to speak, witnessed that from the sidelines.įNLD_GRVL_2023_RACEDAY_COURSE_297.jpg, by FNLD GRVL The crushing of smooth gravel under the tyres wasn’t too obtrusive in volume or technical to navigate to prevent chatting about everything - including my sister's ever-increasing interest in cycling as a sport.Īlthough I am no pro gravel racer, I have done enough gravel events and long rides to say that the 40km with my sister was more special on multiple accounts than any of those long, gruelling rides. Most of the time, we were sheltered from the sun by the pine and birch trees which filtered the sun through the leaves ruffling in the slight wind that was present that day. My sister and I embraced an easy pace riding through the smooth forest roads, a little bit of singletrack, and perfectly paved cycle paths. But, after FNLD GRVL my sister had for sure developed her very own definition of the discipline.Ĭelebrating completion and competition equallyįNLD_GRVL_2023_RACEDAY_COURSE_50.jpg, by FNLD GRVL This was quite evident from the event coverage in the local media, which kept referring to the race as a “mountain bike race”.Īnd indeed, even though I had thoroughly briefed my sister on what we were about to do, “What exactly is this ‘gravel cycling'?” was a question she asked me on the evening before the event. This is the first time I’ve chosen to ride the shortest available distance at a gravel event, and there is a reason for it: I was doing the event with my sister.ĭespite the Finnish cross-country skiing trails lending themselves so well to gravel riding, gravel cycling isn’t necessarily a discipline that the Finns know well. It was rather about completing the route and having a good time. ![]() The Forest Route, as the organisers had named it, had no podiums or equal prize money for the winners. It was the shortest, 40km course option, that I was about to tackle. Jokes aside, the 77km route wasn't’ the last distance that was on offer on the event day. That meant lining up for the longest available distance, the 177km Midnight Sun route included the women’s Unbound winner Carolin Schiff, Trek Segafredo pro rider Toms Skujins - who won the men's race - and, of course, Canyon SRAM rider and the event's partner, Tiffany Cromwell who dominated the women's race.įNLD_GRVL_2023_RACEDAY_COURSE_24.jpg, by Suvi Loponen FNLD GRVL offered a total prize pot of €20,000 equally split between the women's and men's podiums. You might think 'That's a long way to travel for a race' - but there was definitely an incentive to attract the pros beyond the beautiful lakes and forests of Finland. About a third of the participants had flown across from the US and, in total, the event attracted riders from 27 countries. ![]() Hence, it was no surprise that among the cycling enthusiasts who flocked to Lahti was a very professional group of pro gravel riders. The rather unknown but underestimated gravel roads that surround Lahti, and more widely the whole scarcely habited country lent themselves excellently to the event, which very much resembled a US gravel race. Gravel racing - what's next for cycling's fastest-growing discipline?Ģ023 International Gravel Events - the best off-road events from around the globe.Gravel bike racing – everything you need to know.Despite being first and foremost a gravel race, for many the event was much more than that - and this is my experience from the event. The prestigious event filled the city of Lahti in southern Finland with gravel bikes of all kinds, bringing together gravel enthusiasts from all over the World. Last week, I got back from a trip to my home country, Finland, where the inaugural FNLD GRVL gravel race took place.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |