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6 New Gravel Bike Races Are Coming to Colorado This Year
Gravel riding has been talked about as cycling s next big thing for the past few years. These six inaugural gravel grinds are proof the discipline has fully reached the mainstream in the Centennial State. Courtney Holden •
April 26, 2021
You’ve likely heard that gravel or dirt riding (aficionados use the terms interchangeably) is the cycling trend du jour. In recent years, increased gear sales, an influx of websites dedicated to the discipline, and various magazines including us have signaled just that.
What’s the appeal? Well, it’s slightly more adventurous (and much less pretentious) than road riding and slightly less gnarly as well as less ego-driven than mountain biking. “It’s this boom of cyclists who don’t like all the traffic of road riding and who don’t feel the need to do all the technical stuff of mountain biking,” says Mad Gravel race director Dave Muscianisi. “They just want to [
Race organizers
announced the race in March, saying that it would be added to the gravel bike race circuit and that efforts would be made to make the race especially inclusive for women and people of color.
“We realized that having ‘man’ in our name didn’t complement our mission,” said public relations director Scott Kaier.
So instead of naming the race after Bredo Morstoel, the frozen dead guy preserved on ice in Nederland, the event will now be called Ned Gravel, a reference to Nederland, the home base for the race.
Kaier also said that because Boulder County has eased COVID restrictions the race can now host up to 750 participants. Registration can be accomplished