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TIER 1

SBT GRVL

Steamboat Springs, Colorado · 2027: TBD (2026 edition ran June 26-28)

VERDICT Champagne gravel at altitude with a three-day festival vibe that somehow doesn't ruin the racing.

86
LAB SCORE
—
RIDER SCORE · RATE IT →
[05]

The Ratings

Course verdict

SBT GRVL serves up 108 miles of Colorado's famous 'champagne gravel' - smooth, fast surfaces that seduce you into thinking this will be easy.[1]

Course Profile ratings for this race. Select a point for its explanation. LOGISTICS3/5LENGTH4/5TECHNICAL3/5ELEVATION4/5CLIMATE3/5ALTITUDE4/5ADVENTURE5/5 26/35
Course Profile
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[01]

Course Overview

Champagne gravel at altitude - where the pros come to play and the views will make you forget about the suffering

108 mi
Distance
8,189 ft
Elevation
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Location
TBD (2026 edition ran June 26-28), 2027
Date
Field Size
$275
Entry Cost
+ Google Calendar Download .ics
MORE IN COLORADO: Colorado Trail Race · Leadville Trail 100 MTB · Gunni Grinder
[03]

The Course

Cyclists racing on gravel road through rolling hills with aspen groves and mountain views in Colorado terrain - SBT GRVL - Steamboat Springs, ColoradoPhoto: YouTube / Outside TV
Steamboat Gravel race finish line with cyclists sprinting under SBT GRVL banner and spectator crowds - Steamboat Springs, ColoradoPhoto: YouTube / Outside TV

SBT GRVL serves up 108 miles of Colorado's famous 'champagne gravel' - smooth, fast surfaces that seduce you into thinking this will be easy. The 8,189 feet of climbing happens gradually across working ranch land, aspen groves, and sage-covered hills, with 70% gravel that ranges from hero dirt to loose chunky sections that'll humble your bike handling.

Signature challenge: The thing nobody tells you about SBT GRVL: champagne gravel is fast until it isn't. The deceptively smooth surfaces let you burn matches early while altitude (course tops out near 8,500ft) and 21 categorized climbs compound every tactical mistake. Riders consistently report feeling it in their power output specifically in the back half, after the Mile 38 cutoff has already sorted the field.

4
MILE
Zipp Cow Creek
A steep, chunky gravel climb right out of the gate -- the course's first real test before the field has settled in.
25
MILE
Wahooligan Pass
Reached via Trout Creek, this is the Black Course's lone Category 3 climb (about 4.17 miles). The plateau between Cow Creek and here is exposed and vulnerable to headwind.
38
MILE
The Cutoff
The only officially published cutoff on the Black Course: reach the County Road 29/37D intersection by 10:15 AM (roughly a 10mph elapsed-average pace) or you're redirected onto the Blue Course finish.
54
MILE
Hayden Gun Range
The race's main aid station and spectator zone, and the only checkpoint where outside/team nutrition support is permitted -- functionally the turnaround before the return toward Steamboat.
RIDERS REPORT
First Gravel Section
Immediately after neutral section ends, course becomes extremely dusty. Riders report being covered in dust and bikes becoming filthy after just the first gravel section.
Single Track Section
Very bumpy and fun section described as almost like a cyclocross race before returning to smooth tarmac.
Five Mile Climb
Described as a 1,000 foot climb which riders note as bigger than most have done before. Steep climbs throughout the course challenge even fast gravel climbers.
Washboardy Downhill
Technical downhill section with washboard surface where excited riders pass frequently, described as scary by some participants.
The champagne gravel is described as fine little pebbles like bubbles in champagne. It's fast, so fast, making Steamboat Gravel historically a fast course.
Course becomes extremely dusty immediately after the first gravel section. Riders report being covered in dust and bikes becoming completely filthy very early in the race.
[04]

From the Field

Historically, Steamboat Gravel with its champagne gravel is a fast course. It's just this fine little pebbles or the bubbles in champagne. It's fast. It's so fast.

Outside TV · 12.8K views

Gravel racing in steamboat feels insanely fast. Every gravel race is so so hard. The altitude's a beast.

Outside TV · 12.8K views

I knew it was going to be dusty strong gravel but literally after that first gravel section I was covered in dust, my bike was filthy.

