Gravel events 2023: Gravel camps, festivals, races, bikepacking and more

There are camps, festivals, bikepacking events, day events, races and more. Many gravel events are less focussed on performance and rankings than traditional road races and place more emphasis on community and experiencing nature. This is exactly where the appeal lies. Everyday life is often about performance and comparisons, so it's all the better to be able to put these thoughts aside in your free time.

Gravel events explained briefly and concisely

Festival, camp & fair

Spend a weekend together. In addition to gravel biking, other activities are on offer. The focus is on the exchange and the shared experience.

>> To the gravel festivals, gravel camps and gravel fairs

Bikepacking events and bikepacking races

In gravel bikepacking races, the route is usually predetermined and several hundred kilometres long. After the joint start, each participant is on their own and the clock only stops at the finish. Everyone decides for themselves where to sleep and eat. Booking in advance is not permitted. The focus is on pushing your own limits and exploring new areas. The exchange at the finish is worth a lot.

>> To the bikepacking events and bikepacking races

Day tours & gravel tours

For the first time, there is a route for individual completion like the Gravel Cracker (psst: a kind of camp is also planned here at the beginning of August). With Octopus Gravel you ride in up to 7 dead ends, Grevet offers long-distance gravel similar to brevet riding - supergrevet included. Orbit360 is shifting its focus to togetherness and humanity.

>> To the day tours & gravel tours

UCI Gravel World Championship

The Gravel World Championships and the qualifying races have a clear racing focus. One will take place in Aachen this year. There are other opportunities to qualify in the neighbouring countries.

>> to the UCI Gravel race dates

Gravel journeys

Individual or organised gravel tours are an alternative to events.

>> To the gravel journeys

Gravel festivals, camps & trade fairs

Grinduro Eifel

Grinduro mixes partying with social cycling and racing. The word is made up of gravel and enduro. And that's exactly what it means: On a long gravel tour, there are timed segments just like in enduro MTB races.

• When: 5 to 7 May
• Where? Hellenthal, Eifel

Orbit360 Gravity Festival

Gravel, techno and MITEINANDER. That's what the Gravity Festival stands for.

• When: 26 to 29 May
• Where? Schlaubetal, Brandenburg

Engraver

A gravel weekend in the Netherlands packed with gravel, barbeque and beer.

• When: 9 to 11 June
• Where? Odoorn, Netherlands

FNLND GRVL - Gravel festival with race

Four days of gravel festival under the Finnish midnight sun with a gravel race as the grand finale. That's what the FNLND GRVL is all about - if you want to know more, read the Event announcement in our sister magazine BIKE.

• When: 8 to 11 June
• Where? Lathi, Finland

The Gravel Festival in the Sauerland

The Gravel Fest offers two gravel camps. The first takes place in June in Sauerland, the second at the end of August in the Ammergau Alps. In addition to joint gravel tours, there are also games, fun and excitement at the Gravel Chase, a kind of snippet hunt. In 2022, yoga and a cinema evening were also on the timetable.

• When: 8 to 11 June
• Where? Winterberg in the Sauerland

Gravel Camp Allgäu

Everyone is welcome. Beginners and bike nerds alike. It's all about being together, being inspired and exchanging ideas. The organisers will provide refreshments on the routes. In addition to gravel tours, there will also be yoga and more at the Gravel Camp Allgäu.

• When: 22 to 25 June
• Where? Between Lake Constance and Allgäu

Into the Wold

Delicious food and tasty gravel are on offer at Into the Wold. The motto is tired legs, full bellies and open hearts. Those who like racing can give it their all in a sprint challenge. There are also routes of varying difficulty, panel talks, a party and a hangover breakfast ride.

• When: 29 June - 2 July
• Where? Bregenzerwald, Voralberg, Austria

Dreifels - To the black fox

Gravel Camp from the Gravel Collective. Four days will be packed with gravel and togetherness. You will sleep in a tent: in your own, in a borrowed one or even with glamping charackter on real mattresses, clothes racks, electricity and more.

• When: 24 to 27 August
• Where? Annweiler am Trifels

Gravel Camp Allgäu

Better safe than sorry, which is why there are two versions of the Gravel Camp Allgäu. If you can't make the first date, you may still have time at the end of August.

• When: 31 August to 3 September
• Where? Between Lake Constance and Allgäu

The Gravel Ammergau Alps Festival

The Gravel Fest offers two gravel camps. The first takes place in June in Sauerland, the second at the end of August in the Ammergau Alps. In addition to joint gravel tours, there are also games, fun and excitement at the Gravel Chase, a kind of snippet hunt. In 2022, yoga and a cinema evening were also on the timetable.

• When: 31 August to 3 September
• Where? Ammergau Alps

Border Bash Camp Bohemia

The Bohemian Border Bash Camp, like the other gravel weekends presented here, is fully geared towards shared experiences. There is camping, gravel, socialising and fun. A special feature of the Border Bash Camp is that the finishers of the Bohemian Border Bash Races will arrive here after 1300 kilometres and 24,000 metres of altitude, probably quite knocked out.

• When: 7 to 10 September
• Where? Bohemian Switzerland

Grinduro Italy

What Grinduro is all about has already been described above. A weekend full of partying and gravel.

