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Tier 1

Tier 1 — The Icons

30 races · Scored & ranked by Gravel God

These are the races that define gravel cycling. Every Tier 1 event has earned its place through a combination of top-tier competition, iconic terrain, deep community, and a reputation that transcends the sport. If you only race gravel a few times in your life, start here.

97
Transcontinental Race
Across Europe (route changes annually)
4,000-5,000km self-supported across Europe. The clock never stops. The ultimate test of human endurance, navigation, and self-reliance.
3100 mi · 210,000 ft · July
95
Unbound Gravel 200
Emporia, Kansas
The Super Bowl of gravel. 200 miles through Kansas Flint Hills. Where legends are made and dreams die in the dust.
200 mi · 11,000 ft · June
94
Tour Divide
Banff, Alberta to Antelope Wells, New Mexico
2,745 miles from Banff to Mexico. The longest mountain bike time trial on earth. Self-supported. Unsupported. Unforgettable.
2745 mi · 200,000 ft · June
91
The Traka 200
Girona, Catalonia, Spain
Europe's Unbound, one-day distance. 202km through Catalonia's Empordà plains and Gavarres massif, out and back to Girona in a day.
126 mi · 8,694 ft · April
91
Unbound XL
Emporia, Kansas
350 miles of Kansas limestone hell with zero aid stations. The ultimate test of whether you actually like riding bikes or just think you do.
350 mi · 14,000 ft · June
90
Colorado Trail Race
Durango to Denver, Colorado
530 miles of high-altitude suffering across the spine of the Rockies - 75% of starters don't finish, and that's the point.
530 mi · 72,500 ft · August
90
Trans Am Bike Race
Astoria, Oregon to Yorktown, Virginia
4,200 miles from the Pacific to the Atlantic. The longest road ultra-race on earth. Self-supported across 10 states. America, coast to coast.
4233 mi · 175,000 ft · June
89
Badlands
Granada, Andalusia, Spain
800km self-supported through Spanish deserts and 3,400m alpine passes. Where ultra-endurance meets extreme heat.
497 mi · 52,493 ft · August
89
Crusher in the Tushar
Beaver, Utah
The toughest 70 miles on the planet. 10,000ft of climbing. Finish at 10,400ft elevation.
69.9 mi · 10,000 ft · July
89
Gran Fondo Nove Colli
Cesenatico, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
127 mi · 12,600 ft · May
89
Leadville Trail 100 MTB
Leadville, Colorado
The Race Across the Sky. 100 miles at 10,000+ feet. The belt buckle that defines mountain biking.
100 mi · 11,900 ft · August
87
Belgian Waffle Ride
Del Mar, California
The original BWR: 107 miles across 30 road and unroad sectors from Del Mar.
107 mi · 7,367 ft · April
87
Torino Nice Rally
Turin, Italy to Nice, France
700km crossing the Alps from Italy to France on legendary military roads. Where bikepacking pilgrimage meets high-altitude adventure.
435 mi · 52,493 ft · September
86
Big Sugar Gravel
Bentonville, Arkansas
The Life Time Grand Prix finale—where the season ends and titles are decided on Ozark gravel.
99.6 mi · 6,200 ft · October
86
Gravel Earth Series
Global (HQ: Girona, Spain)
Europe's premier gravel circuit. From Girona to Kenya to Iceland, the alternative to Life Time's American hegemony.
208 mi · 12,139 ft · February
86
SBT GRVL
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Champagne gravel at altitude - where the pros come to play and the views will make you forget about the suffering
108 mi · 8,189 ft · June
84
Gravel Worlds
Lincoln, Nebraska (Sandhills Global Event Center)
150 miles of relentless Nebraska rollers. $150K purse. Pirate swords for winners. The grassroots championship.
150 mi · 10,000 ft · August
83
Dirty Reiver
Kielder, Northumberland, England
The UK's biggest gravel race. 200km through Kielder Forest. Cold, wet, and utterly British.
124 mi · 12,100 ft · April
83
Gravel Locos
Hico, Texas
Fast Texas gravel. River crossings. Scorching heat. The Unbound tune-up that breaks people.
118 mi · 6,000 ft
83
The Mid South
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Oklahoma's weather lottery with a $100K purse and a guaranteed Bobby hug.
106.9 mi · 6,506 ft · March
83
UCI Gravel World Championships
Nannup, Western Australia, Australia
The rainbow-jersey race comes to Nannup: steep, closely spaced climbs on Western Australia's Blackwood Valley gravel.
88.9 mi · 12,182 ft · October
81
Belgian Waffle Ride Cedar City
Cedar City, Utah
Half the climbing of San Diego. All the suffering. Plus miles of playground sand.
117 mi · 5,940 ft · June
81
Jeroboam
Bergamo, Italy
The world's toughest gravel ride where wine bottle sizes determine your suffering quota and 7,000 meters of climbing is just the appetizer.
186 mi · 23,000 ft · September
80
Rebecca's Private Idaho
Ketchum, Idaho
Idaho's most beautiful gravel race. 100 miles through the Pioneer Mountains. Not made to be easy.
104 mi · 6,860 ft · September
80
Rift Valley Odyssey (RVO)
Kiambu County to Maasai Mara, Kenya
The only mountain bike race crossing Kenya's Great Rift Valley to Maasai Mara
295.2 mi · 32,808 ft · September
80
Sea Otter Classic Gravel
Monterey, California
Festival racing on California's Central Coast. Where gravel meets expo madness.
89 mi · 8,100 ft · April
80
Unbound Gravel 100
Emporia, Kansas
The little sibling that still kicks your ass. 100 miles of Flint Hills gravel—all the suffering, half the existential crisis.
103 mi · 4,373 ft · May
79
Belgian Waffle Ride San Diego
Del Mar, California
The OG American Spring Classic. 130 miles of kasseien-crushing brutality where 1 in 3 riders DNF, and the survivors earn their waffles.
106.5 mi · 7,500 ft · April
77
Little Sugar MTB
Bentonville, Arkansas
New LTGP MTB race—30 miles of technical Bentonville singletrack, pairs with Big Sugar Gravel, pro field guaranteed.
30 mi · 3,500 ft · April
76
Seven
Nannup, Western Australia
Australia's crown jewel gravel race. 125km through Western Australia's forests. Host of 2026 UCI Gravel World Championships.
78 mi · 10,500 ft · May
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