Global Cycling Network · 415.2K views

Three months and two days ago I threw my name into the hat to try and ride the steamboat gravel race in the heart of the rockies and it wasn't just any of the four loops that you could choose from but the longest one 224 kilometer gravel loop

Global Cycling Network · 415.2K views
SBT GRVL 2025: Relive the Epic Steamboat Gravel Race | Highlights, Pro Wins & Community Spirit
Outside TV · 12.8K views · 17:01
​​Can Manon Survive A 225km US Gravel Race? | SBT GRVL
Global Cycling Network · 415.2K views · 19:00
SBT GRVL® 2025 Recap
GRVL · 9.8K views · 7:01
RACER

Racer Reviews

Raced SBT GRVL? Be the first to rate it.
[07]

Training

June 26, 2027 SBT GRVL
RIDERS REPORT
Rider used Ribble Gravel SL with carbon frame, noting all components are completely changeable so you can adjust stem or handlebar sizes unlike other brands where you get what you're given.
[08]

Train for SBT GRVL

RACE DEMAND PROFILE

Durability
6
Climbing
8
VO2 Power
10
Threshold
8
Technical
6
Heat
0
Altitude
8
Race Specificity
10
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[10]

Tire Picks

38mmMIXED
1
Specialized Pathfinder Pro
38mm · $55 · 32W
Fast center, grippy edges. The modern all-rounder benchmark.
2
Panaracer GravelKing SK
40mm · $65 · 32W
Affordable all-rounder. Light knobs add grip without killing speed.
3
Vittoria Terreno Mix
40mm · $80 · 34W
Graphene versatility. Mixed-terrain grip with reasonable rolling speed.
FRONT/REAR SPLIT Vittoria Terreno Dry 40mm / Specialized Pathfinder Pro 38mmFaster front for reduced rolling resistance on straights, grippier rear for traction on loose climbs and corners
FULL TIRE GUIDE & PRESSURE TABLE
NEWS

Latest Coverage

[—]

Similar Races

T1 Belgian Waffle Ride Del Mar, California · 107 mi · 87/100 T1 Leadville Trail 100 MTB Leadville, Colorado · 100 mi · 89/100 T1 Belgian Waffle Ride Cedar City Cedar City, Utah · 117 mi · 81/100 T1 Rebecca's Private Idaho Ketchum, Idaho · 104 mi · 80/100 T1 Belgian Waffle Ride San Diego Del Mar, California · 106.5 mi · 79/100 T1 Sea Otter Classic Gravel Monterey, California · 89 mi · 80/100
[—]

Frequently Asked Questions

Late June Colorado conditions proved challenging for riders. "hot and dry" conditions during the race, severe enough that she required IV treatment for dehydration after Friday's course recon. Pre-race weather included "sheets of rain pummeled the roof of the car" for travelers reaching Colorado.[4]

Yampa Valley Regional Airport offers direct flights from 12 cities, and Denver is a 3-hour drive. Registration sells out via lottery with no race day packet pickup. The opening chaos: "The first hour was fucked... 900 people spread out across the road, all jockeying to get to the front. There was a crash right next to me on the first rise."[1]

The route through working ranches and champagne gravel roads delivers iconic Rocky Mountain terrain. After the first major climb, riders traverse "a long section of bare plateau, which was beautiful" before hitting singletrack sections. The famous Cow Creek descent caps the adventure with "the roughest descent on the course" featuring rocks, ruts, and livestock.[1]

One of the crown jewels of gravel cycling. Independent event founded by Amy Charity in 2019, attracts top-tier pros (Keegan Swenson's three-peat, Lauren De Crescenzo, Lauren Stephens) despite not being part of any major series. Iconic status on its own merit.[4]

If you can hold 20+ mph for five hours at 7,000 feet, the Black course rewards fitness with buttery gravel and legitimate competition. The roughly 10 mph elapsed-average cutoff at Mile 38 sounds generous until you're grinding into headwinds at altitude. Come undertrained and you'll get pulled to the Blue course finish, which isn't the worst fate given the scenery.

[11]

Sources & Citations

Research sources used to build this race profile. Always verify details with official race sources before making travel or registration decisions.

  1. Route Maps RideWithGPS: Black Race Course | SBT GRVL® p/b Wahoo 2026ridewithgps.com/routes/53876176
  2. Community tobedetermined.cc: Sbt Grvl Recapwww.tobedetermined.cc/journal/sbt-grvl-recap
  3. Community theproscloset.com: My Race Plan For Sbt Grvl 2023www.theproscloset.com/blogs/news/my-race-plan-for-sbt-grv...
  4. Community trainright.com: Reggie Miller Sbt Gravel 100 Mile Gravel Racetrainright.com/reggie-miller-sbt-gravel-100-mile-gravel-r...
  5. Community outsideonline.com: E Bike Paracycling Sbt Grvl Andrew Bernsteinwww.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/biking/e-bike-par...
  6. Community sorellacycling.org: Content.Aspxsorellacycling.org/content.aspx?page_id=5&club_id=815352&...

Last updated September 2026