• When: 8 to 10 September
• Where? Maremma, Tuscany, Italy

Gravel Games

A gravel trade fair with a gaming character. In addition to a classic exhibition area, you can take part in various competitions.

• When: 23 to 24 September
• Where? Ewald colliery/Herten

Unsupported bikepacking events and races

Komoot Womens Rally Slovenia

In 2023, komoot is once again organising a series of events: the komoot Women's Rally. A total of 50 female participants can take part. Last year, together with the cycling collective The Women All Ride, there was a komoot Womens Rallye in the Taunus.

• When? September 2023
• Where? Slovenia

Bohemian Border Bash Race

>> Max Gaumnitz reports on his first bikepacking race - and his victory in the Bohemian Border Bash Race 2022.

• How long? 1300 kilometres, 24,000 metres in altitude
• When: 2 to 9 September
• Where? Start and finish in Bohemian Switzerland, Czech Republic

Taunus Bikepacking

Not a race or a commercial event. Rather, it is what each individual makes of it: a chance to explore a new region, a chance to challenge yourself, to leave your comfort zone, an adventure, ...

• How long? Approx. 1000 kilometres, 20,000 metres in altitude
• When?
• Where? Start and finish is in Eppstein-Niederjosbach

Day events & gravel tours

Orbit360 #RideFAR - ride For A Reason

The name says it all. The aim is to cycle a long distance early in the year. For some this means 100 kilometres, for others 360 kilometres. There will be various group rides. Everyone is allowed to start - a donation is requested to support the To finance the construction of a school in East Africa.

• What: Tours from 100 to 360 kilometres - all bikes are welcome
• When? 18 March to 31 May
• Where? worldwide

Lake Bash at the BIKE Festival on Lake Garda

For the first time, there will be a gravel challenge at the BIKE Festival Riva. Cycling together, regional cuisine and, thanks to timing segments, there is also a racing character. Here are all the details about the Lake Bash Gravel Challenge.

• When: 30 April
• Where? Riva del Garda, Italy

Everve Graveltour

The cycling clothing manufacturer, which is breaking new ground with padless trousers and matching saddles (Ezero), is organising a gravel event in 2023. There are three different tours to choose from. Different speed groups are offered, so you can ride together. Riding alone is also an option. There are also refreshment points on the individual routes - including espresso and beer.

• What: Gravel tour
• When: 17 June
• Where? Albstadt

Octopus Gravel

Dead ends are the goal. Everyone chooses for themselves whether one, two or a maximum of eight dead ends are approached.

• What: One-day event, maximum 155 kilometres
• When: 1 July
• Where? Andermatt, Switzerland

Gravel Marathon of the Salzkammergut Trophy

A gravel marathon will be held for the seventh time in 2023 as part of the Salzkammergut Trophy. There are two different routes to choose from.

• What: Gravel Marathon
• When: 15 July
• Where? Obertraun; a free special train runs from Bad Goisern to the start

Distance Rally Black Forest

The Distance Rally crosses the Black Forest on one of three routes. No date and no time limit. Everyone starts when they have time and takes as much time as they like. There are checkpoints along the routes. Those who successfully complete the challenge receive a medal and an entry in the List of Legends. The entry fee also includes access to the rally app and a donation to the Black Forest Association and the Black Forest Mountain Rescue Service

• Between 310 and 375 kilometres; there is also an asphalt version
• When? When you want
• Where? Black Forest; from Karlsruhe to Lörrach

Gravel Cracker

The concept of the Gravel Cracker in the Ore Mountains is similar to that of the Distance Rally. There are tours of different lengths to choose from.

• What: Gravel tours from 23 to 212 kilometres
• When? May to October
• Where? Seiffen, Ore Mountains

Grevet

Grevet - long-distance gravel - was created in the style of brevet riding. There are four gravel routes to complete in different regions of Germany. Those who successfully complete all four routes within the time limit qualify for the Supergrevet - modelled on Paris-Brest-Paris. If you wish, you can also take part in just one, two or three routes.

• What: Long-distance gravel
• When? March to August
• Where? Various regions in Germany

Qualifying race for the 2023 Gravel World Championship

An extract from the Trek UCI World Series calendar:

Gravel Fondo Limburg

• When: 30 April
• Where? Valkenburg, Netherlands

Gravel Challenge Blaavands Huk

• When? 6 May
• Where? Blaavands, Denmark

3Rides Gravel Race

• When: 13 May
• Where? Aachen

Gravel Adventure

• When?22 July
• Where? Świeradów-Zdrój, Poland

Houffa Gravel

• When: 26 August
• Where? Houffalize, Belgium

Gravel World Championship

• When: 8 and 9 October
• Where? Veneto, Italy

Gravel journeys

Gravel Austria - Austria on gravel

It doesn't always have to be an event: In a joint effort, the tourism regions in Austria have worked out a continuous gravel route of around 3000 kilometres through all Austrian federal states - from Lake Constance in the west to Lake Neusiedl in Burgenland, on the border with Hungary. If you like, you can only cycle individual sections. A road book provides information on numerous sights and accommodation. Information is available at komoot; under www.austria.info the offer is still being developed.